Sixers Rumors

NBA Fines James Harden $100K

August 22nd, 2023 at 11:01am CST by Luke Adams

The NBA has fined Sixers star James Harden $100K, the league announced today in a press release (Twitter link).

The fine is in response to Harden’s recent comments in which he referred to Sixers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey as a “liar” and said he had no intention of being part of an organization that Morey is a part of, as well as a follow-up interview in which he stated that he thinks his relationship with the franchise is “beyond repair.”

“(Harden) has been fined $100,000 by the NBA for public comments on August 14 and 17 indicating that he would not perform the services called for under his player contract unless traded to another team,” the NBA’s statement reads. “The league’s investigation, which included an interview with Harden, confirmed that these comments referenced Harden’s belief that the 76ers would not accommodate his request to be traded.”

Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report and TNT first reported (via Twitter) that Harden was on the cusp of receiving a substantial fine from the league, while ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter link) was the first to report it would be worth $100K.

After Harden called Morey a liar during a promotional appearance in China, the NBA launched an investigation to determine what the former MVP’s comments were referring to and to ascertain whether he intends to hold out this fall.

There had been some speculation that Harden was suggesting he and the Sixers reached a handshake agreement during his 2022 free agency on a contract to be finalized in 2023 and that Morey reneged on that agreement. If the NBA found proof of such an agreement, the 76ers would have faced a significant punishment of their own.

However, there has been no indication that Harden was talking about his contract situation when he said Morey lied. As Shams Charania of The Athletic reports, Harden informed league investigators that he called Morey a liar because the Sixers president told the veteran guard he’d be traded “quickly” after he asked to be moved in June.

That obviously hasn’t happened, and recent reporting has suggested that Philadelphia is no longer engaging in trade talks involving Harden. But since the Sixers have no obligation to trade a player who asks to be moved, they’re not in violation of any league rules and won’t face any discipline from the NBA at this time.

On the other hand, as Bobby Marks of ESPN tweets, the league has the ability to fine a player a maximum of $100K (up from $50K in the previous CBA) for “conduct or statements prejudicial or detrimental to the best interests of basketball.” The NBA apparently determined that Harden’s statements fit that bill.

According to The Athletic, Sixers owner Josh Harris said on Monday that he’s working to convince Harden to remain in Philadelphia, but isn’t closing the door on a trade.

“I respect James. I want to, obviously, accommodate what he wants,” Harris said. “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.”

Beverley Doesn't Blame Harden For Being Upset

August 20th, 2023 at 5:35pm CST by Dana Gauruder

It seems unlikely now that new Sixers point guard Patrick Beverley will play with James Harden in Philadelphia but he doesn’t blame Harden for being upset over his contract situation, Dave Early of LibertyBallers.com relays. Beverley weighed in on the Harden saga on his Pat Bev Podcast With Rone.

“I don’t think it’s coming from a bad place. I think he understands exactly what he’s doing,” Beverley said. “And like I said it’s a tough one, ’cause I know both (Harden and Sixers executive Daryl Morey)…. I understand both guys…. it’s just so many pieces that we’re not educated about. But we do know there was something in place that didn’t go down and one man feels some type of way which he’s entitled to feel that way. So I’m not here for the bad James Harden press at all. … I hope I’m able to suit up and play with James Harden but from the way things are looking, [it’s] unfortunate.”

Beverley signed a one-year deal with the Sixers in July.

The Knicks are one of many teams monitoring the Sixers’ situation and the possibility of Joel Embiid requesting a trade, Matt Ehalt of the New Yok Post writes. It would be an ideal scenario for the Knicks and New York’s top executive, Leon Rose, has the pieces and assets to trade for a superstar. Embiid, whom Rose represented early in the reigning MVP’s career, would immediately make the Knicks serious title contenders.

Sixers Notes: Cap Space, Embiid, Harden, Investigation

August 19th, 2023 at 11:57am CST by Tristan Tucker

It’s no secret leaguewide that Sixers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey is maintaining cap flexibility with an eye toward 2024 free agency. Joel Embiid and P.J. Tucker are currently the only two players who look like locks to have salaries on the books next offseason, with Embiid owed $51.4MM next year and under team control until 2026, and Tucker possessing an $11.5MM player option for 2023/24 he seems likely to exercise.

It goes further than just having two players under guaranteed money next season, however. The Sixers had the opportunity to extend rising star guard Tyrese Maxey beginning July 1 but haven’t done so, in order to maintain said flexibility. Maxey does have a cap hold of around $13MM, though. The James Harden saga illustrates that the Sixers were unwilling to give Harden a max contract that would have affected their ’24 cap space. All signs point toward the Sixers aiming to add a star or two to pair alongside Embiid next summer.

In a recent piece, The Athletic’s Danny Leroux looks ahead to next year’s offseason and considers some of the names the Sixers could target. If the Sixers look to a star player in free agency, Kawhi Leonard, Paul George, Pascal Siakam, OG Anunoby and Jrue Holiday are among the max-level players Philadelphia could aim to sign. There are pros and cons to signing each player, but Leroux suggests Anunoby would be the best outcome here, despite less star-power than the other options, due to his on-court ability and age.

Leroux also writes that the Sixers could package their space, which he speculates could be as much as 35% of the total cap, and sign two players whose contract sums equal one max. The biggest names in this category include DeMar DeRozan and Klay Thompson, though both come with their fair share of risks and seem unlikely, at this time, to depart their incumbent teams. Miami’s Caleb Martin and Charlotte’s Gordon Hayward are two sleepers Leroux believes the Sixers could sign away next year.

Lastly, the Sixers also have the option to swing a trade for a star rather than signing one. But Leroux also notes a few issues with this approach. For starters, it would be difficult for the asset-depleted Sixers to match salaries or send out enough to entice a team to trade a star. However, Leroux notes that waiting until free agency is often a risky situation and that they could opt to trade for somebody if they can navigate their assets, especially if an opposing star asks for a trade, which seems to be an inevitability in the modern NBA.

Philadelphia has to be careful with how it approaches the next year. Failing to surround Embiid, who will be 30 after next season and has a history with injuries, comes with risk. Leroux calls this next year Philadelphia’s “one bite at the apple” and a “roll of the dice,” which could end poorly if the Sixers don’t add talent that helps propel themselves into the next tier of contending teams.

We have more from Philadelphia:

Speaking of Embiid, Yahoo Sports’ Vincent Goodwill writes that the saga between Harden and Morey could have a lasting impact on the franchise’s relationship with its MVP. While Embiid is saying all of the right things publicly, Goodwill writes that many around the league expect him to request a trade sooner rather than later and think that Morey is secretly hoping for a full-blown rebuild. Things could get ugly fast when or if Harden reports for training camp with the Sixers, which could have residual effects on Philadelphia’s performance and Embiid’s state of mind, Goodwill writes. Miami and New York are teams that are keeping a close eye on Embiid’s situation, according to Goodwill.
In case you missed it this morning, the league is launching an investigation into whether Harden’s comments on Morey implicate either party in engaging in a handshake agreement last summer on a future contract. Marc Stein of Substack (subscriber link) recently discussed the topic before the investigation launched today. If the league determines Harden’s comments referred to a contractual promise from Philadelphia last summer, the Sixers will certainly face league discipline, Stein writes. However, if Harden’s comments are about the Sixers promising to trade him and then reneging on that promise, there is not a violation of league rules. According to Stein, it’s difficult to see Harden being punished for his comments in China, since he didn’t publicly demand a trade and no league rules prohibit him from speaking down to a high-ranking executive in an organization.
Stein suggests in the same Substack article that the Sixers still have the upper hand in this situation, given the language in the league’s collective bargaining agreement that limits Harden’s ability to become a free agent next summer if he doesn’t play out the final year of his contract. One thing that could change that, Stein notes, is if Embiid sides with Harden in this ordeal and doesn’t buy into the Sixers’ plan of taking a step back this season before aggressively approaching the 2024 offseason.
ESPN’s Brian Windhorst on The Hoop Collective (YouTube link) stated that the Clippers and Sixers haven’t had any substantive discussions on a Harden trade, his preferred destination, which echoes ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski’s report from this morning. Goodwill, whose reporting backs this up, writes that Morey actually isn’t stuck on receiving Terance Mann in a deal with the Clippers, which had been reported as one hold-up between the two teams. Morey is believed to be more interested in adding first-round draft picks to his cabinet, according to Goodwill. Stein writes that despite this and the fact that he can’t sign an extension there, or with any team that trades for him, Harden’s desire is still to be dealt to the Clippers.

NBA Launching Investigation Into James Harden’s Comments On Daryl Morey

August 19th, 2023 at 8:09am CST by Tristan Tucker

The NBA is launching an inquiry into James Harden‘s public callout of Sixers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski and Ramona Shelburne.

Harden made waves earlier this week when he called Morey a “liar” during his marketing tour with Adidas in China.

“Daryl Morey is a liar and I will never be a part of an organization that he’s a part of,” Harden said. “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.”

According to Wojnarowski and Shelburne, the league office is attempting to gain an understanding of whether or not Harden plans to hold out in 2023/24, which would be in violation of the league’s collective bargaining agreement. The league office is also trying to determine whether the former MVP was referencing past contract discussions with the Sixers that would constitute salary cap circumvention.

ESPN’s report suggests that Harden has privately indicated that his public comments calling Morey a “liar” were a response to the Sixers ending trade discussions regarding Harden and Morey’s expectation that the star guard would report to camp and start the season with the team. Neither the Sixers nor Harden would be in violation of league guidelines if that ends up being the case, Wojnarowski and Shelburne note.

While Harden’s comments were surprising, he never outright made public allegations of a previous handshake agreement being in place with the Sixers on a future contract, Woj writes.

Harden signed a two-year contract worth $68.6MM with a player option in ’23/24 last season, accepting a short-term pay cut on a deal that allowed Philadelphia to bring in P.J. Tucker and Danuel House.

After those dealings, the NBA investigated the Sixers and stripped them of two future second-round picks after determining that the team had premature conversations with Tucker and House. However, the league did not uncover any evidence of Harden or the Sixers agreeing to a future contract contingent on his pay cut at that time, according to Wojnarowski.

Harden exercised that ’23/24 player option in June, with an expectation that Morey would work with him to find a trade that would send him to the Clippers, his preferred destination. Wojnarwoski reports that the Sixers and Clippers engaged in numerous conversations but never gained traction on any deal.

Morey, who faced a similar situation with Ben Simmons, isn’t willing to make a trade involving Harden that negatively impacts the Philadelphia’s chances of contending next year.

The Sixers continue to deny that the organization ever agreed upon an illegal future deal with Harden, Wojnarowski adds.

James Harden Thinks Relationship With Sixers Beyond Repair

August 18th, 2023 at 7:41am CST by Luke Adams

Having returned from China to Houston for his JH-Town Weekend charity event, Sixers star James Harden was asked by KHOU 11’s Jason Bristol whether his relationship with his current NBA team is “beyond repair.”

“I think so,” Harden replied.

Harden’s response isn’t surprising, given that he’s just a few days removed from calling Sixers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey a liar and stating that he’ll never again be part of an organization that Morey is a part of.

Still, Harden’s position is worth noting, since it suggests he’s not taking the same route Kevin Durant took in Brooklyn a year ago. Durant reportedly told the Nets last August that they should choose between trading him or firing general manager Sean Marks and head coach Steve Nash.

Harden, conversely, has offered no such ultimatum to the Sixers and given no indication that he’d be happy to remain in Philadelphia if Morey is dismissed. It’s also possible he believes there’s little chance that 76ers ownership would choose him over Morey at this point and that it’s not a strategy worth pursuing.

Asked by Bristol whether he has an open line of communication with the Sixers and how patient he needs to be as he waits for his trade request to be granted, Harden said he’s “been patient all summer.”

“For me, it’s just focus on what I can control, and that’s working out, staying in shape, and getting ready for a good season,” the former MVP added.

It remains unclear how the standoff between the Sixers and Harden might be resolved. While the veteran guard has no desire to play another game for the team and reportedly doesn’t plan to attend training camp if he’s still on the roster, the organization isn’t making a concerted effort to move him and still expects him at camp.

Both sides have some leverage in the dispute. The NBA’s Collective Bargaining Agreement states that a player who withholds his services for more than 30 days is deemed to have not completed his contract. That means Philadelphia could prevent Harden – who has an expiring deal – from reaching free agency in 2024 if he declines to report to the Sixers for more than a month without the club’s consent.

However, Harden has some recent experience steering himself to a preferred destination without needing to resort to a holdout — he pushed for and received trades out of Houston in 2021 and Brooklyn in 2022. The Sixers also likely won’t want to risk ruining another year of Joel Embiid‘s prime by spending a significant portion of the season dealing with Harden-related drama.

Atlantic Notes: Porzingis, McHale, Harden, Morey, Raptors

August 17th, 2023 at 9:03pm CST by Tristan Tucker

Kristaps Porzingis‘ plantar fasciitis recovery, though not season-ending, is going to be an extensive process that requires planning by the Celtics, Jared Weiss of The Athletic writes. Porzingis’ injury will sideline him for the entirety of the 2023 FIBA World Cup, and he’ll be out of commission for at least four-to-six weeks.

The Celtics are no stranger to serious injuries taking place during international play. Just last season, Boston lost Danilo Gallinari for the whole year after he tore his ACL in the FIBA World Cup qualifiers. The Italian forward never ended up suiting up for the Celtics. Thankfully, in Porzingis’ case, the Celtics are hopeful history won’t repeat itself.

Weiss writes that the next steps for Porzingis include gearing up for the start of training camp, which his injury timeline syncs up with, and playing in Boston’s preseason games. Even though the timeline seems to work out well for Boston and Porzingis, there is still some cause for concern, Weiss opines.

The Celtics didn’t play Al Horford or Robert Williams on back-to-backs last season, but it would be hard to replicate that system with Porzingis unless Williams is ready to play every night. Boston’s approach to Porzingis’ injury goes beyond simply when he plays, but also how the Celtics are able to utilize him on offense and defense. Having Porzingis drop on pick-and-rolls on defense and allowing him to be a spot-up shooter on offense could prevent the 7’3″ Porzingis from suffering further injuries, Weiss writes.

The Celtics traded long-time rotation piece Marcus Smart to bring in Porzingis, a move with an eye toward raising their floor. According to Weiss, Porzingis should be viewed as a franchise cornerstone and his injury is nothing to take lightly.

We have more from the Atlantic Division:

In an interview with Heavy Sports’ Steve Bulpett, former Rockets head coach Kevin McHale offered his perspective on the fallout between the Sixers‘ James Harden and Daryl Morey. McHale coached Harden and worked under Morey at the same time between 2012 and 2015 and gave unique insight into the situation. “James wanted a big extension from Philly, and Philly wouldn’t give it to him, and that’s not a Daryl decision,” Morey said. “Daryl’s got a part of that, of course, but that’s an owner decision. So (Harden) was really mad, saying Daryl lied to him, but, you know, maybe they saw Game 7 against the Celtics (9 points on 3-for-11 shooting in a 24-point loss) and said, ‘I’m not interested in that.’” McHale went on to discuss numerous aspects regarding the situation, including how it impacts Joel Embiid and Nick Nurse, as well as detailing his own experiences with coaching Harden. I recommend reading the interview in full, as McHale delves deep into his personal dealings with both members of the fallout.
Weiss also offered his perspective on the situation regarding Harden and Morey, juxtaposing the Sixers and the Celtics. Harden marks the latest player to want out of Philadelphia, joining the likes of Markelle Fultz, Horford and Ben Simmons before him. The Celtics haven’t been faced with such issues in a while, but Weiss writes that they have their own problems to take care of. Malcolm Brogdon and then Smart both felt blindsided by the Porzingis trade, Weiss writes, and general manager Brad Stevens needs to make sure he doesn’t lose his locker room after such incidents.
The Raptors have the fewest U.S. nationally televised games in the NBA in the 2023/24 season. Toronto has one TNT game and three NBA TV games. This upcoming season marks the fewest U.S. nationally televised games the Raptors have had in a decade, since the start of the Masai Ujiri era, per Josh Lewenberg of TSN.ca (Twitter link).

Latest On Joel Embiid, James Harden

August 17th, 2023 at 10:09am CST by Arthur Hill

The James Harden chaos hasn’t changed Joel Embiid‘s mind about wanting to play in Philadelphia, but he sent a message to Sixers management by removing references to the team on his Twitter account, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst said in an appearance on “Get Up” (video link).

Earlier this week, Embiid took the word “Processing” off his account as well as his location of Philadelphia. Windhorst states that the reigning MVP remains happy with the Sixers and is still hoping to win a title with them, but he also wants to make sure that he’s playing with a championship-level roster. They’re unlikely to compete for a title without Harden or a similarly talented replacement, and Windhorst states that Embiid is “sending messages without using words” through his actions on social media.

Ramona Shelburne of ESPN offered a similar take during a radio interview this week with 97.5 The Fanatic in Philadelphia (Twitter link). “He is happy to be a Sixer,” Shelburne said. “I don’t think this is a precursor to something. I think this is Joel Troel.”

There’s more from Philadelphia:

The Harden standoff could be the first application of new language in the Collective Bargaining Agreement that was inspired by a similar situation with Ben Simmons two years ago, writes Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report. A new CBA clause states that any player who “publicly expresses a desire to be traded to another team shall be subject to a fine (up to $150,000) and/or a suspension.” Although the fine wouldn’t be significant considering Harden’s salary, a suspension could cost him $248,000-$389,000 per day, depending on the circumstances. Pincus also examines four ways that Harden’s battle with president of basketball operations Daryl Morey could play out.
The Harden situation is the latest drama for a franchise that has experienced plenty of it over the past decade, notes Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer. Along with the Simmons saga, Pompey cites examples such as Bryan Colangelo’s resignation as president of basketball operations in 2018 after being linked to Twitter “burner accounts” and uncomfortable trade situations involving lottery picks Nerlens Noel and Jahlil Okafor.
In addition to criticizing Morey during his appearance in China, Harden talked about possibly playing there someday, Pompey adds in a separate story. “Every time I come here, the love is just like … it’s crazy, you know what I mean?” he said. “So I feel like they deserve to actually see me come play here. … Love is always crazy here.” Harden’s remarks were crowd-pleasing, but it would be unprecedented for a star of his stature to leave the NBA for the Chinese Basketball Association.

Los Angeles Notes: G League Coach, Miller, Harden

August 15th, 2023 at 7:10pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The South Bay Lakers have promoted Dane Johnson to their head coaching position, according to a press release from the NBA G League team.

Johnson spent the last six seasons on the South Bay coaching staff, including one season as associate head coach (2022/23), four seasons as an assistant coach and one year as a coaching assistant.

“Dane has developed many coaching attributes over the last seven years with this organization,” South Bay Lakers team president Joey Buss said. “We are excited to see his growth in becoming our next head coach. He has a key understanding of our culture and goal of winning a championship while developing high-level talent for the NBA.”

The position opened up when Miles Simon departed the Lakers organization to become an assistant coach with the Suns.

We have more from the Los Angeles teams:

Jordan Miller‘s two-way contract with the Clippers is for two years, Spotrac contributor Keith Smith tweets. Miller signed a two-way deal earlier this month. Miller, a Miami (Fla.) product, was the 48th overall pick of June’s draft.
The Clippers are content to sit and watch how the James Harden–Sixers situation plays out, according to Law Murray of The Athletic. The same tradable contracts they have in a potential Harden deal aren’t going anywhere, though with training camp starting in seven weeks the Clippers will eventually reach a point where they no longer can be patient due to their “championship or bust” approach.
The Lakers will open their in-season tournament schedule with the Suns on Nov. 10, Duane Rankin of the Arizona Republic notes. For more info on the tournament, click here.

Latest On James Harden

August 15th, 2023 at 5:27pm CST by Dana Gauruder

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.

International Notes: Batum, Randle, Lithuania, Tubelis

August 15th, 2023 at 8:48am CST by Luke Adams

Clippers forward Nicolas Batum is playing for France at this year’s World Cup and intends to suit up for the national team at the 2024 Olympics in Paris. However, next year’s Olympics tournament is expected to be the last time Batum represents France in an international competition.

Batum’s wife, Lily Batum, indicated in a tweet that the veteran NBA wing will retire from France’s national team after the 2024 Olympics. Her tweet also suggested that Nicolas will retire as an NBA player following the final year of his contract with the Clippers, though she later clarified in a follow-up tweet that that decision hasn’t been made yet.

Batum, who entered the NBA in 2008 and has spent 15 seasons in the league, will turn 35 later this year. He has spent the last three seasons with the Clippers, but has seen his playing time dip a little in each season, from 27.4 minutes per game in 2020/21 to 24.8 MPG in ’21/22 and 21.9 MPG in ’22/23. He’ll be an unrestricted free agent in 2024.

Here are a few more notes from around the international basketball world:

AEK Athens and former NBA guard Chasson Randle have agreed to a one-year deal, according to Stavros Barbarousis of Eurohoops. Randle, who has played in a handful of professional leagues around the world, also has 119 NBA appearances on his résumé, having spent time with the Sixers, Knicks, Wizards, Warriors, and Magic between 2016-21.
After defeating Finland in an exhibition game on Monday – overcoming a 32-point outing from Lauri Markkanen – Lithuania has finalized its roster for the 2023 World Cup, per Eurohoops. The roster includes a handful of current or former NBA players, headlined by Pelicans center Jonas Valanciunas. However, NBA rookie Azuolas Tubelis, who signed a two-way contract with the Sixers last month, didn’t make the final cut.
In case you missed it, veteran NBA wing Sterling Brown completed a two-year deal with Germany’s Alba Berlin. We have the full story here.

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