"They gave you everything but a pacifier and a bib" - Stephen A. Smith takes shot at James Harden fretting over trade from Sixers
ESPN's Stephen A. Smith didn't mince words when talking about James Harden's trade request from the Philadelphia 76ers.
Harden doesn't want to be a part of the Sixers' roster next season, but Philadelphia expects him to report to training camp in late September, and Smith called out Harden.
“It’s not like you’re a champion making these demands," Smith said on the "Club Shay Shay" podcast. "You have no championships to show for any of your efforts. James gotta be more accountable. You got everything you wanted. They gave you everything but a pacifier and a bib."
James Harden has made it clear that he wants to leave Philadelphia, going so far as calling president Daryl Morey a "liar" during his tour in China. However, the Sixers believe they are in a position to change Harden's mind and convince him to rescind his trade request.
Still, it will be challenging for them to keep a disgruntled superstar and not find a suitable trade.
With the start of the new season getting closer, there should be an update on Harden's status, but for the time being, no team has shown significant interest in landing him.
Stephen A. Smith calls out James Harden for repeatedly forcing his way out of teams
After spending nine years with the Houston Rockets (2012-2021), James Harden hasn't found the perfect place for him to fight for the NBA championship.
He failed to do so both with the Brooklyn Nets and the Sixers, where he didn't make the Eastern Conference finals in consecutive seasons.
"You wanted to go to Philadelphia," Stephen A. Smith said. "They told you no. You wanted to go to Brooklyn. They told you no initially, then you appear to training camp out of shape. They trade you to Brooklyn, then you try to force your way out of there because you want to go play in Philadelphia.
"They trade you to the Sixers, you want out again. So, now why should someone be sympathetic to James Harden after everything he has done?"
It's clear that James Harden has his sights set on winning the NBA championship for the first time in his career. The former NBA MVP is in a win-now mode, but his time with the Sixers and Nets has been unsuccessful.
Aside from the LA Clippers, no other team has shown interest in landing him, which could mean something about how other teams view him.
With that in mind, if the Clippers, where he would join fellow superstars Kawhi Leonard and Paul George, don't make a move for him, it wouldn't come as a surprise if he stayed in Philadelphia at least for the start of the season. Harden opted into his $35.6 million player option on July 1.