The relationship between the Philadelphia 76ers and their star guard James Harden seems to be worse than anyone could have guessed. Harden, who requested a trade earlier this offseason, appears to particularly have a beef with 76ers’ president Daryl Morey, whom he called “a liar” during a public appearance over the weekend.
The 76ers explored deals for Harden in recent weeks but reportedly decided to pull the plug on all trade talks and are now expecting the player to join them for training camp. This didn’t sit well with Harden, who didn’t hold back when speaking on Morey while taking part in an Adidas media event in China.
“Daryl Morey is a liar, and I will never be a part of an organization that he’s a part of,” Harden said. “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.”
Harden agreed on a team-friendly deal with the 76ers last summer in hopes that the leftover money would be used to make Philly’s roster stronger. He reportedly also expected to get a new deal this summer that would pay him at the top of the market. However, Morey and the 76ers’ front office apparently were not too eager to engage in new negotiations, which ended up angering the player and prompting him to want out.
Several teams were interested in acquiring Harden, including the LA Clippers, but the 76ers’ asking price proved to be quite steep. It remains to be seen whether Philly is now willing to lower their demands or risk an unhappy star on their roster.
