(Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images)
James Harden has gotten himself into quite a tricky situation with the Philadelphia 76ers.
Weeks ago, he exercised his $35.6 million player option but then demanded a trade from his team to another.
But, so far, no deal has been made and Harden is currently stuck with a team he wants to get away from.
Why did he do this?
NBA analyst Michael Sielski told ESPN that Harden “misread his place in the market.”
“I think James Harden has a very inflated idea of what he’s worth to other teams in the NBA,” he said.
Harden believed that he had enough star power to get this deal done quickly.
He thought that by forcing Philadelphia’s hand, he would get what he wanted: a trip to the Los Angeles Clippers, who would surely do whatever they must to sign him.
Instead, Harden is now in a bitter war of words with Daryl Morey and he is mostly out of options.
Sielski noted that Morey really did believe in Harden last year when he brought him to the 76ers.
Not all team executives would.
Harden has had his fair share of ups and downs and has had many postseasons full of trouble.
Additionally, his habit of bouncing from one team to the next when things aren’t going his way surely leaves a bad taste in the mouths of many NBA front offices.
But Morey wanted Harden and believed in him.
Harden, on the other hand, thought he’d have more options if things didn’t pan out with the 76ers.
So far, those options are looking much more limited than expected.
When Harden turned down free agency a few weeks ago, he had a plan in his mind and thought he could achieve it.
It’s now become far more complicated.
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