During an appearance on NBA Today on Tuesday, ESPN insider Ramona Shelburne said that James Harden will continue to ramp up his public feud with the Sixers’ brass until he’s traded (YouTube link).
Harden, who has demanded a trade, publicly called Sixers team president Daryl Morey a “liar” during an appearance in China. Harden is upset that Philadelphia didn’t offer him a lucrative long-term deal and hasn’t subsequently granted his trade request.
“Somebody said to me yesterday, ‘This is only the beginning. This is just the beginning of what James Harden is going to do to make life very uncomfortable for the Philadelphia 76ers going into training camp,'” Shelburne said.
We have more on the Harden-Sixers drama:
- On the same show, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski indicated that Harden’s strategy could very well backfire (Twitter link): “This is a player who wants to continue to play in the NBA, who wants to continue to earn at a high level,” he said. “You don’t help yourself elsewhere in the future getting out of a situation this way.”
- Joel Embiid has removed references to his affiliation with the Sixers on his social media accounts, ESPN’s Get Up program noted (Twitter link). The Sixers’ biggest concern is that the saga with Harden will lead to an Embiid trade demand.
- An ugly divorce between Harden and Morey almost had an air of inevitability, Robby Kalland of Uproxx writes. Harden still sees himself as the player he once was, deserving of a full max contract. Meanwhile, Morey is a team president incapable of overlooking the signs of decline and potential red flags due to his cold, analytical nature.
- It may seem like a long shot now but Harden’s return appears to be the best option for everyone involved, Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer writes.
I don’t know why and I might be wrong but I am taking James Harden in a battle with the Sixers and Morey.
Sorry, James is far smarter and willing to blow things up than Ben Simmons. He was an amateur. Harden is a pro at getting traded, he will make the Sixers beg to get rid of him.
Fat suit, strip clubs, etc. that is typical stuff. However, what if he gets in Maxey’s or Embiid’s ear. Oh no!!!! Remember they all party at the same places.
Yep, I am taking Harden in this… he will get what he wants and ruin what is left of the Process.
I will take the Opposite
Morey will take him down
Banish him to the G League
What he won t do is trade harden to the clippers for an inarguably terrible terrible terrible package of Maria Morris , Robert covington and Norman Powell ! That’s two washed up vets and a pure 6th man undersized scoring guard that they could never play with maxey if they ever want to ever stop anyone
I agree. Because the biggest issue, is there isn’t a team that makes sense to take on his contract. Sixers have absolutely no play here.
Disagree cause he if goes to those extremes no one will want to sign him and he won’t get a job in the NBA again. Even if he doesn’t go to those extremes he’s what 33/34 and forced his way out of team after team after team not to mention he wants a lucrative long term deal. There’s not really a market for him and if he doesn’t play or does anything stupid to force a move it’s just going to make it harder for himself.
He has the potential to end his own career here
However at the same time it could have a negative affect on Joel especially after the Butler and Simmons departures. That’s the main concern for the Sixers and as a fan I’d rather just see the two parties go there separate ways than make this get uglier.
Morey won’t survive this.
Elton Brand on deck.
Sixers down the toilet.
At this point sixes should just unload the headache to the clippers.
Norman Powell, Nicholas Batum, Robert Covington and a 1st in the far far far future for Harden and Daniel House.
Batum and Covington are free agents at seasons end so make for nice salary fillers.
If embiid is gonna be acting up too id send emiid to the hornets for Hayward, Miller. Bouknight, Kai Jones and some 1st round picks and pick swaps.
Philly may need to hard reset the franchise.
I wouldn’t trade Miller for him. Swap out Miller for Bridges, maybe.
The sixers have the option to trade this malcontent to any team they desire.
I wonder what Harden would do if the Clippers came out & said that they didn’t want him. Would he add more teams that he would go to?
What’s he gonna do if they trade him to the Raptors? I’m popping popcorn.
Youd be suprised, the strip clubs are incredible. if Montreal had a team, hed be a lifer there. lol
Would Harden be more amicable to playing in Philly if they simply fire Morey? He might get suspended anyway if it comes out he did have a handshake deal with Harden.
Harden’s comments about Morey being a liar sound to me like he’s telling the Sixers, “Fire him, and we’re good.” He said that he’d never play for an organization that Morey is a part of. It was reported the other day that Harden would never play for the Sixers again, but that is 100% false clickbait, trash reporting by Sam Amick. The source of that comment wasn’t Harden, but allegedly someone close to Harden, according to Amick. This ends with Morey getting fired, and Harden starting opening night for the Sixers.
Lol not what I hear.
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Isn’t this the third time Harden has tried to bully his way off a team? And this time he’s decided he’s gonna just run his mouth in the press until he gets what he wants?
Yeah, no “buyer beware” red flags there. Of the people authorized to write large checks in the NBA, who is gonna write one to that kind of baggage? Fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me. Fool me a third time? I don’t even know.
No he was Traded in good faith by Morey to the Nets. The Nets had a sags of epic proportions he wanted no part of that. I would have wanted out. No he realizes 2nd round Embiid is a loser so Clippers will wind with him just distributing the ball.
It would be one thing if Harden were younger and not on the decline; there’s always a team who thinks it can fix or satisfy a headcase. But now, at 34? That next contract is going to be a very rude awakening for him, and a good laugh for the rest of us.
Harden is a waste. He’s done Finito !!!!
link to chron.com
Let him ride bench.
Why? So Philly pays him massive money to play less minutes? How does that benefit the 6ers?
Not sure it does this season, but with him and Harris off the books we have 50 mil to play with next year prior to signing Maxey.
If the hypothetical deals are ballpark, then we are better off or just as well just sitting him for the year
As much as we’d all love to see that happen, the reality is they need to keep Embiid happy and take advantage of whatever window they have left with him. They don’t have the luxury of calling his bluff forever.
Backfire? What’s the front fire? Name calling? Morey’s character (generally) isn’t in doubt any more than Harden’s is. If he has anything of substance to say, then say it. I doubt he can establish that he had an agreement in place outside his contract, but if he can and does, then in the process he’s admitting that he lied to league investigators last year.
I really hope they stick to their guns and not trade him enough is a enough players need to stop demanding trades and to specific teams it’s pathetic and if they do if he chooses not to play with the CBA they still own his rights for next season
This kinda s**t is why I’m so sick of the NBA. I watched all of 5 games last season, playoffs included.
What a rich baby!
As long as we’re scrutinizing Harden, although I know that beard is his moniker, I wish he’d shave it. So sick of it. And big beards on basketball players make no sense … to me.
trade him to the hornets for hayward and rozier.
Don’t want him in Charlotte. No thanks.
Again…it really seems like they’re admitting/at least insinuating that they made an agreement to circumvent the cap, and I dont understand why nobody is saying anything about that
There is a lot of talk about that, Kevin O’Connor from The Ringer, Michael Rosenberg and Dan Garland from SI.com all wrote articles about it. It just seems like most of the people that post on here want to rip on Harden.
O lol, nevermind then. I basically only use this site for my basketball news for the last 14ish years, so if it’s not here, I’m both unaware of it or question validity
O’Connor and Rosenberg are pretty good. They don’t really make conjecture, the both just write about what’s going on and give a facts base perspective of could happen.
O’Connor is someone I consider to have credibility. I use his draft guides as a starting point in my scouting process, although I feel like they’re not as good as they were a few years ago
I’m just saying I dont seek out stuff. I used to read the linked articles here, and he is someone that they usually post stuff from. I just didnt see this one b/c it wasnt here. Also most of the linked articles the last couple of years are under pay walls, so I cut back almost entirely on most basketball type news
Harden is beating around that bush, I’m intrigued by how far he will push it
No harden is.
ok hearing it here first. Morey will get fired and Harden will stay in Philly. Embiid will be the reason that Morey is fired. 9:12 Tuesday Aug 15th.
He’s looking for his fourth team in three years. His skills are fading and he constantly chokes in the playoffs. The Clippers only want him if they can dump some bad contracts. Harden overplayed his hand.
The Clippers don’t really have any bad contracts for next season unless you count the player options for Leonard and George. Zubac and Mann’s contracts are reasonable but they’re balking at trading Mann in the 1st plac. At first glance Powell’s looks like a bit of an overpay but then you look around the league at what players with a similar skill set and it’s average. Batum, Morris and Covington are all on expiring deals so they certainly aren’t bad contracts.
If the Clippers trade for Harden it’s because he’s still one of the better PGs in the league and can help them win regardless of how much fans bash on him.
Leading the league in assists while averaging 21 points per game is declining? His game has changed but let’s not act like he’s not a top player in the league
He totally disappeared for the last two games against the Celtics when they only needed to win one game. He has a history of disappearing when it counts. He has no one to blame but himself for this mess. The Sixers were never going to accept a garbage trade just to get rid of him. Was he not paying attention to what happened with Simmons ?
Harden and Tucker for Herro, Lowry and a first….
Miami gives up on dealing with Portland. Gets Harden instead for much cheaper and also get PJ Tucker. Not a terrible deal for Philly either.
Otherwise more of a long shot but,
Harden and Tucker for Hayward, Bridges and Jones.
Hornets get back some veterans to help speed up their timeline and make them a better side. Haywards just an expiring deal, Bridges needs an extension and they are better to part with him and Jones is just depth. Not giving up a lot but could be beneficial to both sides
Just make a deal please and move on
James Harden is the antithesis of Heat culture
Harden is destroying whatever legacy he has left. He is becoming the definition of a team cancer. Not sure why Embiid send to be taking Harden’s side but removing any association online with the Sixers is a childish move. With Embiid they can probably get one or two young nba players and picks. It’s tempting.
Lol lol in your knickerbockers dreams.
I dont get the social media thing either when we see it reported that people did that…like, we still know you’re on the sixers. I’m confused what that necessarily even accomplishes, but I’ve seen it in other stuff like wrestling too. I guess it makes sense when you’re that absorbed into social media where that somehow means anything in real life, especially with stuff actually constantly leaking into real life nowadays, where it feels like social media is running the world now
I guess you have to be when you’re in position to make money with it, like I’m sure people of that stature are
As for the other question, how could you not be salty at the organization if you’re Embiod. They have lost more and more assets every year and have gotten further and further away from what they could have been. I wouldnt say they got worse every year b/c that’s not the term I’m thinking of, but I think they messed up what should have been a great situation multiple times, and players they had on their roster and got rid of for no reason have looked good elsewhere, and those are positions they need, which makes that even worse. I would be pretty mad if I was Embiid, even if I did want to stay, which I think he does
I do kind of appreciate that people have finally seen what I had been saying about harden for many years. I personally am not one to dive into stuff like that, but just in general, as a player, it’s nice to see how people feel about that b/c he is the only player in sports history I’ve had that feeling about
Harden is a loser. His style never won in Houston. Couldn’t even last a full season on the superhero he begged to get traded to. Now wants out of the team with the MVP. Easily the most pathetic superstar of this era
Where is Adam Silver and his memo now? The fact that Dame was the one targeted while tantrums like this are left unignored… Harden should be immediately suspended, this is simply toxic and obliterating an entire franchise. Morey should be suspended as well for that shady handshake deal he made.
Correct. I can’t see how a league policy that allows guys to opt in or sign and demand a trade the same day makes good business sense for the league
Who would want him? Guy is a certified clown.
I just want to know what the Sixers offered him, if they didn’t offer him anything, then okay not a great look. But if he got anything in the 20M range for like 2 or 3 years or 1+1, then Harden is the butt hole.
If I were Adam Silver, make an example out of Harden, have every single team that possibly presented an offer to Harden put it out publicly. Whether it was a formal or informal type. Leave it anonymous for the franchises. Let’s just see what his market value was. After this nonsense, its vet min or China so…
There are only like 6 players making as much or more than him that are 33 or older. And each one of those guys is currently better than JH. I would take Steph, Durant, LBJ, Lillard, and Jimmy over Harden today.
I like Hardens new PG focus, he could be the best PG in the league or Top 5 at least. But hes 34.
If the 76ers offered a guy that puts up a very efficient 21 and 11 $20 million on a 1+1 or 2-3 seasons then the 76ers are the holes.
People here seem to think 21 and 11 is normal and every nba player can do it.
If Embiid demands a trade… how hilarious would it be if the Heat fall into getting both Embiid and Dame for Duncan / Lowry / Herro / picks because Portland stalled so long and Philly got railroaded? lol.. the rest of the NBA would be PISSED.. but down here in Miami… that would be amazing haha…. something like Lowry and Herro ending up in Philly.. Harden finally in LA (or maybe Toronto)… someone like Siakam or 7-10 1sts (via multiple teams) ending up in Porland… a trade similar to the 2005 Antoine Walker / Jason Williams deal the Heat did (aka the largest trade in NBA history).
For those clowning the 6ers or Harden.. you should probably clown both… my educated guess is last summer Morey talked Harden into taking less so they could sign (via collusion) PJ Tucker. Morey then probably promised to “take care” of Harden this summer for doing it. Harden shows age… Tucker is exactly what everyone outside of Philly knew he was (a role player not a difference maker) and suddenly that “promise” went poof. Harden loudly called Morey a “liar” this week.. I think this is why.
Are you not entertained???
This shows a problem here
Just trade Harden for Simmons and a pick
What a bunch of thug, whine azz babies in this league these days! How many locker rooms has this cancer of a human being talked his way out of now? 5? 6? He is an absolute punk, and I got news for you chief, you keep acting this way and NO ORGANIZATION will want you around their club! If I owned a squad, I would do anything in my power to keep this dude away!
If there was ever anyone to collude against, it’s Harden. Not just because he’s a clown, but for the health of the league and all these outlandish trade demands.
Of course, that’s a lot easier said than done since many front offices leak like a faucet. But man, would it be lovely to see.
Trade harden to bulls for Demar
Done ✅