Following James Harden‘s violation of the NBA’s health and safety protocols, the NBA will require the Rockets star to conduct a four-day quarantine that began on Tuesday, as Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN reports (via Twitter).
Harden must self-isolate through Friday and continue to test negative for the coronavirus in order to receive clearance to resume participating in practices, games, or other team activities, as Mark Berman of Fox 26 Houston tweets. He won’t be able to travel with the team but would be eligible to return for Saturday’s game against the Trail Blazers as long as he doesn’t break quarantine or test positive for the virus.
An NBA investigation found that Harden violated the league’s COVID-19 protocols when he attended an indoor party of 15 or more people. Typically, a player who misses a game for violating those protocols would lose 1/72nd of his salary — in Harden’s case, that would be nearly $573K per game.
However, the Rockets/Thunder game on Wednesday was postponed because Houston also had eight other players unavailable for COVID-19 or injury reasons unrelated to Harden. As a result, it appears the 31-year-old may not actually miss any games as a result of his violation and won’t face any league discipline beyond a $50K fine. A player who is fined an amount greater than $50K is allowed to file a grievance.
It remains to be seen how long several other Rockets players will have to remain isolated or how many negative tests they’ll require, tweets Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle. Positive or inconclusive tests for KJ Martin and another unknown player reportedly triggered contact tracing protocols for John Wall, DeMarcus Cousins, Jae’Sean Tate, and Mason Jones.
The Rockets still have seven other healthy, available players on their roster, so as long as Harden is cleared following his four-day quarantine, the team will have at least the league-mandated minimum of eight players available for Saturday’s game vs. Portland.
Rockets need to get rid of him quick before the market for him collapses
Bbbrrrroookkkkllllyyyynnnnn
I feel like his market has already dropped!
It has. His price was at his highest before any games were played
People wanting him to get traded also need to realize that teams won’t trade for a cancer even if the talent is there. He is really only hurting himself here when he doesn’t get traded and has to play out the next 2 years
Unless he decides to go party again at a strip club on Friday night!
once he starts making the 30+ points everybody is gonna want him again,I woudn’t trade him until I get what I want,he is the only hope huoston has for a brite future
What, exactly, is a “brite” future?
Apparently not a bright one.
Can’t be autocorrect’s fault, nor a keyboard layout.
Rockets won’t sell Harden now
His value is all time low
Rockets want to sell $1 for $1:50
Two options
– no trade
Or
– Sell for $1.50
If Harden for Simmons = trade $1 for $0.70
Rockets would not make playoffs next 7 years
Rockets are not interested in any draft picks from playoffs teams
It will Need third team to offer first round picks
those options would be mijn as well
BKN LeVert, Prince, Dinwiddie or GSW Wiggins and Oubre or PHL Harris, Ferguson, and Bradley. NYK could simply offer salary relief Randle, Ntilikina, DSJ, Knox, Mitchell, Bullock. And Simmons/Kyrie are off the table and Miami has pulled out for now. Everyone listed above is expendable to their team. I don’t see anyone giving up primo young players on rookie deals. Draft picks would be the preferred route vs known quantities.
Nets don’t have the cap to make that happen, GSW and Philly can’t make those deals because you’re including players they recently acquired and need to wait (and probably cap as well), and the Knicks would never make that deal – Robinson isn’t going anywhere, nor would they want to be locked into that contract and already have Barrett at the 2.
Harden to the Dubs for Oubre and Wiggins doesn’t make sense. First, you create a hole at Small Forward. Second, Harden is a defensive liability. And last, they trying to get younger, not older.
link to usatoday.com
Says if gm wasn’t postponed. He would’ve been docked for two gms. That’s over a million dollars. He’ll be tested before Sat gm. He passes he plays. If not he gets docked for the gm. Harden doesn’t play D. He doesn’t share the ball. And he’s a bad diva as a teammate. Who cares if he gets 30 pts. He’s giving up 30 on D. Team D means 5 guys play together. I just don’t get why anyone would want this and pay him 41 mill for it. That’s just bad business, insane. The way it’s going now. Teams will wait this out. To get him for cheap. The Nets is only place that could work. There he ain’t pulling this nonsense with two divas there who want to win. Plus DAntoni knows him. Rockets not going to get better offer than Nets. And the longer they wait. The less they will offer. I know Knicks would take Dinwiddie for pick or picks (2nd rd) plus player. Smith had his best yr in Dallas. Bring him back to Texas, learn from Wall. Do they could flip Dinwiddie to Knicks.
Harden to bulls,hawks or kings… Dark horse team:nuggets….
#FreeTheBeard