NBA: in conflict with the Sixers, James Harden just wants to “play basketball”

NBA star James Harden, in conflict with the boss of the Philadelphia 76ers, said Friday that their relationship could not be repaired, and that he “just wanted to play basketball” as the start of the season approaches. In conflict with Philadelphia president Daryl Morey over a transfer promise, Harden spoke to the media for the first time since returning to practice last week, after skipping the start of preparation.

Asked if he could “fix” his relationship with Morey, Harden said “no.” “It’s not just about this situation, it’s like life. When you lose trust in someone, it's like a marriage. You see? It’s quite simple.”

The 34-year-old American with the prominent beard, three times the NBA's top scorer of the season, had a priori the agreement of his franchise for a transfer this summer, before the decision-makers retracted. “Once we lost (in the play-off conference semi-finals against Boston in the spring, editor’s note), communication was cut off, nothing.” Harden called Morey a "liar" in August during a promotional tour in China, and vowed to no longer want to play for a franchise he would lead.

The two men got to know each other when Harden was recruited by Morey's Houston Rockets in 2012, before finding themselves at the Sixers in 2022. “When I joined the franchise, I saw myself retiring here,” assured the 2018 MVP, who has averaged 24.7 points per game since his NBA debut 14 years ago, but who has never been crowned.

Asked about his willingness to play with Philadelphia, he replied: "I come here (to practice), I get off my butt, I do what needs to be done as a professional, which I've been doing for 15 years... ) I see day after day. My plan is to play basketball, yes of course.”