• James Harden dropped an explosive rant against Daryl Morey while in China
• Harden called Morey a liar and said he will never be a part of the same organization as Morey again
• Harden and Morey’s relationship began in 2012 when the GM traded for Harden from the OKC Thunder
James Harden is waiting for the call that says he’s been traded to the Los Angeles Clippers since he requested a trade in July after not agreeing on a long-term contract extension with the Philadelphia 76ers.
Harden has escalated his current trade standoff with the 76ers by publicly slamming GM Daryl Morey while on a press tour in China.
“Daryl Morey is a liar and I will never be a part of an organization that he’s a part of. 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.”
James Harden on his China tour: “Daryl Morey is a liar and I will never be a part of an organization that he’s a part of. 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.” 😳 pic.twitter.com/oaqVjXkax6
— Tomer Azarly (@TomerAzarly) August 14, 2023
There are many layers to unpack here. Morey is a disliked figure in China after he advocated for Hong Kong’s freedom from the Chinese Republic in 2019. This led to NBA preseason games being put in jeopardy, as Morey was slammed by various figures for his comments.
James Harden Feeling Lied To After Contract Extension Promises
Last summer, James Harden took a sizable discount to allow the 76ers to re-sign him while also leaving money on the table for signings like P.J. Tucker. Harden led the league in assists during the season and averaged 21.0 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 10.7 assists per game.
After a disappointing 2023 Playoffs and Harden being eligible for an extension, the 76ers chose to not offer him a new contract in lieu of major offers from other teams. Allegedly, Harden also took the pay cut with the understanding that the 76ers would make him whole with his next contract, something they chose to not offer.
Harden accepted his $36 million player option under the impression he will be traded to a team that would be willing to give him an extension next summer. The 76ers deemed last week that Harden will not be traded, which has likely led to this reaction from Harden to force his hand.
This is Harden’s third trade request in two and a half years, a worrying trend for a former league MVP that is having a quick fall from grace. Even if the Clippers deal is made now, everyone will wait and see whether Harden settles down or agitates for another trade when things don’t go his way. But with Morey reportedly lying to Harden in the way that he did, this trade request makes more sense now.
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