NBA Rumors - Shams Charania reports James Harden and Daryl Morey are not on good terms

Daryl Morey used to cater to every James Harden wish when they were together back in Houston. The NBA Executive of the Year for the 2017-18 season even swapped Ben Simmons to reunite with “The Beard” in Philadelphia.

However, that relationship may no longer be what it once was based on a report from Shams Charania in 'The Rally'.

He said:

“What I learned in Las Vegas was, the relationship between James Harden and Daryl Morey, the president of basketball operations in Philadelphia, is essentially severed, it’s essentially fractured throughout this process.

“There’s no longer that valve of open-ended trust that we’ve seen over the course of 692 games that Daryl Morey and James Harden had been together in Houston.”

James Harden opted out of a $47.3 million contract in 2022. He signed a new two-year, $68.6 million deal with a player option for next season so Daryl Morey can build a championship contender.

Harden reportedly told Morey to “improve the roster, sign who we needed to sign and give me whatever is left over.”

The former MVP was under the impression that the Philadelphia 76ers would eventually give him a longer deal once he exercises his player option. Morey though, wasn’t keen on giving that to him.

Charania added:

“Right now, James Harden is where he’s been in the last few weeks. He wants a trade and he wants a trade to the Clippers. Rival teams I’ve talked to in Vegas believe that’s the path the Sixers go down to potentially. It’s gonna come down to those two teams engaging and working out something.”

Harden’s desire to go to Hollywood has reportedly only gotten stronger once the LA Clippers re-signed Russell Westbrook. “Brodie” and “The Beard” played together in Oklahoma and Houston.

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Daryl Morey will not give up James Harden for less than what he thinks is a fair return

Daryl Morey dug in when Ben Simmons demanded a trade. He even fined the Australian for practices and games missed. Morey wasn’t going to let him go without getting the “right” offer.

The Brooklyn Nets, which also had Harden wanting to force a trade, eventually decided to engage the Sixers in a trade.

“The Beard” is now facing a similar situation in his desire to play with Russell Westbrook, Paul George and Kawhi Leonard in LA.

ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski had this to report:

"[Daryl Morey's] asking price is exorbitant. Teams are not engaging the Sixers with the kind of asks that Daryl Morey is asking for James Harden. That's where Daryl Morey always starts in trade talks - really high. Then over time, perhaps you work him back down.

"Right now, the Harden talks, like [Damian] Lillard, are going to linger into the summer."

Where Harden will end up playing next season will be interesting to see.

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