Few players value their talent James Edward Harden inside NBAHE League MVP in 2018three-time top scorer in the competition (2018, 2019 and 2020), ten times All Star and was a member of the competition’s best quintet six times.
And there are fewer players who have had careers as troubled as his.
Announcement of departure Philadelphia 76ers and its transfer Los Angeles ClippersA literal earthquake that shook the American League this Tuesday, with only three games of the season played, it is another period of his controversy-filled career in which contract violations and transfer requests have become common agenda items.
cutting machines This team will be his third team in three years and fifth in his career. ‘Beard’An unhappy multimillionaire and indecisive star, he can’t quite fit in anywhere.
His departure also marked the end of an open confrontation. Daryl MoreyGeneral manager of the franchise sixesHe was a friend and supporter until recently. NBA, whom he accuses of not offering him a four-year, $210 million extension this season, after promising to do so and agreeing to take less pay when he arrived in Philadelphia to further strengthen the roster. Thus, the player exercised his option for another season for 35.4 million last June and made a transfer request as soon as he did so.
open war
The war broke out shortly afterwards at a promotional event in China. “Daryl Morey “He is a liar and I will never play again in an organization he is a part of,” the player denounced. The complaint cost him a $100,000 fine, but harden He further consolidated his position without being seen during the pre-season and missing some training sessions. A complete rebellion.
Managers sixesas in those Brooklyn Networks Previously, they believed they could take the pulse until they realized it was impossible for Harden to back down and gave him the go-ahead.
James Harden returns to his hometown, angelsto join at one’s own request. Clippers from Kawhi Leonard, Paul George and Russell Westbrook and thus they will be forced to fight for the ring, completing one of the League’s best outside lines. They are coming to him PJ Tucker and Filip Petrusev as reinforcement. In return Philadelphia 76ers They participate in the operation Marcus Morris, Robert Covington, Nicolas Batum, KJ Martin and several rounds of drafts.
his transfer cutting machines This appears to be a last-ditch attempt to get the championship ring he eluded to at the age of 34. Oklahoma, Houston, Brooklyn nor in its last passage Philadelphia.
Failed attempts
Harden left Oklahoma City Thunder After losing in 2012 Westbrook, Durant or Ibaka against in the NBA finals Miami Heat with LeBron James, Wade and Chris Bosh and rejected the renewal offer (55 million for 4 years) HoustonWhere Daryl Morey He bet that it would make him one of the highest-earning players in the League.
Inside rockets He has already achieved star status (80 million over five years), becoming the cornerstone of a franchise that is one of the best teams in the league, reaching eight consecutive years. ‘play-offs’ and two finals Conference but was stopped by something unstoppable that never managed to take the final step. Warriors.
differences between them Chris Paul and doubts about his future in the series (“ rockets “They’re not good enough,” he denounced) forcing him to bid farewell to a potential superteam to integrate him into his side Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving inside Brooklyn Networks. But everything went wrong due to injuries.
In its first season new York He missed 21 of 24 matches Milwaukee Bucks in the play-offs. In its second season, 2021-2022 Irving I decided not to get vaccinated against covid and this is Nets’ ‘Big Three’ They played together in just 16 games over two seasons. harden He requested a transfer again in February 2022. Philadelphia and let’s meet Moreyeventually went into business Ben Simmons.
On his stage sixesforced to form a deadly tandem near the center Joel Embiid but the chemistry didn’t quite work and Philadelphia fell in the conference semifinals for the last two seasons: Heat in 2021-22 and Celtics Last season was disappointing harden in the sixth and seventh games (22 points, 7 of 27 shots and 10 losses between the two teams). This started a crisis of confidence in the series and ended with a new flight forward. harden After another soap opera that will take him back to his hometown to catch his last train.