There’s no looking back now.
James Harden, in the midst of a public feud with the 76ers, was asked by KHOU 11 in Houston if it’s “too late to repair the relationship” with the team.
“I think so,” the 33-year-old said.
Harden, seeking a long-term max deal, requested a trade after opting into his contract for next season.
Despite conversations with the Clippers — reportedly Harden’s preferred destination — no deal has materialized.
“I’ve been patient all summer,” Harden said of his situation with the team. “For me, it’s just focus on what I can control and getting ready for this season.”
The tension is only growing thicker between the two sides in the City of Brotherly Love, with Harden blasting 76ers exec Daryl Morey while at an Adidas press event in China this week.
James Harden is intent on getting out of Philadelphia. AP“Daryl Morey is a liar, and I will never be a part of an organization that he’s a part of,” Harden said Monday. “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.”
Morey, who previously partnered with Harden on the Rockets, currently plans to hold onto the 2018 MVP and make things work in Philly, though The Athletic reports Harden has no plans in taking part in training camp.
Interest around the league has been tepid for the 10-time All-Star, who previously forced trades away from the Rockets and Nets, and the 76ers lack leverage with Harden publicly pushing for an exit.
Morey has been adamant he would not accept a diminished return in a trade for Harden, who led the NBA in assists last season while playing alongside 2023 MVP Joel Embiid as the Sixers fell to the Celtics in the Eastern Conference semifinals.
Daryl Morey, who was also Harden’s GM in Houston, hasn’t found a deal that suits him in order to trade the ex-MVP. AP“If we don’t get either a very good player or something we can turn into a very good player, then we’re just not going to do it,” Morey told The Fanatic in July. “If James were to turn his mind around, we would all be thrilled. You’ve heard [Joel Embiid’s] comments about that. But at this moment, he prefers to be traded, and we are attempting to honor that.”
Both sides appear to have dug in, though Harden seems just fine playing the heel to get what he wants.
