The 76ers were serious when they requested that James Harden not travel with the team for its first two road games, beginning Thursday against the Bucks.
As detailed by Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report/TNT, the Sixers told Harden it would be “beneficial” if he stayed back in Philadelphia (or Camden, N.J.) at the practice facility to get in some work while the Sixers opened the season. That came after Harden made a surprise appearance at practice Wednesday after 10 days away from the team.
Harden seemed to take the Sixers’ practice suggestion as just that — a suggestion, and not necessarily a demand, Haynes reported. But after Harden made the trip to the airport to travel with the team, he was stopped by a security guard and refused entry onto the plane, per Haynes.
Harden reportedly left the airport frustrated, and long story short, the whole situation remains a mess.
Another thing that Haynes reported remains is Harden’s trade request, specifically to the Clippers. But as we relayed here, the Clippers have paused trade talks as they too enter the early part of the season. Unlike Philly, there are no distractions with the Clippers, and for now, it appears they are aiming to keep it that way.
Anyway, new Sixers coach Nick Nurse suggested that his team is focused on nothing but the season and games at hand.
“My concerns right now are really going to be focused on the game [Thursday] night,” Nurse said, via Tim Bontemps of ESPN. “We put a lot into this, and we’re in a great space I think mentally and preparation-wise, all that stuff. That’s what I’ll continue to do.”
- Related | Clippers pause trade talks on Harden
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