“Daryl Morey is a liar and I will never be a part of a franchise he is in.” Let me repeat that. Daryl Morey is a liar and I will never be a part of a franchise he is in.”
When James Harden released these few sentences last summer, announcing his divorce from the Sixers, everyone wondered why “The Beard” accused the Philadelphia GM of having lied to him. The NBA had even opened an investigation, fearing an illegal agreement ahead of free agency. But the 2018 MVP responded to the league that he was simply angry because Daryl Morey had promised to transfer him quickly.
A max contract promised before the playoffs?
Change of speech. Now at the Clippers, James Harden assures The Athletic that Daryl Morey had promised him a maximum contract before the last playoffs…
Except that according to the basketball player, the GM finally cut communications after the elimination of the Sixers.
“Daryl and I had a really good relationship. In the past, a week or two after a playoff loss, we always tried to find a way to improve the team. We've been doing this for over ten years, you know what I mean? And this year, there was no communication. At that moment, I understood what was happening. I am very smart. Of which I wondered what I was going to do next, what I wanted to do? So I understand that at the end of the day, it’s business. And just as he must do what is best for his organization, I must do what is best for me and my family. It's as simple as that. »
Few options
Feeling that he will not obtain the max contract that he was hoping for (but that the Sixers deny having promised him…), James Harden therefore activates his “player option” at $35.6 million and immediately demands a transfer. For the basketball player, who expected to be rewarded for his “sacrifice” the previous summer, it was the logical choice.
“Teams that are developing or young would have had the money (to sign him), but that doesn’t make sense. And then the competitive teams had no money. In the end, I probably would have ended up looking Philadelphia in the eye. So it was strategic, and people can talk, but they can't understand (without being) in that situation. I repeat, I made the best decision for me and my family. »
Ultimately, James Harden got what he wanted, even if he had to be patient to get it. However, his relationship with Daryl Morey, with whom he was particularly close, is currently destroyed.
“There's too much money, too much respect lost and too much loyalty on my side to turn back (with Daryl Morey). There is nothing to say. Nothing to say. This is real money. »
