Fact Check: Did James Harden call Daryl Morey "a liar" amid heated standoff with 76ers
James Harden's situation with the Philadelphia 76ers has taken another turn. Over the weekend, ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported that the Sixers had ended all trade talks surrounding the 2018 MVP. However, that doesn't mean that Harden will simply comply with the Sixers and drop his trade request.
In a video that surfaced on X (formerly Twitter) on August 14, Harden can be seen discussing his relationship with Sixers GM Daryl Morey, noting how he will never play for an organization run by him again.
"Daryl Morey is a liar, and I will never be part of an organization that he's a part of again," Harden said.
Harden's decision to publicly call out Morey will certainly heap pressure on the Philadelphia 76ers to re-engage in trade discussions. However, Harden is doing himself no favors. After forcing his way out of the Houston Rockets, and then the Brooklyn Nets, Harden is developing a reputation for causing mayhem behind the scenes. As such, it should come as no surprise that there’s been little interest in Harden’s services this summer, despite averaging a double-double in points and assists last season.
The Philadelphia 76ers are now in a tough situation regarding Harden and his future. On one hand, they will undoubtedly want to move on from their star guard at the earliest opporuntiy, but on the other, they won’t want to lose one of their best players at a discounted rate – which is currently looking like the most logical outcome.
Shams Charania verifies James Harden video
When the video of James Harden’s comments surfaced on social media, there was a large contingent of NBA fans that believed AI had generated the footage. However, The Athletics’ Shams Charania has since posted the same video, only from a different angle – seemingly confirming that Harden’s words were real.
With two angles of the same video now circling the social media world, it’s highly unlikely the footage has been generated by AI or that it’s a deep fake. Instead, the truth is simpler. Harden is doubling down on his efforts to leave the Philadelphia 76ers this summer and is working to make his position within the franchise untenable.
Whether Harden’s decision backfires remains to be seen. After all, other franchises around the NBA will be taking note of Harden’s actions and may deem him to be too much of a risk to be worthy of trading for. At 33 years old, Harden is no longer the elite superstar he once was. Choosing to force his way out of yet another franchise is risky business and could potentially cost him an opportunity to play in the NBA this season.
Harden is playing a risky game, and only time will tell how this all plays out.