During an interview with NBA reporter Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, Philadelphia 76ers small forward Tobias Harris was asked about star guard James Harden requesting a trade. Harden requested a trade from the Sixers in June and wants to get traded to the Los Angeles Clippers.
Scotto: “Regarding James Harden, do you guys try to tell him we’d still love to play with you and build off last season, or do you guys not get involved?”
Harris: “Nah. I think nobody has any ill will or hard feelings on that situation. We’re just taking it day by day and seeing where it goes.”
Harden has been practicing with the Sixers but hasn’t played in any preseason games. The 2017-18 MVP admitted that his relationship with Philadelphia general manager Daryl Morey can’t be fixed.
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: James Harden, Tobias Harris, 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, Tobias Harris, 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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