James Harden has accomplished a transfer to the Los Angeles Clippers from the Philadelphia 76ers.
The ten-time NBA All-Star guard, 33, has sat out the 76ers’ first three video games of the season amid his feud with Philadelphia president Daryl Morey.
Harden referred to as Morey a “liar” in an interview after stories the 76ers had ended talks about buying and selling him.
“James is likely one of the most prolific and environment friendly playmakers within the NBA,” mentioned Clippers president Lawrence Frank.
“Along with his dimension and imaginative and prescient, he possesses a unprecedented potential to create for himself and others.”
The deal additionally consists of the commerce of 76ers duo P.J. Tucker and Filip Petrusev in change for Clippers gamers Nicolas Batum, Marcus Morris, Robert Covington and Kenyon Martin.
“The Los Angeles space has produced so many elite gamers in recent times,” added Frank.
“We’re excited to deliver them collectively and desperate to see what they will accomplish with the remainder of our group.”
The Clippers confirmed the deal on Wednesday after Harden sparked controversy when he threatened to strike by refusing to play for the 76ers over their refusal to commerce him.
Harden had expressed his want to hitch the Clippers to companion with Kawhi Leonard and Paul George, in addition to his former teammate Russell Westbrook, and mentioned in August he wouldn’t play for the 76ers whereas Morey remained in cost.
At a promotional occasion in China, he mentioned: “Daryl Morey is a liar, and I’ll by no means be part of an organisation that he is part of. Let me say that once more: Daryl Morey is a liar, and I’ll by no means be part of an organisation that he is part of.”
He was fined $100,000 (£82,556) by the NBA for the feedback and the league mentioned: “The league’s investigation, which included an interview of Harden, confirmed that these feedback referenced Harden’s perception that the 76ers wouldn’t accommodate his request to be traded.”
According to ESPN, talks between the 76ers and the Clippers broke down due to the calls for set by the 76ers.
Morey was normal supervisor of the Houston Rockets when Harden spent greater than eight seasons with the franchise earlier than shifting to the Brooklyn Nets.
The pair’s relationship was a key consider Harden shifting to Philadelphia in a commerce which despatched Ben Simmons to the Nets.Harden helped the 76ers, alongside reigning NBA MVP Joel Embiid, to final season’s Jap Convention semi-finals, the place they misplaced to rivals Boston Celtics after blowing a 3-2 lead within the collection.
He led the NBA in assists final season at 10.7 per recreation, whereas averaging 21 factors and 6.1 rebounds.
The 2018 NBA MVP, who started his NBA profession with the Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder in 2009, went to highschool in California round 21 miles away from the Clippers’ house venue.
