Rich Eisen Reacts To James Harden’s Strategy To Get Out Of Philly

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Things are already ugly between James Harden and the Philadelphia 76ers.

But according to some reports, Harden is set to make things even uglier and more uncomfortable.

Speaking on his show, Rich Eisen was left dumbfounded by the state of things between these two parties.

“I don’t know what the Sixers are going to do with Harden,” Eisen said.

He also questioned Harden’s strategy of making a public mess and escalating tensions in order to be traded.

“If he wants out, he has totally destroyed the value that the Sixers can get back,” Eisen claimed.

James Harden is planning to make things uncomfortable for the #76ers amid his trade request and now @JoelEmbiid changed his Twitter bio?!

— Rich Eisen Show (@RichEisenShow) August 17, 2023

You can understand why Eisen would feel that way.

The Sixers are going to be in a very tough spot without Harden.

In just a little more than one season, they have deeply integrated him into their play style and he has become a vital part of the team’s offense.

Without him, they will have to throw out all their plans and find a new facilitator on the floor to work well alongside Joel Embiid.

Will that be someone who is already on the roster or will they have to recruit a new player?

That isn’t clear yet.

But Eisen’s second point is valid too.

Although Harden had every right to state his opinion, publicly or not, this has certainly tarnished his value around the league.

Teams might be hesitant to sign Harden to a deal knowing that he might start lambasting them to the media when he is ready to depart.

Plus, his alleged demand to only play for the Los Angeles Clippers may have also impaired his prospects too.

Why would a team commit to Harden when they know his heart might not really be with them?

This entire situation has become a mess and there is a good chance it gets messier.

If Harden eventually gets what he wants, people won’t question his approach.

But right now there are many who aren’t sure if this will play out in his favor.