After making it clear he no longer wants to be a part of the Philadelphia 76ers organization, James Harden is expressing an interest in playing basketball in front of fans in China. Since Daryl Morey isn’t held in high regard there, Harden’s vow to never be a part of an organization the 76ers’ president is a part of would hold up just fine.
With Harden currently spending time in China as he embarks on a trip to meet fans and attend various events, the 76ers’ star couldn’t help but share his love for the local fanbase. This is when he confessed his desire to give the fans a chance to see him play in person instead of on TV.
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“Every time I come here, the love is just like … it’s crazy, you know what I mean? So I feel like they deserve to actually see me come play here. … Love is always crazy here.”
James Harden on his visit to China
While several NBA stars take their talent overseas to compete in China, it’s usually once their career is on the tail end. You can go back and forth all day about the soon-to-be 34-year-old’s declining skillset, but he still led the NBA with 10.7 assists per game this past season.
Besides, it’s not as simple as Harden signing with a team in China. NBA rules prohibit players currently under contract from signing with another professional team.
The collective bargaining agreement specifically states that any player who “withholds playing services for more than 30 days after the start of the last season covered by his contract” may be found in violation of his contract and will be prevented from entering free agency until his previous team “expressly agrees otherwise.”
Based on how ugly the relationship between Morey and Harden has become, it’s hard to imagine the 76ers letting him out of the $35.6 million player option he opted into for the 2023-24 season any time soon.
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