The rift in the relationship between Philadelphia 76ers star player James Harden and team president Daryl Morey may be beyond repair. The 33-year-old called Morey a “liar” during a public appearance and reiterated that he no longer wants to play for the Sixers.
The clip spread like wildfire on the internet on Monday: James Harden, currently on a promotional tour in China, answers questions from fans. A 16-second excerpt in which Harden finally tears up the tablecloth with Sixers boss Morey is particularly interesting.
“Daryl Morey is a liar and I will never be a part of any organisation that he’s a part of,” Harden said, only to directly clear up any misunderstandings. “Let me repeat that again: Daryl Morey is a liar and I will never be a part of any organisation that he’s a part of.”
With that, the guard more than made his intentions to switch clear – just days after the Sixers apparently ended trade talks surrounding the 2018 MVP and 10-time All-Star, according to a report from ESPN.
Harden won’t suit up for Sixers again
By the end of June, Harden had pulled a contract option tying him to the Sixers for one more season through 2024 for an annual salary of $35.6 million. However, this was done under the premise of being traded by Philadelphia afterwards – the reason for this trade wish was reportedly the failed negotiations for a long-term contract. Harden was probably primarily interested in a move to the Los Angeles Clippers.
However, a deal has not yet been reached. According to ESPN, the Sixers and Clippers held talks but did not reach a conclusion. As a result, according to the report, Morey and the front office ended trade talks for Harden a few days ago and instead planned to enter preseason with him.
Now, however, Harden has made it clear in no uncertain terms that he no longer wants to play for Philadelphia as long as Morey is in charge. Previously, “The Athletic” had reported that Harden was no longer interested in playing for the Sixers. The exact background of his “liar” statement is still unclear, but it is possible that he is referring to the broken-off trade negotiations. In June, the two sides were said to be working together in search of a Harden trade.
Harden and Morey: Once a dream team
Another reason for the discord with Morey: In the summer of 2022, Harden had signed a contract extension with the Sixers below the maximum salary – at the time, it was assumed that he would be rewarded with a new, lucrative and long-term working paper in 2023. But the Sixers were apparently unwilling to make the aging guard such an offer this offseason. That is reportedly why Harden sought a transfer in the first place.
Harden and Morey once had a close relationship; in October 2012, Morey, then general manager of the Houston Rockets, brought the guard to Texas, where Harden matured into a star and one of the league’s best offensive players. After a total of almost eight and a half years in Houston and a stopover with the Brooklyn Nets, Harden was reunited with Morey in February 2022 thanks to a trade in Philadelphia, where he had been since 2020.
As a co-star alongside MVP Joel Embiid, he wanted to reach for a championship with the Sixers, but Philly failed in the second round of the playoffs each of the past two years. Last season, Harden averaged 21 points and 10.7 assists (league-best). In the postseason, however, he was not always able to keep up the good performances.
