A rift between James Harden and Sixers management stems from a disagreement over how his free agency was handled this summer, according to Kyle Neubeck of PhillyVoice.com. While Harden and his reps don’t appear to have any ill will toward his teammates, the rift with management could get even uglier.
The relationship between Harden and top executive Daryl Morey is “essentially fractured,” Shams Charania said on The Rally (Twitter link). Harden believes Philadelphia never had any intention to give him a long-term offer. Harden turned down a $47MM+ player option and took a $14MM+ pay cut last summer to help the Sixers make roster moves.
In terms of moving Harden, the front office is holding out for a package that will allow the Sixers to remain a serious contender in the East, according to Neubeck. If they can’t get a top player in return, they at least want to pick up enough assets to execute a separate trade for another high-level player.
We have more from the Atlantic Division:
- Rokas Jokubaitis, a Lithuanian guard whose rights are held by the Knicks, had the option on his contract picked up by FC Barcelona, according to BasketNews.com. He played all 39 games in the EuroLeague last season and averaged 5.3 points, 2.0 rebounds, and 2.6 assists. The Knicks made Jokubaitis a draft-and-stash second-round pick in 2021.
- The G League’s Long Island Nets are hiring Mfon Udofia as the team’s head coach, Michael Scotto of HoopsHype tweets. Udofia previously coached with the Nigerian National Team and was on the staff of the G League’s Agua Caliente Clippers last season.
- Former WNBA player Mery Andrade is spending the summer as a Celtics coaching intern and hopes to work her way up the NBA coaching ranks, she told Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe. She has been an assistant coach with Birmingham, the Pelicans’ G League affiliate, for the last four seasons. “I want after my career as a coach that people, when they talk about me, is how many lives I touched, how good of a coach I was without putting the label ‘woman,’” she said. “Yes I am a woman but I don’t say, ‘You are a really good male coach.’ You are just a really good coach. That’s my goal, to touch as many lives as I can.”
- Jay Scrubb, who signed a two-way contract with the Celtics on Saturday, received the top grade in The Athletic’s Jared Weiss’ Summer League report card.
Harden is mad that Houston didn’t want him(they gave the money instead to a undersized brick layer in FVV). So he wanted to opt out and have the sixers overpay him. Now he is mad he opted in and didn’t get another big bag. End of story
Harden forced a trade to the Sixers and gave up a lot of cash to give the team some flexibility to make some roster moves. He embraced a new role as Embiid’s sidekick, hell it even helped Joel win MVP. He had his second best season from behind the arc and led the league in assists. I really can’t blame him if feels they owe him something.
He forced his way out of Houston. Then he forced his way out of Brooklyn. Now he’s trying to force his way out of Philly.
No one owes Harden anything – if anything, he’s already been over-accommodated by the league. He puts more effort into his trade requests than he does defending.
Also might I add Morey did sack Rivers which Harden wanted. He brought over Danuel House and Pat Bev both former team mates. Maybe even Montrez Harrell was a request by him??
He’s having a sook because he thinks the sixers never planned on giving him a long term deal. By opting in to his player option we will never know so why does it matter??
Yes you had a good season but your old and you didn’t help us win a championship, why would be give you a big long term contract??
Would Harden have secured another guaranteed season in 2023-24 @ $36 million if he took the $47 million in 2022-23?
I don’t think so, and if Harden lost $$$ it’s maybe $7-10 million. Give or take.
Not cool for sure, but not enough to kill a decades long relationship with management.
Harden and Lillard should both stay with their current teams, but I doubt it happens.
Wow. Quit on a few teams over the years and it’s almost like no one trusts you anymore. I hate it here so let me sign my one year big bucks contract and hold my breath until I am traded.
Harden believes Philadelphia never had any intention to give him a long-term offer. Harden turned down a $47MM+ player option and took a $14MM+ pay cut last summer to help the Sixers make roster moves.
Well why should they give him a long term deal?
What did he do for the Sixers?
This Hatfield McCoy thing is a lot of Bull Sauce
Plus, he wants to go to a specific team and they don’t have any pieces to acquire him
If Harden is going to a Mad Bro, he should be mad at the CBA
I dislike Hardens attitude and play style combined with it more than almost any other player, but this seems like something was implied and he does have a point.
I have no issue with a player like Damian Lillard giving his team 5-6-7 chances before asking out (even Kobe asked to be traded to the Bulls or Heat).. I have a MAJOR issue with players like James Harden (Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant as well) giving their teams half a chance and asking out 5-6-7 times though.
A smart GM doesn’t pay for what you just DID but what value you have going forward. Morey is playing this smart, now he just needs one desperate team.
Celtics should trade Brown for Harden. Harden fits the your-turn-my-turn-dribble-dribble-jack-up-dumb-shots style of basketball Tatum desperately wants to play. It won’t hope them win, but it will make Tatum happy
Why would the Celtics trade for an old player? J.Brown to Damian Lillard is ok but stop mentioning Harden.
I’m just amazed at the appetite NBA fans have for another James Harden trade. Guy isn’t going to make a huge difference at this point.