James Harden intends to play for the 76ers despite hard feelings toward president of basketball operations Daryl Morey.
The ten-time All-Star told reporters Friday that he’s working up to play in Philadelphia’s preseason finale against the Atlanta Hawks next Friday and beyond.
Harden opted into his one-year, $35.6 million deal with the team and promptly requested a trade in late June after the two sides couldn’t come to terms on a long-term contract.
But after a monthslong standoff and no deal in sight, Harden is still a Sixer even as the NBA’s opening night approaches.
“When I got traded here, my whole thing is I wanted to retire a Sixer,” Harden said Friday, per PHLY Sports’ Kyle Neubeck. “I wanted to be here and retire a Sixer. And the front office didn’t have that in their future plans.”
Harden reiterated Friday that his relationship with Morey was beyond repair.
“This is not even about this situation. This is in life, when you lose trust in someone,” Harden said. “It’s like a marriage. You lose trust in someone, you know what I mean? It’s pretty simple.”
The 2017-18 NBA MVP was a no-show at the beginning of 76ers training camp in early October but later arrived after a two-day absence.
Although he hasn’t appeared in either of the team’s first two preseason games, Harden has reportedly been a full participant in Sixers practices.
Harden has been pushing for a deal to his hometown Los Angeles Clippers, but ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported Friday there is “not great motivation in Philadelphia to think that a deal with the Clippers now gets them the best value they can get.”
It’s the third time since January 2021 that Harden has attempted to force himself from a team.
Harden first got the Rockets to move him to the Nets, only for Harden to request a trade to the 76ers a little more than a year later.