James Harden Says He 'Sacrificed Money' to Join 76ers, Hoped to Retire with Philly

For the first time, James Harden is speaking about what led to the dissolution of his relationship with Daryl Morey, and it's precisely what everyone believed: an alleged promise of max money unkept.

Harden told Sam Amick of The Athletic that Morey promised his representation a max contract before last season's playoffs and then cut off communication with him after the Sixers were eliminated from the playoffs. That led to Harden requesting a trade in June, a decision the 2018 NBA MVP says he does not regret.

"Nah, it wasn't my decision (laughs). So I mean, at that point, you put me in a situation and I've got to sit back, survey what's going on and then make the best decision that's going to be beneficial for me and my family," Harden said. "Like I just told you, I sacrificed money to come to Philly hoping to retire (there). So when you guys throw a curveball at me, now I've got to step back — and I'm not just a guy who's radical, who's just gonna do anything. I'm strategic. I think before I react. And a lot of people don't understand and know that about me, which is fine."

Harden sacrificing money for the Sixers is an unqualified fact. He forfeited $14.3 million in salary during the 2022 offseason to help the Sixers acquire P.J. Tucker and Danuel House, two of his close friends from their days together in Houston. At the time, Harden was in position to demand a long-term max contract and the Sixers were in no position to turn him down.

Instead, Harden decided to take the year-to-year route with the understanding he would be made whole in the summer of 2023. It was long speculated that Morey promised Harden a max contract, but the NBA investigated the situation and could find no evidence of a quid pro quo. Harden is now saying Morey outright told his representation he would get a max deal as recently as the 2023 playoffs, which the Sixers denied when contacted by Amick.

Regardless of whether there was a formal quid pro quo, Harden clearly felt betrayed by Morey and insulted at the lack of a contract offer.

"All in all, I'd sacrificed all that to go to Philly with some people that I trusted, and it bit me in the ass, you know what I mean? So it's part of life, and we all go through certain things, so it's gonna make me tougher," Harden said.