James Harden has decided to skip the Sixers‘ media day to protest the team’s failure to meet his trade request, tweets ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
Harden could be fined for missing the event, Wojnarowski adds (Twitter link). After the session with the media wraps up, the Sixers will depart for training camp at Colorado State University, and it’s not clear whether Harden intends to accompany them.
The Clippers remain Harden’s preferred destination, but sources tell Wojnarowski that although the teams engaged in recent trade discussions, there’s no traction on a Harden deal to Los Angeles or anywhere else.
Bobby Marks of ESPN points out that Harden could be found in violation of his contract under the CBA’s “withholding services” clause if he stays away from the team for more than 30 days, which could endanger his free agency for next summer (Twitter link). The fine for not appearing at media day could be added to fines for missing practice as well as 1/91.6 of his salary ($389,083) for each preseason or regular season game he sits out.
Sixers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey opened media day with a statement about Harden (Twitter link from Tim Bontemps of ESPN), telling reporters, “He continues to seek a trade and we are continuing to work with his representation to find the best solution for the 76ers and all parties. In terms of a trade, I will continue to work on those fronts and, if he’s here, then coach will work with him on the court. I think it’s pretty straightforward.”
Asked about potential fines, Morey said Harden will be treated “like every other player under the rules of the CBA” (Twitter link).
New head coach Nick Nurse said he has a “Plan A” and “Plan B,” depending on whether Harden eventually decides to be part of the team. Nurse’s immediate concern is getting a foundation in place to start the season.
Harden has been feuding with the Sixers, and Morey in particular, over what he believes are promises that weren’t lived up to. Harden expected to sign a lucrative long-term deal with the team after giving up money last summer, but he didn’t get the offer he was expecting. He made a surprising choice in late June to pick up his option for next season and ask for a trade, but hasn’t been gotten dealt as he’d hoped. He has indicated that he will continue to be disruptive as long as he remains in Philadelphia.
The sky is blue.
Water is wet.
People die when they are killed.
Harden won’t attend media day.
Diva
Still taking Harden in the Harden v. Morey deathmatch to finally ruin the Sixers and force Embiid to request a trade.
He has not begun to eat chicken wings…
Embiid is definitely not going to ask for a trade until he gets that super max.
Do you think Embiid has a sense of humor?
Jojo reiterated his long term commitment to the sixers during media day. In fact jojo expressed playing in Philly until age 40. So make your wings crow.
Harden gave up $100m at Brooklyn, and then took $15m cut last yr. Kyrie gets $180m contract, but he doesnt get a contract this yr. He must be going crazy, lol.
Funny thing is when he’s out of the league in the next 2 seasons. His fans are going to say that he was “blackballed”.
Well how would that not be true? he’s still better than half the players in the league. And for the record, I’m not a Harden fan, but he can still put the ball in the basket
Idk if I’d call that “blackballed”, tbh. It’s one thing for teams to decide to not hire you for stupid reasons or for things beyond your control, but Harden not being trustworthy, being a locker room cancer, or creating problems for the team as an organization aren’t stupid reasons. Harden’s attitude is something he can control. He just chooses to be a problem. And if teams recognize that, they can just feel that his value on the court is outweighed by his negative attributes. I feel like that’s a fair assessment should teams get that far.
Or he’ll get traded into a situation he likes and in a season they’ll call him a battle hardened warrior that’s been through the grind that will whatever it takes to get what he wants.
I am a fan of Jimmy Butler but it wasn’t that long ago when he was considered a diva, high maintenance and a malcontent. The stuff he did in Chicago, Minnesota and Philly isn’t that much different then what Harden has done in Houston and Brooklyn and now himself doing in Philly.
A couple seasons later now Butler is a revered tough guy that will lift his teammates to new heights. From the Heat media day we can see he’s still a diva (his hair just screams “can I talk to manager” but he’s no longer a malcontent.
Idk, Jimmy pulled some petty crap in Minny, but he was never anywhere near what Harden has been doing since 20-21. The Bulls trading Jimmy to rebuild gave him a chip on his shoulder, which is understandable. Getting undervalued next to his clearly less valuable teammates in Minny brought that out, but then he played *hard* in Philly afterwards. No BS, just winning. It literally took a miracle shot for the Raptors to stop his low-key carry job in the 2019 playoffs. The Sixers not extending him was seen as a mistake even then, and definitely looks like one in hindsight.
And Harden? Dogging it everywhere he doesn’t want to be, making a scene. Jimmy never sat out, threatened to, or stopped playing. He just went at everyone. Harden looks like he gave up by comparison.
The Bulls rebuild was part of it, but Butler also felt undervalued when the Bulls were reluctant to offer him a max contract and he didn’t see eye to eye with Hoiberg.
It was a mutual agreement but he did hold out for two weeks in training camp in Minnesota then he punked his teammates on his way out after demanding a trade. He did play hard in Philly and carried the team that season in the playoffs but he wanted Brown fired and Simmons traded before he’d resign.
Harden gave the Rockets years of elite play and a small window of contention. That team had run it’s course and needed to rebuild. He did them a favor by asking out. He did play hard in Brooklyn and came back from injury early after Irving went down in the playoffs because the team needed him. Brooklyn was a mess though so I can’t blame him for wanting out of that situation.
In Philly he played hard and almost single handedly won a couple playoff games for them. Yeah he choked a couple as well but they wouldn’t have gotten as far as they did without him. He took a pay cut so they could sign Tucker and House then sacrificed his own numbers in a contract season to feed Embiid an MVP. They offered what he believed was a low ball contract and asked for another trade.
Do the Sixers really want Harden at media day? Probably not.
That was my first thought, too. It just seems better for everyone that he’s not.
1/91.6 for each game? Because that’s such a big dent in the $40 million he’s making per year. Holding out and outright refusing to play or take part in team activities should warrant multiple millions in fines, not 400 thousand. Even though that is still thousands of times more than what the average person makes.
The problem is if he holds out for too long then the sixers will have harden for next year too, and he’s just hurting his chances of ever seeing a good contract again.
Thats for just the games. The practices can be fined as well. It will add up.
My understanding of the new CBA is that Harden would not become a FA at the end of the season if he refuses to play… so while I suspect he “pulls a hammy” in practice and is injured for months, what’s the flip side? If he doesn’t play and therefore doesn’t become a FA, would the 76ers actually want him again next year? Would they be able to dictate the price and pay him league minimum since they own him (e.g., you satout, so you aren’t a FA, so we own you, but we need to pay you)? If DM is vindictive, in this scenario the 76ers could just keep Harden year after year for a league minimum and never let him play again… right? Or would his current $36 mill contract simply roll over to next year… and next year… and soon and so on until he plays or retires?
I’m not exactly sure he would ever be paid the minimum by the Sixers. He’s still under contract. If he doesn’t play, he doesn’t get paid this year but that contract tolls to the following year, where the process restarts. The Sixers would retain his rights throughout. He could work with them on a buyout, but it doesn’t appear to be happening any time soon.
Harden’s opting in is not a major surprise. It’s not clear he was going to get the deal he wanted anywhere if he opted out since he hasn’t been a mark of stability. As a Nets’ fan, it was amazing to watch his performance on the court, but there was just way too much drama.
Another case of the inmates running the asylum!
They know where to find him…strip club or the buffet.