James Harden's absence on Sixers vs Bucks under investigation by NBA: Details of violated player participation policy explored
Amid the possible thaw in James Harden's stance following his disagreement with Philadelphia 76ers team president Daryl Morey, he and the team are embroiled in another controversy.
The NBA has begun an investigation looking into whether the Sixers might have breached the league's recently implemented player participation policy for their nationally televised opening night game against the Milwaukee Bucks on Thursday, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.
Under the NBA's revised player participation policy, teams are obligated to ensure that their star players are accessible for nationally televised matchups and games within the In-Season Tournament. Teams are also expected to maintain a balance in the number of single-game absences for star players, with a preference for these absences to occur during home games.
"Philadelphia is playing a national TV game against Milwaukee tonight, which requires the Sixers to provide the league with a valid explanation for why a healthy recent All-Star isn't playing," Wojnarowski said.
A “star” is defined under the policy as a player who has been named an All-Star or has earned a spot on an All-NBA team in the last three seasons. James Harden has been selected for the All-Star team 10 times in his career, the latest being last season.
However, the policy includes exceptions for injuries, personal reasons and pre-approved back-to-back restrictions based on a player’s age, career workload or serious injury history.
For an initial breach, a team may face a $100,000 penalty, with subsequent offenses incurring higher fines.
In a report on ESPN, Wojnarowski quoted NBA spokesperson Michael Bass as saying
"We are looking into the facts around James Harden's availability tonight to determine whether an approved reason exists for his lack of participation.”
Why won’t the Sixers play James Harden?
According to reports, James Harden expressed a desire to join the team for their opening road trip to Milwaukee and Toronto. However, the Sixers were cautious about his physical readiness to play, considering his extended absence from the team, and wanted him in better condition.
Harden only participated in a single preseason scrimmage on Oct. 7 in Boston. As reported by NBA insider Scoop Robinson, Harden's absence from the team was attributed to his responsibilities in caring for his ailing mother.
Over the summer, the 10-time All-Star repeatedly emphasized his preference for a trade to the LA Clippers.
In August, Harden chose to exercise his $35.6 million contract for this season, with the intention of collaborating with the Sixers to facilitate a trade out of Philadelphia.
Tensions reached a peak when, during a marketing event in China, Harden publicly referred to Morey as a "liar" after the 76ers didn’t trade him.