Even If James Harden Has Requested Trade This ‘Obscure Rule’ Might Make Him Stay

Based on his comments on James Harden trade rumours, ESPN’s NBA expert Brian Windhorst implied that Daryl Morey, the Philadelphia 76ers president of basketball operations, cannot be relied upon. Additionally, the NBA writer questions if Morey and the Sixers have ever engaged in trade negotiations with other clubs.

Even If James Harden Has Requested Trade This ‘Obscure Rule’ Might Make Him Stay

“I just know that Daryl Morey plays games, and he wins negotiations,” Windhorst said on The Hoop Collective podcast. “He routinely, throughout his career, has won negotiations. And that doesn’t mean he hasn’t lost them. That doesn’t mean that’s [not] what’s gonna happen here… But Daryl Morey plays games.”

On Wednesday, Brian Windhorst discussed what the club may do in return during his appearance on ESPN’s Get Up.

“I think his frustration is that they won’t trade him,” Windhorst said. “He understood that his contract wasn’t going to be extended there, but he wanted to get traded. That didn’t happen and you can see he’s lashing out.

The 10-time All-Star’s comments on Philadelphia 76ers President of Basketball Operations Daryl Morey went viral because he no longer wanted to be a part of the team.

Morey has a history of coercing his players and telling media half-truths. The NBA official allegedly misled Chris Paul in 2019 about not trading him to the Oklahoma City Thunder. Morey was the general manager of the Houston Rockets at the time.

Morey declared that he wouldn’t move Paul over the summer. However, the general manager sent Russell Westbrook to the Thunder in exchange for Paul. The NBA official allegedly told the point guard that he wouldn’t move him to OKC, according to Paul. It is essential to underline this idea.

“I think it’s that easy for him to holdout because there is an obscure rule that’s buried in the NBA CBA. that if he doesn’t report within 30 days of the opener of training camp, the 76ers have the right to block him from becoming a free agent next year. So Harden is holding a very limited amount of leverage.”

This offseason, Harden chose to exercise his $35.6 million player option after failing to obtain the desired contract extension.

 

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