13 October 2023 , 18:39
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James Harden continued his feud with Daryl Morey by insisting his relationship with the Philadelphia 76ers executive is beyond repair heading into the 2023/24 NBA season.
Back in August, Harden launched a stunning tirade aimed at 76ers president of basketball operations Morey as the guard laid bare his grievances amid a collapsed trade move to the LA Clippers. He insisted he ‘will never play’ under Morey again, leading to an NBA investigation into the situation.
The 76ers had reportedly informed Harden that the franchise had not found a suitable trade partner and expected him to report to training camp in September, which he did. The Clippers and Sixers engaged in a number of talks but failed to agree to a deal.
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Harden exercised his £30million option for the upcoming season in June as he reportedly believed Morey would assist him in finding a trade to send the 10-time All-Star to the Clippers. However, their relationship has now deteriorated as a result of the failed move.
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“This is in life. When you lose trust in someone, it’s like a marriage,” Harden told reporters. “I wanted to retire a Sixer. And the front office didn’t have that in their future plans.” He added: “I can control what I can control. I’m taking it one day at a time… my plan is to play basketball, that’s for sure.”
Harden signed a two-year, £56.4m deal a year ago that included a player option and ultimately allowed the franchise to sign two additional veteran contributors in free agency in the form of P.J. Tucker and Danuel House. However, Harden has expressed a desire to depart the franchise and return to his home city of Los Angeles to play basketball.
The last few years have been difficult for Harden, the 2018 MVP. He developed into one of the finest scorers in the game with the Houston Rockets until he requested a trade in 2021, joining the Brooklyn Nets alongside Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving.
James Harden is currently practicing at the Philadelphia 76ers facility ahead of the 2023/24 NBA season (AP)The pressure of leading an expectant franchise to glory saw the trio buckle and flounder, leading Harden to force through a trade to the 76ers in February 2022. He wanted the move to Philadelphia due to his strong professional and personal relationship with Morey, which has since collapsed.
Morey is reportedly looking for a strong package from the Clippers which he can use to acquire another All-Star calibre player to pair with Joel Embiid. The reigning MVP has a history of injuries and it is unclear how much longer Philadelphia’s championship window will remain open.
Harden played in 58 regular season contests for the 76ers last season, averaging 21.0 points and 10.7 assists as Philadelphia lost to the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference Semifinals.