Basketball
James Harden Says He Wanted to Retire as a Sixer Before Trade Drama
by privatebet.com - 2023/10/14
The trade drama between James Harden and the Philadelphia 76ers is yet to reach its conclusion, and he’s still looking for a new team. Before unexpectedly requesting a trade, the veteran player revealed it was his goal to retire a Sixer when he initially joined this team. Harden was expected to pick up his $35.6 million option and stay in Philadelphia after the 2022-23 NBA Season, but he had different plans. He requested a trade back in June, favoring the Los Angeles Clippers as his next destination, but things took a wild turn after the talks between the two teams stalled. Harden accused the Sixers’ president of basketball operations Daryl Morey as a liar and said he “will never be a part of an organization that he's a part of.” He was fined $100,000 for his comments, and it turned out his relationship with Morey deteriorated after the Sixers were eliminated in the postseason. Despite his complicated relationship with the team, Harden attended training camp earlier in October, and he told PHLY Sports' Kyle Neubeck that he wanted to retire a Sixer when he initially joined the team. "I wanted to be here and retire a Sixer. And the front office didn't have that in their future plans… It's out of my control. It's something that I didn't want to happen, to be in this position. But I have to make a decision for my family. I understand that it's a business," said Harden.