There is no hope for James Harden and the Philadelphia 76ers to settle their differences, the star guard has said.
The 10-time star asked the team for a trade earlier this offseason, but nothing materialized.
The team plans to bring him to training camp.
During a radio show appearance in Houston, where he used to play, Harden was asked if it was “too late” to mend the relationship with his team.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE AT FOXNEWS.COM
James Harden of the Philadelphia 76ers reacts to a play against the Boston Celtics during the second quarter of Game 6 of the 2023 Eastern Conference Semifinals at Wells Fargo Center on May 11, 2023 in Philadelphia. (Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images)
“I think so,” he replied.
Harden recently made headlines for calling team president Daryl Morey a “liar”, adding that he “will never be part of an organization that (Morey) is a part of.”
It’s unclear what prompted Harden’s comments, but the situation is being investigated by the NBA.
Morey, as a Houston Rockets executive, caused a stir in 2019 when he posted a pro-Hong Kong message as protesters demonstrated against a law that would allow the extradition of fugitives wanted in China. The protests turned violent.
This caused the NBA to black out in China, and the league’s relationship with the country has not been the same since.
At the time, the NBA was in the midst of a preseason tour that included the Los Angeles Lakers and the Brooklyn Nets. In-game ads have been removed. The Rockets were in Japan at the time, and Harden was among the team members who broke with Morey’s tweets.
Morey, who spent eight seasons with Harden with the Rockets, said he was “attempting to honor” Harden’s trade request, but only if Philadelphia received significant compensation in return.
James Harden, left, and President of Basketball Operations Daryl Morey of the Philadelphia 76ers during a press conference at the 76ers training facility on February 15, 2022, in Camden, NJ (Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images)
JA MORANT’S FATHER SAYS HIS SON HAS BEEN SUSPENDED ‘BECAUSE OF HIS DECISIONS’
“I have a long relationship with him. I try to honor that,” Morey said in a radio interview with 97.5 The Fanatic in July.
During his two seasons in Philadelphia, Harden averaged 21.0 points, 10.6 assists and 6.4 rebounds per game alongside Joel Embiid, who was named NBA MVP last season.
The Sixers failed to reach the Eastern Conference Finals for the 22nd straight season when they lost in seven games to the Boston Celtics in May.
James Harden and head coach Doc Rivers of the Philadelphia 76ers during a game on May 14, 2023 at TD Garden in Boston. (Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images)
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
With the team once again falling short of expectations, the Sixers’ front office immediately changed, firing the head coach Doc Rivers after three seasons and replacing him with Nick Nurse.
Harden turns 34 on Saturday and enters his 15th NBA season.