James Harden’s relationship with former Philadelphia 76ers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey has taken a turn for the worse, overshadowing his tenure with the Los Angeles Clippers. Morey reneged on a promise to offer Harden a top-salary contract, prompting Harden to publicly denounce Morey as a “liar” this past August, and the once-harmonious partnership between the two deteriorated.
Harden’s trade to the Clippers was supposed to be a fresh start, but his performance on the court has been less than stellar. Despite the Clippers’ star power, Harden has averaged only 15.7 points, 4.4 rebounds and 6.4 assists per game this season, far below his usual performance.
The conflict between Harden and Murray has definitely affected Harden’s performance on the court. Harden has expressed his dissatisfaction with Morey’s behavior, saying, “I look at this as a marriage. But [Morey] didn’t have a conversation with me [about free agency] or say, ‘Well, James, we don’t want to offer you this, but we have this.’ And then we go back and forth, and that’s the conversation. But you guys just leave me hanging like that? That shows me that you guys don’t respect me as much as I thought you did.”
Harden’s public criticism of Murray caused a furor on social media, and fans were divided in their support. Some fans were understanding of Harden’s frustration, while others criticized his handling of the situation.
Despite the controversy, Harden remains focused on basketball and determined to get back to his best. The Clippers are currently in 9th place in the Western Conference standings, but Harden believes he can help the Clippers move up the standings and make a push for the playoffs.
The Clippers will face the Denver Nuggets in their next game. Harden’s performance in this game will be closely watched as he looks to silence his critics and prove that he is still one of the elite players in the NBA.
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