FireMorey wrote:Latest from Amick:
With Harden, we’ve already seen how messy it can get when his trade request isn’t being granted as quickly as he would like. During those final weeks of his Houston era, when Morey had already left his Rockets front office post for Philadelphia and Harden had decided in November 2021 that it was time to move on, he showed up to training camp late after partying in Atlanta and Las Vegas, causing all kinds of consternation inside the locker room once he arrived. The later stages of his Brooklyn experience had similar vibes, with Morey using Harden’s unhappiness to his advantage in negotiations with the Nets before that February 2022 trade to Philadelphia.
Yet despite all that relevant history, and in spite of the fact that Morey may know Harden, and all of his complexities, better than anyone in the NBA, rival executives with whom I spoke at summer league were universally convinced that the Sixers are now attempting to keep Harden. Discontent be damned.
The sluggish trade talks between the Sixers and Clippers about Harden would seem to support this stance. Morey is known to be asking for the kind of return that — as of Tuesday afternoon — left the strong impression that he had no genuine interest in getting a deal done anytime soon.
Harden’s stance has not changed, a source close to him told The Athletic. He still wants to leave Philadelphia. He’s still upset with how Morey handled his situation heading into possible free agency last month. And even with the recent revelation that Harden attended the same NBPA party as Sixers co-star Joel Embiid and former Sixers owner Michael Rubin in Vegas, he’s still determined to start next season in a Clippers jersey.
This is just an opinion, but...
I believe Harden felt he had an ace-in-the-hole with Houston. Then Houston hired Udoka on April 25, who got to see Harden's collapse in games 5, 6 and 7. We're at May 14. I suspect Morey offered him three years at $120 mil, even $150 mil. Harden didn't agree. Morey told him to find a trade - which he couldn't.
I don't think Morey was out to screw Harden. But ownership, after his collapse, disappearance, however you want to characterize it, wasn't going to commit to four years at near-max money.
The other thing is this: To get him close to $40 mil/year almost had to be by way of a sign-and-trade since free agency would have limited his options.
What do I think is going to happen if Morey can't make a deal? I think Harden will play this season in Philly, work in Nick Nurse's system, be more of a shooter than playmaker, and be offered a two-year, $80 mil deal in the offseason. Maybe add $10 mil for his helping Morey out last July.
Just my opinion.
