Though they never won an NBA title, Daryl Morey and James Harden had a wildly successful run together in the 2010s as general manager and superstar guard of the Houston Rockets.
Years later, Morey and a now 33-year-old Harden reunited in Philadelphia, but the results from the 2022 and 2023 playoffs weren’t as fruitful as either anticipated. In recent days, their relationship appeared to hit a boiling point. Harden openly called Morey a liar and declared he will never play for a Morey-led organization again.
The inflection point came after several weekend reports suggested that Morey and the 76ers are planning to bring Harden to training camp, thus rejecting his well-chronicled trade demand.
Sam Amick of The Athletic recently explained the dynamics:
When Harden decided to take a significant pay cut a year ago, declining his $47.4 million player option to sign a one-plus-one deal in which he would be paid $33 million for the 2022-23 campaign, there was a widespread belief that it was a classic case of quid pro quo.
Harden would give some money back as a way of helping the Sixers fill out their roster. And in the following offseason, many presumed, the 10-time All-Star and former MVP would be handsomely rewarded with a contract more befitting of his future Hall of Fame talents. …
All indications on Harden’s side (before 2023 free agency) pointed to the Sixers forcing him to test the market before they would make an offer of any kind. The understandable concern for Harden, sources say, was that Philadelphia was preparing to offer him the kind of short-term, team-friendly contract that wouldn’t come close to reflecting his stature in the league or the level of his current play.
From Morey’s perspective, perhaps the months of reports stating Harden’s strong interest in returning to Houston made it feel as though the spirit of any unofficial 2022 pact was already violated. After all, recent reports have suggested that a potential Harden-Rockets reunion was nixed by the Rockets, rather than Harden.
Even so, from Harden’s side, there appear to have been promises made from Philadelphia that weren’t ultimately kept. And in an NBA era known for its player empowerment, that’s dangerous.
Alas, with both men having long histories in Houston, fans and media members covering the Rockets had lots to say in the aftermath of Monday’s bombshell. Here’s a roundup of some of the reactions.