Last Wednesday (05), according to an interview with journalist Sam Amick, for the website The Athletic, James Harden opened up about the game and shared the reason for his revolt against his former coach, Daryl Morey. The athlete also reported on the details of leaving the Philadelphia 76ers.
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The player said that at the time they were making new agreements and intending to continue with the team, Daryl Morey had proposed a maximum contract extension for the 2023/2024 season. However, the intention was for James Harden to no longer have one of the highest salaries on the Philadelphia 76ers.
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“It was all about a better chance of winning, getting paid in the process. Man, I’ve given up a lot of things before. Whether on paper, on the court, or in finance. So, that’s when I saw that we were on different paths. It’s still about that now. I want to win, but I also want to make some money”, said the player.
James Harden continued to explain the friendly relationship he previously had with his coach: “Daryl and I had a very good relationship up until then. So, I expected our negotiations to take place shortly after our elimination in the playoffs. But there was no communication between us. I’m very intelligent, I know how negotiations happen in the NBA. So I figured it all out. However, I am the one who will decide my next move.”
James Harden stated that the entire negotiation process was supposed to last a maximum of 10 days, however, the attempted agreement totaled almost four months. The athlete reported that the delay in the change affected him negatively and the way in which the situation was reported in the media bothered him a lot.