Getty Former Nets star James Harden drives against the Raptors.
James Harden was traded by the Brooklyn Nets to the Philadelphia 76ers at the 2022 trade deadline, reuniting the one-time MVP with Daryl Morey.
Harden and Morey worked together on the Houston Rockets and have a close relationship.
Over FaceTime calls as the trade deadline neared, Harden told Nets general manager Sean Marks and owner Joe Tsai that he wanted a trade to the Sixers, according to Adrian Wojnarowski and Ramona Shelburne of ESPN. The Beard began distancing himself from the Nets with a similar pattern to how he forced a trade from the Rockets during the 2020-21 season.
There apparently were many reasons why Harden didn’t want to play for the Nets anymore. However, Kyrie Irving’s vaccination status and inability to play in home games or contests in Toronto may have been the main cause.
Facing Raptors in Playoffs Was One Reason Harden Was Concerned About Irving’s Vaccine Status
Irving is unvaccinated against COVID-19, so he can’t play in New York or Toronto. If the regular season ended today, the Nets — the eighth seed in the East — would face the Toronto Raptors — the seventh seed — in the first play-in tournament game.
According to Ian Begley of SNY, facing the Raptors in the play-in game was one of the reasons Harden was concerned about Irving’s vaccine status.
During his introductory press conference with the Sixers, Harden said Irving’s status as a part-time player for the Nets played a “very minimal” role in his decision to seek a trade to the Sixers. However, the lefty also admitted that Uncle Drew missing home games “definitely did impact the team.”
Vincent Goodwill of Yahoo Sports reported on the Posted Up with Chris Haynes podcast that the Nets’ decision to reverse course on Irving was a “turning point” for Harden. Brooklyn announced at the beginning of the season that Irving wouldn’t be allowed to play in any games until he got the COVID-19 vaccine. However, the team changed its stance in December.
Meanwhile, a source told Joe Vardon of The Athletic that there was “definitely a weird vibe” between Harden and Irving. In the end, the former got his wish and doesn’t have to deal with the latter anymore.
Harden Is Happy in Philly; Nets Are Struggling
The Sixers are 3-0 with Harden in the lineup. The All-Star guard is having a blast with his new teammates and is already feeling at home in Philadelphia.
“The love, the fans, it feels like home,” Harden said, via ESPN. “Just the love, the support, man, from looking around, hearing, ‘We love you, James.’ That right there makes me go out and play harder, and I just wanted to do whatever it takes to get the win.”
The Nets are 3-10 since trading Harden. Irving is still unvaccinated against COVID-19, so he remains a part-time player, and Ben Simmons is dealing with a back injury, preventing him from making his Brooklyn debut.
“It’s not like an injury,” Nets head coach Steve Nash said, via NBA.com. “It’s just kind of like as he’s returning to play, his back’s flared up a little. It’s not like a long-term thing. He hasn’t played a game since June. I think that’s just a part of his process of returning to play. As you ramp up, you’re a little bit susceptible to certain things, as you would be with muscle soreness or tightness.”