James Harden sat out the Philadelphia 76ers’ open scrimmage on October 14, according to NBA reporter Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer.
Sixers fans got to watch the team play. Harden likely would have been booed by fans since he requested a trade.
Harden spoke to NBA reporters on October 13 for the first time since requesting a trade from the Sixers. The 2017-18 MVP said he plans to play for the Sixers while also admitting that his relationship with Daryl Morey can’t be fixed.
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: James Harden, Philadelphia 76ers Updates
“No,” Harden said when asked directly whether he thought things could get patched up with Morey. “This is not even about this situation — this is in life. When you lose trust in someone, it’s like a marriage … you lose trust in someone, you know what I mean? It’s pretty simple.”
Harden, who used to be very close with Morey, was fined $100,000 by the NBA for calling Morey “a liar” during his Adidas tour in China. Harden called Morey a liar since he wasn’t traded quickly after opting into his 2023-24 player option.
In 58 games for the Sixers last season, Harden averaged 21.0 points, 6.1 rebounds and 10.7 assists. He led the NBA in assists per game for the second time in his career.
According to NBA insider Ramona Shelburne of ESPN, Harden felt Morey ghosted him before free agency started. Rather than wait for Morey and the Sixers to present whatever offer they had come up with once free agency opened on July 1, Harden picked up his $35.6 million player option before the June 30 deadline and requested a trade.
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: James Harden, Philadelphia 76ers Updates
“I’ve got to make a decision for my family,” Harden said. “This is a business. It’s as simple as that. I come in here today and work my butt off and do the things necessary as a professional as I would do and as I have been doing for 15 years. Like I said, I can control what I can control. I take it one day at a time, and focus on every day as a new day. My plan is to play basketball, yes, for sure.”
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