[Saba Sports News] James Harden has openly confirmed the root of his conflict with Philadelphia 76ers and Daryl Morey, the team’s president of basketball operations. This discord stemmed from Harden’s time with the Houston Rockets, where Morey was an executive. The relationship deteriorated after Harden demanded a trade from Philadelphia and vowed not to play for any team associated with Morey. Harden, now with the Los Angeles Clippers, had earlier accused Morey of lying at a summer event in China.
In a recent interview with Sam Amick of The Athletic, Harden verified suspicions that he was promised a max contract extension by the 76ers, specifically by Morey.
Despite declining a $47 million player option and accepting a lower-paying two-year deal with Philadelphia, Harden believed a max deal would follow a year later. He recounted how Morey reassured him of this extension before the previous season’s playoffs, a promise Harden felt was not honored after the team’s defeat in the Eastern Conference semifinals by the Boston Celtics. Harden noted a lack of communication from Morey post-playoffs, which differed from their usual practice of discussing future plans.
The NBA investigated Harden’s accusations, focusing on whether the 76ers made and then reneged on a verbal contractual promise, which could have led to disciplinary actions. However, in the league’s inquiry, Harden claimed that Morey lied about trading him quickly, not mentioning the max contract promise.
The reasons for Harden’s omission in the NBA investigation are unclear, possibly due to concerns about repercussions from the NBA Players Association. Despite Harden’s recent revelations, it’s uncertain if the NBA will revisit the issue.