The situation between James Harden and the Sixers seems to get worse by the day. A day after it was reported that the 76ers have ended trade talks for Harden and are expecting him to show up for training camp, Harden issued a very direct statement about Daryl Morey during his tour in China. He called Morey a “liar” and stated he “will never be part of an organization that he’s a part of”.
James Harden’s mind hasn’t changed
James Harden has continued to let it be known that he does not want to return to the 76ers next season and his preferred destination remains the Los Angeles Clippers. NBA Insiders have mentioned all summer that the 76ers and Clippers were in trade talks, but a serious offer was never presented that the Sixers would even consider. ESPN Senior Insider Adrian Wojnarowski reported that the Sixers have ended trade talks for Harden and expect him to be in training camp.
The 76ers won’t make a deal that compromises their short-term or long-term window, so trading Harden to the Clippers and not getting a star, or assets to get a star, just doesn’t make sense. There have been recent rumors that a sticking point has been the inclusion of Clippers’ utility player Terrance Mann. If Mann is the hold-up of getting a deal done and LA really wants Harden, they truly aren’t serious about getting a deal done.
An ugly divorce
The divorce between Morey and Harden has taken a turn for the worst and seems to be at the point of no return. Once best friends, The Beard and Morey have seemed to turn into enemies due to how Harden’s free agency was handled. As soon as Morey got to Philadelphia, he looked to trade for Harden but he ended up in Brooklyn. Harden then forced his way out of Brooklyn to Philadelphia, and things haven’t worked out. As we’ve seen since the start of the Summer, this situation will get worse before it gets better. Buckle up Philly fans.
AP Photo/Matt Slocum
