Source: https://marcstein.substack.com/p/the-most-essential-nba-substack
> In Amick’s story which published Monday, Harden says that Philadelphia 76ers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey promised him a max contract in the summer of 2022 after the contract reductions Harden agreed to created sufficient luxury-tax flexibility to position Philadelphia to sign P.J. Tucker and Danuel House and trade for De’Anthony Melton. A Sixers source this week refuted Harden’s claim to The Stein Line, but it’s reasonable to believe that league officials — who have already docked a second-round draft pick from the Sixers for their dealings that summer — will elect to revisit the issue.
> The curveball: Harden also told Amick that his representatives met with the Houston Rockets after Houston hired Ime Udoka as its head coach on April 25. Although he didn’t specify exactly when that meeting took place, Harden was never a free agent this past offseason, picking up his Philadelphia player option for 2023-24 on June 29 from the original two-year, $68.6 million deal he signed with Philadelphia in July 2022 when it became apparent that the Sixers had no interest in maxing him out. Harden also immediately demanded a trade upon exercising his option, with the Sixers eventually heeding that request four months later by agreeing to ship Harden to the LA Clippers on Halloween.
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The 76ers will probably be docked more draft capital if this claim is revisited and they find evidence.
by UnbiasedNBAFan_
22 Comments
Man what the hell
So help me god if we lose another second rounder for this non story while Miles Bridges and the pedophile on OKC keep playing, I’m going to hunt Silver’s bitch ass down lol
Knew this BS would happen when the Harden news first appeared
I have no real insight but I’d be surprised if they found evidence. It sounds like if it’s true it was verbal or not even said outright, just implied.
So if Harden is lying what does he get? A lifetime suspension?
This would be the 3rd time they look into it right? Seems pretty ridiculous
Bet they won’t look into the Rockets for tampering though
Maybe Adam can dock Houston some picks too since Harden confirmed he met with Ime while he was still under contract with the Sixers. Seems like pretty blatant tampering. Or, we can cut the shit and stop acting like tampering isnt done by every single team
Sixers: If you play max contract basketball, then we will likely give you a max contract.
Harden: I, by virtue of being the greatest player who has ever lived, of course will be getting a max contract.
Sixers: Well, maybe, but we need to see production.
Harden: It’s a promise then. I’ll be getting a max contract.
Sixers: No, it is not a promise, we’d love to extend you but we need to see-
Harden: So you’re saying you’re blind.
Sixers: No, we’re saying that you need to play like you deserve a max contract before we-
Harden: I thought Salt Bae was blind, but he just wears sunglasses inside as part of his look.
Sixers: …
Harden: Max Contract. Done deal. BTW, I’m going to call Houston, see how they’re doing.
The League’s best move is to investigate, say nothing happened, and then fine Harden as a message to players. Then behind the scenes tsk tsk tsk Morey and Houston.
They will investigate again the sixers? when they find nothing again will harden be fined, he cant lie and not have any consequence
things the nba loves:
1. signing deals with betting/gambling sites
2. investigating and punishing the sixers
3. ??
Harden is acting like a messy ex, trying to post screenshots of the last argument they had before officially breaking up. Extra salty because we’re doing just fine without him. He has nothing to gain from this, and in fact, he might get fined again after it’s all said and done.
That means they’ll definitely take picks from the Rockets since Harden [snitched on Ime Udoka for tampering,](https://twitter.com/kyleneubeck/status/1731713165166006460?s=46&t=wyjyfxTlbCPzs1bncn1elg) right?
James Harden is a generational loser
Totally fine for James to talk to ime udoka during tampering season but God forbid the team that chose to lose for a bit for the betterment of a historically famous franchise not be continuously punished by Adam silver. You’ve put us through the pain and misery that is Brian colangelo who threw everything away within 2 seasons…give us a break
Adam Silver has an extremely unhealthy fixation with the Philadelphia 76ers.
That IS NOT what Harden said. He was specifically asked about whether he was promised a max after he took less money for the Tucker and House contracts, and he did not say that was when the promise came.
Here’s the direct quote:
[AMICK] “But timing-wise, when did Daryl tell you that you’d be getting the max?
[HARDEN] Well, the time that’s important was before the playoffs started (last season). He had conversations with my representation.”
Harden never intimated a promise was tied to his taking less money. Stein is making that up or didn’t actually read the interview. Promising a player already on your team a max before his current contract expires is 100% allowed.
Harden probably has a deal with Chinese communist party: if you can get Morey fired, your wine will be duty free in China
Fucking pos is throwing this out there for us to get punished god I hate harden
Fuck Adam Silver
Adam silver absolutely hates the sixers, so I’m sure we will lose another 2nd round pick
He intimated that this conversation took place not the previous summer in a quid pro quo, but during the season “prior to the playoffs”.
That’s not anything that the Sixers can be penalized for. This is just another nothing burger for the Sixers.
The Rockets on the other hand should be in trouble.