James Harden has taken his war with the 76ers to the next level.
After requesting a trade many times over, Harden, who planned to make things “uncomfortable” with Philadelphia until he is traded, no-showed practice on Wednesday, The Athletic reported.
He has not been present with the team since Sunday, according to the report, and it is unclear “when and if” he will return to the team as he awaits a trade.
76ers coach Nick Nurse said he had no explanation for why Harden skipped practice on Wednesday but planned to proceed as if the disgruntled guard will play in the preseason finale.
“If he’s here, we go; if he’s not here, we go,” Nurse told reporters at the 76ers’ New Jersey complex.
Harden was in Houston on Wednesday rather than Philadelphia for team practice, Yahoo Sports reported. Nurse, in his first season as Philadelphia’s coach, said he had expected Harden to both practice on Wednesday and play on Friday.
President of basketball operations Daryl Morey sits with his new acqusition, James Harden. Getty Images“From the last discussions I’ve had with him and from everybody, yeah,” Nurse said. “I’m still going on what he said the last time I talked him, that he was going to ramp up and get ready to play Friday. We’ll see how it goes.”
Harden spent nine seasons in Houston, where he was tied to the hip of then-Rockets general manager Darryl Morey.
Morey traded for Harden while running the Rockets and again with the 76ers.
James Harden did not attend practice on Wednesday. Getty ImagesBut as the drama exploded this offseason, Harden has since called Morey “a liar” and said that he will never play for a team run by him again.
Harden exercised his option this offseason with the 76ers and is looking for a long-term contract that would pay him upwards of $200 million.
He is set to be a free agent after this season but is not interested in waiting that long for a new deal.
He is slated to make $35.6 million this season as part of a discounted contract that he took last season to help the team sign forward PJ Tucker.
Two weeks after he exercised his player option, reports suggested that he was “determined” to land in Los Angeles with the Clippers.
The Clippers have been the most prominent team linked to Harden throughout trade talks this offseason, but there’s been “little movement” on talks between them and the Sixers, ESPN reported Wednesday.
The Clippers’ hesitation to deal Terance Mann appears to be a roadblock in trade talks, according to multiple reports.
The 76ers open their season against the Bucks on Oct. 26. — With AP
