Philadelphia 76ers star James Harden has decided not to attend the team’s media day on Monday.
BREAKING: James Harden will not attend Sixers’ media day today, per @ShamsCharania pic.twitter.com/Xtj0XfkErN
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) October 2, 2023
It appears that Harden is still determined to secure a trade to the LA Clippers, but so far, there hasn’t been much progress in negotiations between the two teams, according to sources from ESPN.
The Sixers have set a high asking price for Harden, and the Clippers are not showing any inclination to make a deal that would involve giving up significant trade assets for the superstar player.
Back in June, Harden exercised his $35.6 million contract option for this season, with the hope that the Sixers would trade him before the start of training camp.
However, Philadelphia’s president of basketball operations, Daryl Morey, has chosen to take a patient approach and is trying to convince Harden to become reinvested in the team.
By skipping the media day, Harden could potentially face a fine from the Sixers.
The team is set to leave for Colorado to begin their training camp at Colorado State University in Fort Collins.
While the Sixers are expecting Harden to be present at camp under the guidance of their new coach, Nick Nurse, it is uncertain what Harden’s plans are for this week.
This recent development follows Harden’s public criticism of Morey in August, when he referred to him as a “liar” and implied that he would not fulfill his contractual obligations as long as Morey remained the president of the Sixers. The league responded by fining Harden $100,000 for his remarks.
During a call with league and union officials as part of the NBA’s investigation into his comments, sources say that Harden reassured them that he would fulfill his contractual duties with the Sixers if a trade does not materialize.
