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Harden's desire to leave the 76ers is already an open secret. He has been trying to leave for a while now, and recently he didn't even bother to put on a façade anymore. During a public interview at an event in Beijing, he directly blasted the 76ers' general manager as a big liar, vowing that he will never play for the organization as long as that manager is there.
While facing the interview, Harden changed his usual style and openly criticized the 76ers' general manager, saying, ""Daryl Morey is a liar, and I will never play for the organization he's in. I'll say it again, Daryl Morey is a liar, and I will never play for him again."" Harden has various reasons for his discontent. One major reason is that he feels his efforts over the past year have not been recognized by the management. Despite his change in playing style and efforts to collaborate with Embiid, the higher-ups seemed to overlook his efforts, and instead offered him a contract extension that aligned with his expectations, sparking the main conflict.
Last year, Harden was willing to take a $15 million pay cut for the sake of his championship dream and to assemble a title-contending team. This decision was not easy for Harden, as his skill level is still high, and if not for the championship aspirations, he could have received a better contract. Harden believed that he and the 76ers' general manager had reached a gentlemen's agreement: he would take the pay cut this year, and in exchange, the manager would provide him with the contract he rightfully deserved during the renewal negotiations. In Harden's eyes, the pay cut was just part of the gentlemen's agreement, and the manager had verbally agreed to increase his salary during the future contract talks.
However, all gentlemen's agreements shattered after the failure to win the championship last season. The 76ers' general manager changed his stance, and Harden believed that the manager was the one who broke the gentlemen's agreement. This was the only explanation for why the offered contract extension lacked sincerity. Frustrated, Harden decided to publicly blast the situation. Yet, the effectiveness of such an approach remains to be seen and depends on future developments. NBA now has restrictions against players forcing their way out, and Harden might not only fail to get what he wants but also face consequences from the 76ers, especially if he chooses to sit out games. |
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