AP Photograph/Matt Slocum
With James Harden nonetheless adamant about being traded this summer time, the Philadelphia 76ers star earlier this week called president of basketball operations Daryl Morey a “liar,” including that he “won’t ever be part of a corporation that he is part of.”
Harden’s current feedback about Morey have led to “calls” for the NBA to re-investigate the Sixers “to evaluate what Morey allegedly lied to Harden about,” in keeping with league insider Marc Stein.
Stein added that his “intuition is that they may certainly select to look into this yet another time.”
It is unclear what Morey allegedly lied to Harden about.
The 76ers acquired Harden in a commerce with the Brooklyn Nets in the course of the 2021-22 season and he put collectively a stable 2022-23 marketing campaign within the Metropolis of Brotherly Love alongside Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey after taking a pay minimize price greater than $14 million.
Nonetheless, Harden opted into his $35.6 million participant possibility for 2023-24 in June and ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported on the time that the 2 sides had been working collectively to seek out him a commerce.
Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium additionally reported on the time that the 76ers made it clear that they “didn’t see a long-term future” with Harden.
Wojnarowski reported on Aug. 12 that Harden is “sad” with Morey “over the dearth of a long-term maximum-level contract provide.” He added that the staff had ended commerce talks for the veteran as no groups had been keen to fulfill the franchise’s “steep” asking worth.
The Los Angeles Clippers had been Harden’s reported most popular vacation spot and the Sixers had conversations with the group a couple of deal, however nothing materialized, in keeping with Wojnarowski.
Harden was asked Thursday if he thought his relationship with the 76ers was past restore and he replied, “I feel so.”
“I have been affected person all summer time,” Harden mentioned of his state of affairs with the staff. “For me, it is simply deal with what I can management and preparing for this season.”
With Harden sad with Morey and the group, it is unclear if he’ll swimsuit up for the franchise in 2023-24 if he isn’t traded. A supply near the veteran guard reiterated to The Athletic’s Sam Amick just lately that the three-time scoring champion “not desires to play for Philadelphia and has no plans of collaborating in coaching camp.”
