James Harden Made It Crystal Clear That He Still Hates Daryl Morey's Guts

Jesse D. Garrabrant. Getty Images.

We as fans may never get the full story or learn all the details when it comes to the fractured relationship between James Harden and Daryl Morey, but one thing we do know is that James Harden clearly hates that man with a passion after everything went down earlier this season.

One would think that given the fact that Harden ended up where he wanted and it's been a while since all the drama, that time would heal all wounds. 

Well….

What are the odds that James Harden has a bottle of Ace of Spades with Daryl's name engraved on it?

I'm going to say that's maybe the easiest lock in the history of locks. And you know what? I actually commend Harden for not giving some bullshit fake PR answer. He hates the guy like poison and always will, and isn't going to lie about it. Granted I think it's a little insane because again, Harden ultimately got what he wanted (max LAC extension TBD) and is on a better team that at the moment, has a better chance of winning a title. 

But at the same time, I can also respect a good old fashion grudge, and it's clear that's what we have here with Harden and Morey. I'd also go as far to say we probably have it with Harden and Embiid as well

If you can believe it, that quote isn't even the craziest thing Harden said after his return to Philly last night. For my money that can be found here

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Now this is fantastic. No idea why fans might be booing you James? It's pretty simple

Could it possibly be the 10 TO and 7 FGM you had in Games 6 & 7 to end the Sixers season last Spring? Is it possible that some fans might have thought that was a massive choke job on the biggest stage and not be too happy about it? 

This does remind me of the whole Kyrie fiasco that we dealt with as Celtics fans. The anger wasn't really around the fact that he lied about staying only to leave to join forces with KD with the Nets. NBA players lie all the time. It sucked in the moment sure, but the real issue was the fact that Kyrie completely tanked the 2nd round series against the Bucks. You know, this shit

Then of course there was the whole stomping on Lucky thing once he got to BKN, but the point is I'd say the majority of the feelings towards Kyrie revolve around that RD2 performance more than anything else. At least that's how it is for me. 

Sort of like how I'm sure some Sixers fans were upset about the trade demand bullshit, but none of that compares to the way in which Harden disappeared to end that series and their season. 

It is crazy to see this is where the Harden/Morey relationship is in 2024 given all of their history. Morey was the one who truly believed in Harden and saw what he could become when he was on the Thunder. He gave Harden the keys to the Rockets franchise and it helped turn him into one of the greatest offensive players the NBA has ever seen (fact not opinion). Then he got Harden out of the BKN disaster, was there to hug him as he got off his private jet, and gave him a chance to compete on a "contender", only for Harden to disappear when it mattered most. Then, once Harden demanded another trade, Morey ultimately sent him to where he wanted to be. Was there maybe some lying here and there around what Morey was prepared to pay Harden? Probably. We saw similar stories come out with Morey involving Chris Paul as well during their time together. My guess is that shit happens all the time.

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The interesting angle is going to be what happens this summer. The Clippers have to shell out extensions to both Harden and Paul George, but what if they no show in the playoffs again? What if there's no max money market for Harden then? Will he finally forgive Morey for not paying him? If you're the Clippers and you just made this trade, do you pay Harden no matter what happens this Spring because you can't lose the asset for nothing? It's going to be fascinating to see how it all plays out.