Getty James Harden, Nets
The Philadelphia 76ers will officially introduce James Harden on February 15 during a press conference at the practice facility in Camden, New Jersey. “The Beard” will address the media at 12 noon, alongside Doc Rivers, Daryl Morey, Josh Harris, and Paul Millsap.
Harden has been dealing with left hamstring tightness, although he passed a team physical. There had been rumors of the 10-time All-Star making his Sixers’ debut on Tuesday night versus Boston. That’s not happening. The Sixers will hold Harden out until after the All-Star break, per Kyle Neubeck of Philly Voice, and the earliest date for a return is February 25 at Minnesota. Or the team might wait until March 2 when they host the New York Knicks at Wells Fargo Center.
James Harden is out through All-Star break (rehabilitation, left hamstring). In the interim, he will continue his treatment and on-court training. Harden will not participate in Sunday’s NBA All-Star Game and an update on his playing status will be provided following the break
Meanwhile, Harden was spotted at Sixers practice on Monday where he and Tyrese Maxey got some three-pointers up. The team will ease him back as he continues to receive treatment on his injured hamstring. Harden has been ruled out for the All-Star Game on February 20. He had been picked as a reserve player for Team LeBron.
James Harden and Tyrese Maxey, new teammates:
Some @sixers backcourt buddies, Tyrese Maxey and James Harden.
Count the misses 😉
.@sixers practice. @JHarden13 in the house. Exciting times ahead!
“It’s going to be great. I can’t wait,” Maxey said of playing with Harden. “It’s easy to welcome someone in. Guys like each other, like being around each other, like talking to each other, & like playing extremely hard for each other on the court. We’ll try to make the transition as easy as possible.”
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Nets Push Through ‘Noise’ After Trade Deadline
Sixers president Daryl Morey had been angling for a reunion with Harden dating back to last year’s trade deadline when he offered Ben Simmons to Houston. Those teams couldn’t find common ground and a deal went by the wayside. Not this time.
James Harden wearing Sixers practice gear: still very, very good at basketball ✅
According to ESPN, Morey told Nets general manager Sean Marks to “stay on the f****** phone!” at 1:15 p.m. last Thursday with the deadline creeping up at 3 p.m. He did and the two sides hammered out a blockbuster.
“I’m just glad that we got this thing done,” Nets star Kevin Durant said, via ESPN’s Nick Friedell, “and now we’re able to move forward and get some of this noise away, and I’m sure he [Harden] would feel the same way. But from around our team and around our group, there’s noise about what may happen. So, I’m glad we can push through that.”
Ben Simmons Targeting Debut on February 24
Simmons could be making his season debut in Brooklyn on the same day Harden suits up for Philly. The Nets host the Boston Celtics on February 24 at Barclays Center. According to Adam Zagoria, there is “speculation” that Simmons could be back on the floor that night. The three-time All-Star guard was listed as “Return to Competition Reconditioning” on the latest injury report, a change from the “Personal Reasons” designation the Sixers had been using.
“All I can tell you is he was ecstatic about the circumstances he’s walking into and so are we,” Nets general manager Sean Marks said of Simmons, via Nets Daily. “We’re thrilled to get him on board and we’ll be here to support him from a physical standpoint, a mental standpoint, and get him engaged around our group.”
Ben Simmons was reportedly “emotional” on the phone with Kevin Durant and the Nets after the trade went down, thanking them for believing in him.
(via @ramonashelburne)
