The Los Angeles Clippers are on a four-game losing streak, three of which happened with James Harden on the court. With their Friday loss against the Dallas Mavericks during the in-season tournament, a Mavericks broadcaster wanted to give Harden a piece of his mind.
“Ask the producer to pipe this into the Clippers locker room so I can talk to you, James,” said Bally Sports broadcaster and Mavs radio show host, Brian Dameris. “I hope you’re taking notes. I’m telling you in advance, you’re welcome for the wisdom that I’m about to spew. I get on my knees every night and pray for someone to believe in me like Daryl Morey believed in you.”
Morey, who was the general manager of the Houston Rockets during Harden’s time there and is currently the president of basketball operations for the Philadelphia 76ers, has a relationship with Harden that soured very publicly. However, Dameris felt that it was Harden’s fault even though Morey “believed” in him.
The More You Know
“You wanted a certain coach, they brought in Mike D’Antoni. You wanted to play a certain style, they played it. You wanted Dwight Howard, they brought him in and got rid of him when you were tired of him. You wanted Chris Paul, they brought him in and got rid of him when you were tired of him. They brought in your old friend Russell Westbrook. You want to go to Vegas on off days? They looked away.
“You wanted the team to stay over so you could go out at night. They changed the schedule, and it didn’t work. You said, I’m going to break up with my wubby (Morey), not good enough I see the bright lights of New York; I want to go there with my old pal Kevin Durant. It’s going to work, the big three and all after one year, you wanted out.”
Harden had the best stats of his career under Morey in Houston. However, when Morey and D’Antoni left during the offseason of 2020, Harden requested a trade that took him to the Brooklyn Nets. What was supposed to become the big three of Harden, Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving fizzled after one season. Harden then left and went to Philadelphia, where his relationship with Morey spiraled into a public spectacle where he called Morey a liar.
The Problem?
“You realized, ‘Oh my gosh, I took this guy for granted, the guy who believed in me, you went back to Daryl Morey,” Dameris continued. “They traded Ben Simmons for you. How did they pull that off? You know what? You went there, and you got a partner who got the MVP, and what did you say afterwards? You said: they didn’t hand me the reins. You’re the point guard, you’re holding the reins and what did you do when you had the reigns? You scored nine points in Game 7 against Boston. You blew a 3-2 series lead.”
“Listen, James, have you ever had those friends who had bad roommates?” the announcer asked, rhetorically. “Over and over they complained about their bad roommates. They never thought to be self-aware enough that they’re the bad roommate James, you’re the problem. You’re not The Beard. You’re not The System. You’re The Problem.”
If Harden doesn’t add impact to the Clippers, who have Kawhi Leonard, Paul George, and Russell Westbrook, he will be looked at as the issue with the teams he is on. Losing while being perceived as problematic is not a good look in professional sports, and right now, for Harden, that shoe fits snugly.
