“$15 Million Pay Cut to Stay”: NBA Analyst Claims Daryl Morey’s ‘Backdoor Deal’ with James Harden Could Lead to Unprecedented Fines for 76ers

Right now, the NBA is rocked by the ongoing conflict between James Harden and the Philadelphia 76ers. The Beard called out the teams GM, Daryl Morey. Many were shocked by this outburst from Harden, who was not happy with his trade request being rejected. However, an NBA analyst on Twitter, Frank Michael Smith believes all this may have to do with the possible “backdoor” deal the 76ers made with Harden that saw him take a $15,000,000 pay cut last year. A deal, that if true, could see the Sixers receive some unprecedented fines.

In the midst of his China tour, Harden took the time to shoot a video calling Morey a liar. Additionally, he made the bold statement, that he would never play for an organization Morey was a part of. This has put a lot of pressure on the Sixers and Morey as a whole, as eyes now turn to the situation in the City of Brotherly Love. And, seeing as no player has taken such drastic measures before, it is leading to a lot of speculations. Specifically, regarding what made him so angry.

NBA analyst takes to Twitter to suggest backdoor dealings could be the reason why James Harden called out Daryl Morey

James Harden has currently stolen all the headlines in the NBA. His viral comments have put the basketball world on notice, with many trying to hypothesize why he called out Daryl Morey. Well, NBA analyst, Frank Michael Smith has shared his hypothesis that if true, does not look good for the Philadelphia 76ers.

Smith believes this all has to do with the $15,000,000 pay cut Harden took last season. Prior to the start of the 2022-2023 season, many believed one of two things would happen. Either Harden would get a mega deal or he would be let go. However, many were shocked when he took a pay cut instead.  On paper, it looked like Morey had managed to convince The Beard that this could be a championship year.

But, Smith seems to think that this could have actually been a backdoor deal. A deal where Morey promised to pay Harden in the following off-season. The type of deal that is illegal in the NBA, and one that could lead to a lot of fines. As it did with the Minnesota Timberwolves when they got caught trying the same with Joe Smith back in the 90s.

“Nobody imagined he would take a $15 million pay cut to stay…But he did. None of it really made sense… Immediately we thought, well he and Daryl have a long history, maybe he’s convinced him this is the year Or maybe… Daryl promised him the mega contract next summer if he did the team a favor and took the pay cut this year. Of course, the mega deal never came… What other lie could Harden be referring to? Unless he’s making everything in that video up, which I don’t think is true Then Daryl broke the rules with a backdoor deal and yes that is very much against the rules”

As mentioned earlier, if this is true, the 76ers could be in for a world of trouble. Either way, the NBA is sure to conduct its own investigation into the matter. Especially given the severity of Harden’s words.

Kyrie Irving has also sided with Harden and called out Morey for his dishonesty

With James Harden’s viral video now out for the world to see, many have shared their thoughts on the situation. While there is a mixed bag of reactions, a number of prominent figures have sided with Harden. Most notably, Kyrie Irving, who played with Harden on the Brooklyn Nets.

Irving suggested that The Beard is not disgruntled and is rather holding Daryl Morey accountable for his dishonesty and lack of transparency.

At the end of the day, it’s hard to understand which party is in the wrong here. But, one thing is for certain this saga is unlikely to end anytime soon.