On Monday in Beijing, during what has been a popular promotional tour for Adidas, embattled star James Harden called Philadelphia 76ers president Daryl Morey a “liar” — twice — and declared, “I will never be a part of an organization that he’s a part of.”
It was the parting shot during a question-and-answer session with fans. And it was a particularly surgical jab: 1) It played to the audience. Morey is seen as a villain to many in China for his 2019 social media post of an image supporting protesters in Hong Kong and indeed the crowd cheered; 2) it served as a response to ESPN’s report from over the weekend that Morey and the 76ers had ended trade talks and planned to start the season with Harden; and 3) it signaled to the rest of the league that Harden might hold out of training camp if he’s not traded.
But here is the question: Is there a No. 4?
This is what league executives and agents were discussing Monday when the NBA woke up to the video out of Asia. Was Harden calling Morey a liar an insult or a more intentional leverage play?
Harden pushing back against Philly’s updated position was expected. He asked to be traded and the 76ers, whether they’re posturing or not, are for now declining to do so. Harden has played hardball throughout his career and three times been traded to situations that suited him or that he preferred (from Oklahoma City, Houston and Brooklyn).
But the public accusation of lying is where it gets interesting: Unlike those other situations earlier in his career, Harden doesn’t have leverage this time.
The timing for this round of bully ball isn’t in the soon-to-be 34-year-old’s favor. The new collective bargaining agreement makes long-term deals with older players like him, even those still playing at a high level, onerous at best.
Once he opted into his contract in June after failing to agree to a new deal, the rules prevented him from extending his contract under any circumstances. So any team trading for him this summer would have to see him as a possible rental — he will be an unrestricted free agent — and thus would offer rental prices.
This, of course, is not appealing to the 76ers, who are still competing to win the Eastern Conference and if they’re going to trade a star player, they need real talent in return. Giving up on the trade market for Harden in August, for no obvious reason, is unusual and has the whiff of some sort of play, which Morey is known for, but it is not an unreasonable position.
If the 76ers aren’t interested in turning a Harden trade with the LA Clippers, Harden’s team of choice this time around, into a three-team deal to chase Damian Lillard, then it’s easy to see why there’s no natural trade among the teams.
Philly has been adamant this summer it is not trading young guard Tyrese Maxey and without him, an offer including the sparse options to acquire from the Clippers for Harden means the Portland Trail Blazers have no real reason to consider a Lillard deal there.
The end of this journey is Harden sitting with an unfavorable position and one of his famous side-eye glances at the 76ers.
But there’s something different about this particular accusation, the one he leveled at Morey on Monday from nearly 7,000 miles away.
Perhaps it was just a passing insult and won’t be referenced again or ever explained. But Harden was precise in his language, so precise he made sure to say the exact same words twice.
This begs the question: What does Harden believe Morey was lying about?
If it’s about a willingness to trade him this summer after he opted in, only to take him off the market seven weeks before the start of training camp, that would be naturally upsetting.
If it’s about some sort of agreement with the current contract, complexities rise. Last summer there were cries across the league of foul play when Harden agreed to a short deal and a $14 million pay cut in time for the savings to be used on two players who were his friends: P.J. Tucker and Danuel House Jr.
The NBA investigated, found the 76ers guilty of tampering in the case of Tucker and docked them two second-round draft picks as a penalty. There was no wrongdoing found around Harden’s related pay cut.
What is uncertain is whether Harden’s threat Monday was simply that he’d hold out of training camp without a trade, or if it held deeper meaning — that he would expose the perceived lie if he doesn’t get what he wants. And according to the CBA, a player who withholds services called for by the contract for more than 30 days after the start of the last season has not completed the terms of the contract and therefore the “player shall not be a veteran free agent and shall not be entitled to negotiate or sign a player contract with any other professional basketball team unless and until the team for which the player last played expressly agreed otherwise.”
Harden needs some leverage.
Maybe it will never be spoken of again.
Maybe Harden will get what he wants.
Maybe he won’t.
The 76ers weren’t fazed two years ago when Ben Simmons requested a trade and left training camp. They just fined him millions and eventually made a deal they liked (for Harden). Perhaps there is no reason for them to be fazed now. At the moment, Harden is under contract. The 76ers have position.
But with Harden’s statements, this wrestling contest has entered a new, fiercer phase — and the outcome is quite uncertain.
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