76ers

James Harden Has “No Plans” Of Participating In Training Camp, Despite 76ers Ending Trade Talks

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James Harden reportedly doesn’t intend to participate in training camp for the 76ers, despite the team deciding not to trade him. According to a new report from The Athletic, Harden remains adamant about his time in Philadelphia coming to a close before the start of next season.

“No matter what signals the Sixers might send when it comes to trade talks, a source close to Harden reiterated that the 10-time All-Star and former MVP no longer wants to play for Philadelphia and has no plans of taking part in training camp,” Sam Amick of The Athletic writes.

Read More: James Harden Reiterates Desire For Sixers Exit

James Harden Protests A Call During The NBA Playoffs

PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA – MAY 11: James Harden #1 of the Philadelphia 76ers reacts to a play against the Boston Celtics during the second quarter in game six of the Eastern Conference Semifinals in the 2023 NBA Playoffs at Wells Fargo Center on May 11, 2023 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images)

The report continues: “Does that mean he won’t report if a deal doesn’t go down by that point, or that he’ll make a messy spectacle of his training camp arrival like he did when he was trying to get out of Houston back in December of 2020? That part remains unclear, with Harden’s side still expressing a belief that there will be meaningful developments on the trade talk front before that time comes. The source spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the situation.”

The 76ers initially agreed to search for a trade partner for Harden when he signed his $35.6 million player option in June. Unfortunately for both sides, it seems they were able to find a suitable deal. If Harden does return, he’ll be back to playing alongside MVP-winning center Joel Embiid. Despite sweeping the Brooklyn Nets in the first round of the 2023 NBA playoffs, they failed to make it passed the Boston Celtics in the second round. As a result, the team fired head coach Doc Rivers, who had been with the organization since 2020.

Read More: James Harden Exercises Player Option, Trade Expected

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Philadelphia 76ers Meeting With Nick Nurse

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The firing of Doc Rivers as head coach of the Philadelphia 76ers came as a shock to many. However, Rivers had failed to progress the team past the second round of the playoffs. This was despite improving their regular-season wins total year on year. That meant the Sixers would join the Bucks, Pistons, Raptors, and Rockets in the hunt for a new head coach.

Like their fellow coachless franchises, the Sixers’ expected pool of candidates carries both great depth and breadth. Names include experienced head coaches and long-time assistants. Furthermore, there have been calls for the Sixers to consider outside-the-box candidates, with The Philadelphia Inquirer‘s Mike Jensen arguing the Sixers should interview Dawn Staley. All this comes along with the news that James Harden has chosen to test free agency.

Sixers To Interview Nick Nurse

Nick Nurse coaching in the NBA
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – JANUARY 27: Head coach Nick Nurse of the Toronto Raptors reacts to the officiating against the Golden State Warriors during an NBA basketball game at Chase Center on January 27, 2023 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)

According to Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer, the Sixers have scheduled a meeting with former Toronto Raptors head coach Nick Nurse. Nurse, who lead the Raptors to a championship in 2019, was let go after the franchise’s slow decline over the last five years. However, Nurse is also an experienced coach. His career dates back to 1989 and includes a decade at the NBA level. Nurse originally joined the Raptors as an assistant in 2013 before being promoted to head coach in 2018.

Furthermore, Nurse is a success-driven coach who preaches a fluid basketball philosophy that calls for situational awareness and adaptability. In regard to the news, many fans expressed hope that Nurse would be able to fix the Sixers’ defensive woes. A lack of meaningful defensive adjustments were a major contributor to their early playoff exit. However, the Sixers are still early in their process and proceeding “carefully”. They are also expected to speak with two other recent Championship coaches in Frank Vogel and Mike Budenholzer. What do you think about the possibility of Nick Nurse to the Sixers? Let us know in the comments.

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Damian Lillard Questions Joel Embiid For Comments After Brutal Game 7 Loss

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Damian Lillard was thrown off by Joel Embiid’s comments after the Philadelphia 76ers were blown out by the Boston Celtics 112-88 in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals, Sunday. Despite winning the Most Valuable Player award, Embiid put up just 15 points on 5-18 attempts with the season on the line. When asked about the game afterward, Embiid admitted that he needed to play better, but added that he can’t carry the team by himself. Lillard wasn’t happy when he saw the comments on Twitter.

“We got an unfinished job. We haven’t won anything,” Embiid said when asked about his and James Harden’s future. “And I think we got the chance to win. Obviously going to seven games and having a chance to close it out at home, which we didn’t do, I still believe we got the chance to win. We got what it takes to win. So obviously, I don’t know what’s going on. And I know he has a player option or they can extend him. But that’s on [the front office] to figure it out, I’m gonna stay out of it. But I still believe that me and him, we got the chance to win.”

Read More: Joel Embiid Comments On MVP Race

Joel Embiid During Game 7

BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS – MAY 14: Joel Embiid #21 of the Philadelphia 76ers controls the ball against Al Horford #42 of the Boston Celtics during the first quarter in game seven of the 2023 NBA Playoffs Eastern Conference Semifinals at TD Garden on May 14, 2023 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Adam Glanzman/Getty Images)

He continued: “But it’s gonna take more than us. We all gotta look at ourselves. I gotta be better and I will be better. That’s what I’m focused on. All of us, we got to come back and find ways to just keep improving and help the team. We can’t win alone, I can’t win alone, me and James, we just can’t win alone. That’s why basketball is played 5-on-5. So, we just need everybody to just trying to keep finding ways to get better. And we’ll be fine.”

In response to the comments, Lillard wrote, “Huh?” Unfortunately for Lillard, The Portland Trail Blazers finished 13th in the Western Conference, far outside of playoff contention.

Damian Lillard’s Response

The Celtics will now take on the Heat in the Eastern Conference Finals while the Lakers will be playing the Nuggets in the West. Both series are rematches of the 2020 playoffs, which were held in the NBA Bubble.

Read More: Ben Simmons Appears To Troll 76ers After Blowout Playoff Loss

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Ben Simmons Appears To Troll 76ers After Blowout Playoff Loss

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Ben Simmons appeared to troll his former team, the Philadelphia 76ers, on Instagram, Sunday after their 112-88 Game 7 loss to the Boston Celtics. In a post on his Instagram Story, he shared a captionless photo of himself watching the game on TV.

Simmons played for the 76ers from 2016–2022 after the organization drafted him first overall. After several unsuccessful playoff runs, the team traded him to the Brooklyn Nets in 2022, receiving James Harden in exchange. Simmons played 42 games for the Nets this season and averaged 6.9 points, 6.3 rebounds, 6.1 assists, and 1.3 steals in 26.3 minutes per game. Harden scored just 9 points on 3-11 shooting in Game 7. Joel Embiid, who just won the Most Valuable Player award, only recorded 15 points on 5-18 attempts.

Read More: Ben Simmons Continues To Be A No-Show

James Harden & Joel Embiid During Their Game 7 Loss

BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS – MAY 14: James Harden #1 and Joel Embiid #21 of the Philadelphia 76ers reacts against the Boston Celtics during the third quarter in game seven of the 2023 NBA Playoffs Eastern Conference Semifinals at TD Garden on May 14, 2023 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Adam Glanzman/Getty Images)

As for Sunday’s game, the Celtics dominated the 76ers from halftime on, outscoring them 33-10 in the third quarter. The performance was led by Jayson Tatum, who set a new NBA record for scoring the most points in a Game 7 in NBA playoff history. He finished with 51 points on 17-28 shooting from the field. He tacked on another 5 assists and 13 rebounds as well.

“It felt great,” Tatum told ESPN. “This was a back and forth series. Obviously I didn’t play well the first half of the last game and I was just happy to get an opportunity to bounce back. To come back home, game seven on Mother’s Day … I had to put on a special performance for her.”

Read More: Celtics Force Game 7 Against Sixers

Ben Simmons’ Reaction

The Celtics will now take on the Heat in the Eastern Conference Finals while the Lakers will be playing the Nuggets in the West. Game 1 for the Celtics will tip off on Wednesday night. Both series are rematches of the 2020 playoffs, which were held in the NBA Bubble.

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James Harden Responds To Rumors Of Returning To The Rockets

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James Harden was upset with reporters on Sunday when asked whether it’s true that he’s interested in returning to the Houston Rockets. Harden remarked that he won’t address the rumors on Christmas.

“Why would you ask me about that on Christmas, man?” Harden said according to Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer. “You didn’t say Merry Christmas or nothing. You asked me about something that I ain’t even … I’m not answering. I didn’t see nothing.”

NEW YORK, NEW YORK – JANUARY 23: James Harden #13 of the Houston Rockets celebrates after teammate Gerald Green dunked in the third quarter against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden on January 23, 2019 in New York City. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)

When pressed for an answer, Harden reiterated: ”I’m not talking right now before the game.”

Rumors of Harden’s interest in reuniting with the Rockets gained steam due to a new report from ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

The veteran NBA reporter wrote: “Harden and his inner circle have been openly weighing Houston in recent months, sources said, a remarkable possibility given that he requested and received a trade out of the franchise less than two years ago.”

In the two years since leaving Houston, Harden has played for the Brooklyn Nets and Philidelphia 76ers. He’s seen minimal postseason success with both franchises.

After joining the 76ers, Harden inked a two-year, $68.6 million contract. However, the deal includes a player option for 2023-24, which would allow him to opt for free agency in the coming offseason.

James Harden and the Philadelphia 76ers are currently 20-12 and ranked fifth in the Eastern Conference standings.

On Sunday, he helped lead the team to a 119-112 win over the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden. He finished the night with 29 points and 13 assists.

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