As part of the NBA investigation into his “liar” comment, Philadelphia 76ers star James Harden told league investigators he was referring to president of basketball operations Daryl Morey telling Harden he will trade him “quickly” following the $35.6 million opt-in for the 2023-24 season, league sources confirmed. The 76ers’ stance now is they expect to keep Harden.
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Harden reiterated his desire is to not play for Philadelphia during an event in China on Aug. 14 as part of a marketing tour for Adidas.
“Daryl Morey is a liar and I will never be a part of an organization that he’s a part of,” Harden told the crowd in attendance in front of numerous cameras. “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.”
Later in the week, Harden told KHOU 11 News Houston that he believes that his relationship with Morey and the 76ers “is beyond repair.” Since then, the NBA has opened an investigation into Harden’s comments.
76ers owner Josh Harris said that he is working to convince Harden to remain in Philadelphia, but is willing to “accommodate what he wants” if he and the team are unable to get the 2017-18 NBA MVP and 14-time All-Star to rescind his trade request to the L.A. Clippers.
“Listen, we’re hard at work,” Harris, the new primary owner of the NFL’s Washington Commanders, said Monday afternoon before the Commanders-Ravens preseason game. “I respect James. I want to, obviously, accommodate what he wants. At the same time, I have to think about a championship-contending team, what we can get back. I’d love to convince him to stay. I understand that that’s not what he wants to do right now.
“I’m going to keep working to resolve it in a way that everyone can live with and is positive for everyone, whatever that resolution is. … I respect him as a basketball player, and as a person. It’s back to, these are, you’re dealing with people, right? And you’ve got to be there. We’ll see where it comes out.”
Backstory
Team sources confirmed on Aug. 12 that Morey and the 76ers have decided to end trade talks involving Harden and that they are expecting him to report to training camp in late September. However, a source close to Harden who was not authorized to speak publicly on the matter told The Athletic that Harden’s plans have not changed following his mid-July trade request and that he currently has no plans of taking part in training camp.
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As The Athletic reported in mid-July, rival executives have long been convinced that Morey was trying to keep Harden in Philadelphia. Harden asked out in late June when his anger over how Morey handled his possible free agency led to his choice to pick up the player option for next season (worth $35.6 million) while simultaneously requesting the trade.
As Morey has said publicly, the team is extremely mindful of the need to keep All-Star level talent around big man Joel Embiid and, as a result, refuses to do a deal that leaves the reigning MVP in a worse position to contend for a title. Embiid’s mid-July comments hinting at his own possible exit someday added more fuel to the urgency of this particular situation with Harden.
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(Photo: Bill Streicher / USA Today)
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