Recently speaking on First Take, Stephen A. Smith went on a rant against Philadelphia 76ers’ superstar James Harden. Harden has been guilty of trying to force a trade out of Philadelphia all summer and publicly lashed out at President Daryl Morey. Smith claimed that while he was a fan of James Harden, he was not a fan of what he had seen the player do in recent years. Harden is currently trying to force what will be his third major move since leaving the Houston Rockets in 2021.
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He signed a contract extension last season in the hopes of getting a move away this offseason. However, with the 76ers failing to find a favorable package, Harden ended up publicly calling Morey a liar during a recent tour to China. He also failed to show up at the 76ers’ recent media day and is actively looking for a move away.
Stephen A. Smith thinks no team should pursue James Harden
Smith’s comments were not disrespectful towards Harden’s skills, or ability. Instead, he was merely calling him out for the consistent shenanigans that Harden has recently been guilty of.
Of course, this is not the first time that Smith has openly criticized Harden in recent weeks. Only recently, Smith had called him out for what he called the player’s “petulance”, and pleaded Harden to stop acting like a “damned child.”
Smith believes that while he still is an All-Star caliber player, no team should ideally pursue him. The analyst went on to claim that the Miami Heat were in need of someone with Harden’s skillset. However, the kind of trouble and controversies he causes off the court means that teams are bound to be wary:
Respectfully, noone should pursue him [James Harden]. There are certain landing spots, I would love to see him Miami, coz I think they need someone with his skillset. We talk about James Harden as if he is not an All-Star calibre player. He still is an All-Star player and he will help Miami. I actually think he needs Miami. That level of structure in an organization he respects, that you can’t get away with some of the shenanigans that he has engaged him. I am a fan of James Harden. I am not a fan of what I have seen him do.”
“Respectfully, no one should pursue [James Harden].”
😳 @stephenasmith pic.twitter.com/9woOiPM8sU
— First Take (@FirstTake) October 4, 2023
Talking about the kind of strict regime that exists at Pat Riley’s Miami Heat, Smith claimed that Harden himself also needed the kind of structure the team provided. Smith thinks that alongside the Heat, the Clippers might also be a good fit for James Harden.
While there is still obvious talent that multiple teams can use, the 34-year-old’s never-ending troubles off the court seem to have resulted in a smaller market. Even, Garnett feels the same way.
Kevin Garnett claims the NBA is showing that it does not need James Harden
James Harden’s recent troubles with the franchise have caused a bit of polarization in the NBA. A range of current stars including the likes of Kyrie Irving and Andre Iguodala have come out in support of Harden.
Garnett, on the other hand, seems to be on the growing list of his detractors. Garnett claimed that the lack of demand for James Harden is the NBA’s way of showing that they do not need him anymore.
The 2018 MVP, a 10-time All–Star, and a 3-time scoring champion, James Harden appears to be in a delicate time in his career. The next move can easily strengthen, or break his legacy thus far, with him still on the lookout for his first-ever championship.
