NBA Updates PH – Two days after it was claimed that the Philadelphia 76ers ended trade talks involving James Harden, the 10-time All-Star guard ripped the team’s president, Daryl Morey.
“Daryl Morey is a liar, and I will never be a part of an organization that he’s a part of,” James Harden said during an Adidas media event in China. “Let me say that again: Daryl Morey is a liar, and I will never be a part of an organization that he’s a part of.”
According to sources informed ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski on Saturday, the Philadelphia 76ers have plans to include James Harden in their training camp and the beginning of the season. This decision could potentially create an uncomfortable situation for the discontented superstar.
Sources say that the Sixers talked to James Harden’s preferred team, the LA Clippers, a few times during the summer, but no deal was made.
James Harden asked the Sixers to move him after he picked up his $35.6 million player option in June. The Sixers agreed to do so, but their asking price was high, and sources say no team, including the Clippers, was willing or able to meet it.
Sources say Harden is upset with Morey because he hasn’t been given a long-term, maximum-level deal offer, and the team risks James Harden coming to training camp with anything but a championship mindset. Morey was the general manager of the Houston Rockets for a long time during Harden’s eight-plus seasons with the team.
Sources say the Philadelphia 76ers are determined to find a way to make it work with Harden this season. They think that with Harden back and MVP center Joel Embiid, they will be able to compete for the title.
Harden, who won the NBA MVP award in 2018, has now tried to leave his third team in three years. When Morey was in charge of the Rockets, Harden became a star, but he wanted to be traded to the Brooklyn Nets. In the end, the Rockets agreed and sent him to the Nets. When a championship run with Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving as part of the “Big Three” didn’t happen, James Harden wanted to be traded to the Philadelphia 76ers because he has strong business and personal ties with 76ers general manager Dalton Morey.
This season, Harden topped the league in assists, while Embiid proved to be a top scorer in his own right. However, it’s unlikely that winning a championship in Philadelphia while playing second fiddle to Embiid is feasible.
The 76ers lost in the second round of the Eastern Conference playoffs, and under new coach Nick Nurse, they are stuck in the middle of the East.
In wins over the Boston Celtics in Games 1 and 4, Harden scored 45 and 42 points, respectively. In Games 2 and 6 losses, Harden missed all six 3s he took. In Game 7, he only had nine points and didn’t score in the second half.
The 76ers have been here before when former No. 1 pick Ben Simmons asked to be traded because of problems with his former coach Doc Rivers and other people in the company. Simmons caused trouble at training camp in 2021, so he didn’t play for the Sixers that season and was finally traded for Harden.
