James Harden had an extremely acrimonious split with the Philadelphia 76ers. Not only did Harden hurt his reputation trying to force his way out of the franchise, he also saw a decade-long friendship with Daryl Morey come to an end after Morey promised Harden a max contract extension which never materialized. Harden has confirmed the same to The Athletic.
The Athletic: “Were you actually told by the Sixers that you had that deal coming?”
James Harden: “A max? Yeah.”
The Athletic: “That was said by Daryl?”
James Harden: “Yes. Yes.”
The Athletic: “Timing-wise, when did Daryl tell you that you’d be getting the max?”
James Harden: “Well, the time that’s important was before the playoffs started (last season). He had conversations with my representation.”
Harden went on to reveal Morey ignored him over the summer and used league tampering rules as a cover to keep Harden in the dark.
“A week or two after we lose in the playoffs, it would be all about trying to figure out how to improve the team… This year, there was no communication. And at that point, it’s like, ‘OK, I see what’s going on.’ I’m very intelligent. So then I just figure out ‘What’s my next move, and what do I want to do?’ So I understand that, at the end of the day, this is a business. And just like he has to do what’s best for his organization, I’ve got to do what’s best for me and my family. It’s as simple as that.”
All is well that ends well, and Harden is removed from the apparent toxicity he faced in Philadelphia with Daryl Morey. He did end up sacrificing over $15 million in the contract he signed with the team in 2022 to let them sign players like P.J. Tucker, De’Anthony Melton, and Danuel House, but that ended up being a big mistake given what Morey did to him this summer.
James Harden Claims His Relationship With Daryl Morey Is Dead
James Harden was essentially betrayed by the only executive in the NBA that he looked at as a friend. They were both integral in each other’s careers, as Morey believed in Harden and allowed him to be a No. 1 option after he spent years as a sixth man in OKC, while Harden’s on-court success made Morey look like a genius.
Harden reflected on the relationship and how it ended, claiming there was too much lost respect and money for the former MVP to ever reconnect with Morey.
“Yeah. It surprised the hell out of me, you know what I mean? I looked at it like a marriage. We talked about a lot of sh*t… But instead of (Morey) having a conversation with me (about free agency) or saying, ‘All right James, we don’t want to offer you this, but we have this.’ Then we go back and forth, and that’s a dialogue. But you just ice me out? Then it’s like, you don’t respect me as much as I thought you did… There’s too much money, too much respect (lost), and too much loyalty on my end to even double back (with Morey). There’s nothing to talk about. There’s nothing to talk about. This is real money.”
Harden has had a slow start to life in LA, averaging 15.7 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 6.4 assists as the team sits 9-10. The 76ers are still among the best teams in the East, with Tyrese Maxey emerging as an All-Star player, leading the team to a 12-7 record alongside Joel Embiid.
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