James Harden was closely linked to his previous staff Houston for months earlier than he picked up his participant possibility with Philly, and it appears all of the rumors weren’t cap.
The Rockets opted to signal Raptors level guard Fred Van Vleet in free company over the summer season.
However new head coach Ime Udoka admitted there was a call being made between FVV and Harden.
“Nothing towards James,” Udoka advised ESPN, “however Fred is only a higher match. I coached James in Brooklyn. He’s one of many smartest gamers I’ve ever been round. The phrases ‘Ime doesn’t need James’ by no means got here out of my mouth. It was, ‘Let’s take a look at the very best match.’ If we wish Jalen and the younger guys to take the following steps, we want them to have the ball. As for me saying I don’t need James, that was by no means the case. It was about match.”
In addition to Udoka confirming there was some fact to the Houston rumors, ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith citied sources in regards to the state of affairs that unfolded over the summer season.
He defined that the Rockets did in truth provide Harden a four-year max contract, however Harden’s message to the franchise put them off welcoming him again.
“I received tipped off final week by a really dependable supply about one thing that occurred in Houston a number of months in the past,” Smith mentioned on ESPN’s First Take.“The Houston Rockets have been speaking to James Harden, eager about bringing him again after Ime Udoka was introduced in. James Harden, that is what I’m advised and I haven’t confirmed it with him [Harden], he really talked himself out of a max-deal as a result of he went in there speaking about how he needed to return to being the scoring champion.
“Ime Udoka and the Rockets thought ‘No, we ain’t attempting to have that right here. We’re constructing one thing somewhat bit totally different.’ Had he are available there and mentioned the suitable issues, they’d have given him a max-four-year deal. He talked himself out of his personal max-deal.”
Since then, Harden has turn into more and more disgruntled with the Sixers entrance workplace employees since they haven’t traded him like they promised.
As a small protest, the 10-time All-Star didn’t present as much as media day or the primary day of coaching camp, however has since joined the staff for observe.
Possible as a result of he doesn’t wish to lose thousands and thousands of {dollars} in fines.
READ MORE: Sixers React to James Harden Displaying As much as Coaching Camp
