06 September 2023 , 17:03
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Basketball star James Harden reportedly angered the Philadpehia 76ers for partying in Miami - which may have been the started point for an offseason where has been seeking a move away from the franchise.
Bridges between the 76ers and the former NBA MVP appear to be well and truly burned after he blasted team general manager Daryl Morey in August. Now a report by ESPN has taken a dive into the fractured relationship between the team and the player, who wants to be traded.
The report claims that Harden, the Sixers and its former coach Doc Rivers didn’t develop a significant amount of trust in one another, citing a specific example when the team were due to play a game on the road against the Miami Heat on March 1.
Harden travelled to the US East Coast, but not with the team. With permission from the front office, he flew to Miami on his own, reportedly, in order to enjoy the nightlife. Though it is not uncommon for NBA players to do this, Rivers and some of Harden’s teammates were not happy with his decision.
The coach brought up the issue in a team meeting and mentioned the specific players who were unhappy with the 10-time All-Star’s actions, with a team source describing the conversation as "uncomfortable". The 76ers had no trouble seeing off the Heat, winning 119-96 with Harden registering 23 points, five assists and seven rebounds.
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Had the Sixers gone on to win a championship this summer, or at the very least make the NBA Finals, it would have been described as a turning point for Harden and the organisation. But it was the Heat, who they defeated convincingly on that day, that won the Eastern Conference Finals and progressed to the NBA Finals where they were beaten by the Denver Nuggets in five games.
The Sixers were beaten 4-3 by the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference semi-finals, including a 112-88 hammering in Game 7, with Harden scoring just nine points. The relationship between Harden and the Sixers has spiralled this offseason and hit breaking point when Harden blasted Morey while in Shanghai.
(Getty Images)During a promotional appearance for Adidas, he told reporters: "Daryl Morey is a liar and I will never be a part of an organisation that he’s a part of. Let me say that again: Daryl Morey is a liar and I will never be a part of an organisation that he’s a part of." He has since been handed a £78,000 ($100k) fine by the NBA for his comments.
The Sixers appears inclined to retain the 34-year-old player, even in light of his intent to skip training camp and his expressed intention to create a situation of discomfort for the organisation to try and force a move away. Teammate Joel Embiid expressed his desire for Harden to stay with the team, while guard Tyrese Maxey is ready for whether Harden stays or goes.
"It's crazy to say this, but it's not our first rodeo, honestly," Maxey said. "That's funny to say, but that's life. James is his own individual, and he's able to do whatever he pleases. I'm preparing right now to play with him or without him. And I love James. If James decided he's going to come back and play for us, there's nobody in this organisation that would be upset about that.”