James Harden Will Never Speak To Daryl Morey Again: ‘Hell No’

After the Los Angeles Clippers beat the Philadelphia 76ers, James Harden told NBA reporters that he would never speak to Daryl Morey again. 

Harden and Morey used to have a very close relationship. However, everything changed last offseason when Morey didn’t offer Harden a max contract.

Morey also reportedly ghosted Harden.

Harden spoke to the media about his relationship with Daryl Morey pic.twitter.com/rJx81FyLCv

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) March 28, 2024

Harden opted into his player option for this season and requested a trade from the Sixers. The 2017-18 NBA MVP called Morey “a liar” during his Adidas tour in China over the summer. 

Harden gave up a lot of money in the summer of 2022 to help the Sixers sign impactful players. Morey told Harden a maximum contract would be offered in 2023, but that offer never arrived.

“For me, personally, I feel like I did everything I needed to do in the sense of, in the year prior, taking myself off of the max to help the team get better,” Harden said, via The Athletic. “For this city, you know what I mean? And for myself, obviously. But to win a championship. So things didn’t work out. I wanted to get paid. They weren’t talking. So it is what it is. You move on, everybody’s happy, life is good. And I mean, everybody’s looking forward.”

The Clippers defeated the Sixers by a final score of 108-107. Harden finished with 16 points and 14 assists in 38 minutes while shooting 6-of-15 from the field, 3-of-9 from beyond the arc and 1-of-2 from the free-throw line. 

“I’m grateful for those relationships, I’m grateful for the opportunity and things like that,” Harden said. “Those things that I can cherish and move on with. Everything else? It doesn’t matter.”

Harden is averaging 17.1 points, 5.1 rebounds and 8.6 assists for the Clippers this season. He becomes an unrestricted free agent this offseason.