James Harden and his strained relationship with the Philadelphia 76ers continues to disintegrate. Despite returning to practice for the NBA team on Oct. 25 after a 10-day hiatus, he was blocked from boarding the plane for their first away games to start the new season.
Harden anticipated joining his teammates as they jetted off to play against the Milwaukee Bucks. However, as reported by Bleacher Report, security personnel denied the All-Star access to travel with the team.
Before showing up at the airport to play against the Bucks, Harden was told to stay in Philadelphia to continue workouts in preparation for the rest of the season. However, according to the sports news outlet, it was “interpreted as a suggestion” to the point guard.
Harden soon realized after he was stopped from accompanying the 76ers on their first game that it was a “mandate” on behalf of the team’s management.
As the incident makes headlines, the NBA will launch an investigation into the validity of the 76ers’ general manager, Elton Brand, and head coach Nick Nurse’s reasons for leaving Harden at Home.
Adrian Wojnarowski, a reporter for ESPN, confirmed the inquiry via X, formerly known as Twitter.
“We’re looking into the facts around James Harden’s availability tonight to determine whether an approved reason exists for his lack of participation,” expressed NBA spokesperson Mike Bass, as stated in the post.
Harden’s hiatus had him reportedly spending time in Houston, as the star athlete played for the Rockets from 2012-2021. Harden has not been shy about his desire to leave Philadelphia for the Los Angeles Clippers. Unfortunately for the 34-year-old, talks about a trade to his preferred franchise have stalled, leaving him to continue playing under strained conditions.
The tensions surrounding the failed trade led to Harden referring to Daryl Morey, the 76ers president of basketball operations, as a “liar” back in August, with their relationship still on the outs.
As the 76er’s first home game is set for Oct. 29, whether or not Harden will play in the game against the Portland Trailblazers remains in question.
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