When James Harden made his first public appearance as a 76er this season, it sparked hope among Philly fans that he might reconcile his relationship with the franchise once and for all. Instead, despite showing up to training camp and practicing with the squad, he doubled down on his previous stance.
Speaking to the media during practice day, Harden admitted that things were beyond repair between him and franchise GM Daryl Morey after contract extension negotiations turned sour over the summer.
“It’s really out of my control. It’s something that I didn’t want to happen, being in this position, but I’ve got to make a decision for my family,” said Harden via Kyle Neubeck. “I understand this is a business. It’s just as simple as that. I come in here today, work my butt off and do the things necessary as a professional — as I’ve been doing for 15 years.”
With one year left on his deal and a history of abandoning teams in the past, Harden’s trade value is at an all-time low right now and he has no choice but to suit up and play for the 76ers if he wants to ensure his basketball future. Even so, it hasn’t changed things between him and Morey.
“No,” Harden said on his relationship with the Sixers’ front office can be repaired. “This is not even about this situation, this is in life: When you lose trust in someone … it’s like a marriage. If you lose trust in someone … it’s pretty simple,” Harden said.
What’s Next For James Harden?
After a summer of drama and noise, Harden ultimately failed to force a trade before the start of the season. By all accounts, he wants a move to the Los Angeles Clippers and has made it known for months that his goal is to compete alongside Kawhi Leonard and Paul George. Currently, the Clippers are still in active efforts to secure the 10x All-Star and things could get awkward in Philadelphia during the wait.
While Harden showed up to camp, it remains to be seen if he’ll show up consistently for the regular season and there are questions about what his effort level will look like during the minutes that he’s on the floor. For Harden, who has played this game two times before, all bets are off and nothing is off the table in terms of forcing Philly’s hand. As a player, we know what Harden can be at his best, and we saw how effective he was last season when he averaged 21 points, 10.7 assists, and 6.1 rebounds per game for the 76ers.
Joel Embiid Loses Another All-Star Teammate
One of the most interesting aspects of the Harden saga is the status of his soon-to-be former teammate, Joel Embiid. In the span of just a few years, Embiid has lost three co-stars, including Jimmy Butler and Ben Simmons. In the case of Harden, last season’s playoff collapse against the Celtics will likely be the final chapter of his run with the 76ers and Embiid is once again the odd man out.
After watching the competition in Milwaukee and Miami get better, Embiid will have to carry a broken 76ers team on his own and who knows how long he can keep that going. Unless Tyrese Maxey can step up and overdeliver on expectations next season, we could see the Sixers take a major step back in the East and it will draw some serious questions about how much dysfunction Embiid can withstand.
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