Frank Franklin II/AP
The NBA on Tuesday announced a $100,000 fine for Philadelphia 76ers star James Harden for comments made about team president Daryl Morey.
Last week, Harden set NBA Twitter ablaze when he essentially burned the bridge between himself and the team for good. In response to a question about his future with the Sixers at an event in China, Harden called Morey a “liar” and vowed to never play for a team run by him again.
The timing and location of the response were especially noteworthy because Morey’s pro-Hong Kong comments a few years ago made him very unpopular in the country. Harden’s criticism drew cheers from the crowd.
The NBA interpreted his comments as “indicating that he would not perform the services called for under his player contract unless traded to another team.”
“The league’s investigation, which included an interview of Harden, confirmed that these comments referenced Harden’s belief that the 76ers would not accommodate his request to be traded,” the statement continued.
The following has been released by the NBA. pic.twitter.com/j3VZLxgXA5
— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) August 22, 2023
Harden recently opted into the final year of his contract, though he could have opted out to become a free agent. As the NBA offseason began, it was widely assumed that Harden would opt out and return to the Houston Rockets. Then, he chose to opt in with the intention of being traded to the Los Angeles Clippers. Instead, the Sixers reportedly ended trade talks and were confident the relationship with Harden could be mended.
That was before his comments in China.
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