When the Philadelphia 76ers and Los Angeles Clippers faced off on Sunday, it marked the first time the two teams played against each other since star guard James Harden forced a trade out of Philadelphia in the 2023 offseason. The deal was completed early in the 2023-24 season, with Harden being sent to the Clippers in exchange for a package headlined by two unprotected first-round picks. However, the trade saga was long and ugly, with Harden calling out Sixers general manager Daryl Morey during a promotional trip in China.
“It seems like it’s been a long time – I don’t know if anybody is even mad anymore,” Sixers head coach Nick Nurse says when asked about facing Harden for the first time since his trade (per Joe Vardon of The Athletic). If judging the situation by comments made by his former teammates, that appears true.
Sixers Open Up About Playing James Harden for First Time Since Trade
“Yeah, I think about Joel [Embiid] being hurt, about James being traded, and him finding happiness here in L.A., I think about all of it,” newly minted All-Star Tyrese Maxey says, as part of a larger answer regarding his increased role in the second half of the season.
“I’m glad for James, glad he’s happy and playing for the Clippers…”
“We didn’t take it personal at all,” he reveals, calling Harden his “brother” and acknowledging that the two still maintain a positive relationship. “Even when James came to training camp, whenever he was there, he was nice to us, he was good.”
Sixers veteran Tobias Harris says he will “always have a huge amount of respect for [Harden].”
“Playing with him here, it’s good to see him playing in L.A., flourishing and playing his game and just ballin’ out. It’s all love and respect. He’s a hall-of-fame player, and for me it was an honor being here, playing with him.”
Then there’s 24-year-old big man Paul Reed, who says “it was cool seeing big bro out there.”
Of course, Harden had no complaints with Maxey, Harris, or Reed. Even though the hire of Nurse wasn’t enough to convince him to remain in Philadelphia, his issues didn’t lie with their current head coach either.
“Harden felt he was asked to defer too much to Embiid and perhaps bristled at former coach Doc Rivers for doing the asking…” However, as previously mentioned, “…the real breaking point between the organization and Harden was the disagreement over his contract situation…”
The Harden-Morey-Sixers Saga
Originally, Harden was angling for a sizable long-term contract in the 2023 offseason. Many believed he could get it from the Houston Rockets. Yet, the Rockets’ feelings about adding Harden after he requested a trade from the team were lukewarm.
Consequently, the 34-year-old felt it best to pick up his $35.6 million player option for 2023-24 and request a trade. When believing that Morey was operating in good faith, Harden was content. The Sixers and Clippers began engaging in trade talks as early as July. As those conversations slowed and Philadelphia was also unwilling to offer him a lucrative contract, a frustrated Harden lashed out. Publicly condemning Morey, their relationship became untenable.
Perhaps that was Harden’s ultimate intention. Nonetheless, in Harden’s mind, Morey reneged on two deals. Such was the beginning of the end of any hope of reconciliation between Harden and Morey. Or between Harden and the Sixers.
