'He's a Liar': OKC Thunder-Ex James Harden Sounds Off on Daryl Morey, 76ers

Consider former Oklahoma City Thunder star James Harden's latest comments regarding his situation in Philadelphia another addition to his long list of NBA grievances.

Despite his obvious talent on the court, "The Beard" seems to create disturbances among the teams' front office wherever he goes, with the latest coming during an appearance in China when Harden decided to speak his mind regarding the 76ers' General Manager Daryl Morey.

James Harden: “Daryl Morey is a liar and I will never be a part of an organization that he’s a part of. Let me say that again: Daryl Morey is a liar and I will never be a part of an organization that he’s a part of.” pic.twitter.com/AmHJ0WwbF2
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) August 14, 2023

Harsh words to describe someone who Harden has had a relationship with in the past during his time in Houston, but then again, speaking your mind and holding out is seemingly becoming more popular among disgruntled superstars in the modern-day NBA. Even so, Harden seemed to take it even a step further than that.

The 10-time All-Star may have been in the right, especially if what went on behind the scenes was more than what was originally let on, but regardless of how the situation transpired, Harden's history with front offices didn't stem from Philadelphia, or Brooklyn for that matter.

Going back in time to Harden's first NBA destination, you'd find him wearing the recognizable blue and orange OKC threads in a trio with Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook. Unfortunately, that young core wasn't able to get over the hump by the time it was disbanded, but Harden was the first to go.

And in an eerily similar situation, Harden's move from Oklahoma City wasn't pretty either. Following the end of his rookie contract, the Thunder offered Harden a four-year, $54 million contract, but with a catch: he was only given one hour to decide.

"After everything we established – everything we had done – you give me an hour?" Harden told Yahoo! Sports' Adrian Wojnarowski. "This was one of the biggest decisions of my life. I wanted to go home and pray about it. It hurt me. It hurt."

Suddenly, Harden's distrust of front offices in general begins to make sense, though that doesn't necessarily make his outwardly negative comments justified. In fact, it more shows that Harden is the grudge-holding type than anything else.

Harden's situation with the Thunder and his current situation with the 76ers aren't the same, but they are slightly similar. Perhaps that's why a handful of Oklahoma City fans may have experienced some deja vu after seeing Harden's name once again in headline.

Want to join the discussion? Find us on Facebook and Twitter to stay up to date on all the latest Thunder news. You can also meet the team behind our coverage.