The ongoing saga between the Philadelphia 76ers and star guard James Harden hit a new level this week. With Harden away from the team to reportedly tend to his ill mom, the team made the decision that the former league MVP wouldn’t travel with team for its season-opening two-game road trip. Things took a really awkward turn when Harden was denied entry to the team plane as they boarded for their Thursday opener at Milwaukee.
Per reports, team security delivered the message to Harden sending him home and back to the team practice facility. The team wants Harden to work on his conditioning and be ready when they return from their early season two-game tilt. But even then things will still be awkward because of the things Harden has said about Sixers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey about what he calls broken promises about his contract.
Things are so messy in Philly that former Sixers legend Charles Barkley believes Harden shouldn’t return to play for the team.
Sir Charles Says The Harden-Sixers Relationship Has Run Its Course
Speaking on TNT’s hit show “Inside the NBA,” the always outspoken Barkley said this when asked his opinion on the situation.
“It’s not tough to figure out: James Harden can’t come back to Philly. Them fans ain’t gonna have it,” Barkley said. “The fans ain’t gonna have it. He can’t treat the city of Philadelphia like that and they’re gonna forgive and forget. I said the same thing with Ben Simmons when they were, trying, like, ‘We want Ben Simmons back.’ I’m like, they’re not gonna take him back.”
Barkley told the TNT crew that Harden’s actions have been downright disrespectful to a fan base that’s done nothing but support him.
“When you play for a team, you have an obligation to the fan base,” Barkley said. “He didn’t show up to work for 10 days. You can’t just take time off because you’re unhappy and you ain’t get traded.
Philly fans are tough anyway, but in this case Barkley feels they will be unrelenting with Harden.
Daryl Morey Also At Fault?
Barkley pulled no punches in his comments, as also laid into the aforementioned Morey for how he’s handled the situation. The asking price Barkley feels is too much, especially for a player with just one year left on his current deal. Barkley also feels Morey waited too long to move him, and had he done it early in the summer the situation would’ve already been resolved.
For a player with Harden’s steadily declining skills and just one left year on his contract, teams just aren’t gonna be willing to give back quality pieces in return. This means Morey may have to be willing to accept a couple of role players in a trade.
