Why did James Harden delete his Instagram? 76ers star deletes account after ‘uncomfortable’ story

James Harden has deleted his Instagram account. The veteran guard is currently the primary talking point in the NBA. Harden has requested a trade from the Philadelphia 76ers and has reportedly been absent from the team's practice facility since Sunday, per Shams Charania of The Athletic.

Jake Fischer has added that Harden is now in Houston. The 2018 MVP spent most of his career in "H-Town" and still has strong ties with the city. Despite his trade request at the start of the summer, there has been very little movement in a potential deal. The LA Clippers are the only team with legitimate interest.

ESPN's Ramona Shelburne has cited Harden's frustration at the lack of movement regarding a potential trade to the Clippers. Perhaps that frustration is part of the reason why Harden has remained in Houston and could have contributed to him deleting his Instagram account.

Harden's last Instagram story was a slightly cryptic message. The caption read:

"Been comfortable for too long. It's time to get uncomfortable."

Harden deleted his Instagram account shortly after the post.

Harden has been receiving significant amounts of negative press throughout the summer. Having forced his way out of two teams in the past, both NBA fans and media members have voiced their concerns at Harden's actions and the bigger impact they could have on the league.

Furthermore, James Harden has been vocal about his broken relationship with Sixers GM Daryl Morey. With such an unpleasant working experience, Harden is likely trying to avoid returning to the Sixers in the near future.

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James Harden's trade saga could drag on

Neither James Harden nor Daryl Morey are going to back down in their current standoff. Morey wants the Sixers to get a fair-value return for one of their star players. Harden's actions are designed to lower his value and get him a speedy exit.

With both sides standing firm on how they want to approach the situation, there's a legitimate chance the Harden saga bubbles into the regular season. The NBA's trade deadline isn't until Feb. 8, 2024. As such, Harden could theoretically remain with the franchise for a few months before a deal is struck.

The LA Clippers know that they're the only interested team. They're using a lack of interest in Harden as a potential bargaining tool. Harden is now away from the 76ers, and there's no guarantee thata he will return. The Sixers could also ask James Harden to keep his distance.

The trade saga is getting ugly. It's probably going to get worse before it gets better.