James Harden Criticizes 76ers President Daryl Morey, NBPA to File Grievance
Tim Bontemps | August 22, 2023 | 4 Minute Read
During a press event in China, James Harden, the renowned basketball star, launched a scathing attack on Philadelphia 76ers president Daryl Morey, branding him a “liar” and stating that he would never be associated with an organization that includes Morey.
In response to the NBA’s $100,000 fine imposed on Harden for expressing dissatisfaction after the 76ers failed to trade him, the National Basketball Players Association (NBPA) has announced their intention to file a grievance against the league. The NBPA believes that Harden’s public comments did not violate the rule against making trade demands and aims to have the matter resolved by an arbitrator.
The NBA decided to levy the fine against Harden following an investigation into remarks he made during a promotional tour in China on August 14 and in an interview with Houston television station KHOU on August 17. Under the new collective bargaining agreement that came into effect last month, Harden was fined the maximum allowable amount.
The league justified its decision by stating that Harden had indicated that he would refuse to fulfill his contractual obligations unless he was traded to another team.
Last month, the NBA had also conducted an investigation into actions taken by Aaron Goodwin, the agent representing Damian Lillard, a superstar player for the Portland Trail Blazers. In response, the NBA sent a memo to all 30 teams warning that any player or agent making public or private statements suggesting they wouldn’t fully honor their contractual obligations in the event of a trade would face disciplinary measures in the future.
During his appearance in China, Harden singled out Daryl Morey, the 76ers’ president of basketball operations, for not trading him after Harden chose to remain with the team on a $35.6 million contract for the 2023-24 season.
“Daryl Morey is a liar and I will never be a part of an organization that he’s a part of,” Harden emphatically declared during an Adidas media event in China. He repeated his sentiment to KHOU during an interview upon returning to the United States, stating that his relationship with the Philadelphia organization was “beyond repair.”
Although there had been speculation, Harden did not claim that there was a prior agreement with the 76ers on a future contract. Sources say that Harden exercised his option for next season with the expectation that Morey would facilitate a trade to his preferred destination, the LA Clippers. However, despite weeks of negotiations, no deal materialized between the two teams.
While the drama surrounding Harden’s future continues, the Philadelphia 76ers have had a relatively quiet offseason. They lost Georges Niang and Shake Milton to the Cleveland Cavaliers and Minnesota Timberwolves, respectively, in free agency, but managed to sign Patrick Beverley and Mo Bamba to one-year contracts. The team also re-signed Paul Reed and Montrezl Harrell and hired former Toronto Raptors coach Nick Nurse to replace Doc Rivers as the head coach.
As the NBPA moves forward with their grievance, the basketball world eagerly awaits the resolution of this dispute between James Harden and the Philadelphia 76ers.