In what’s expected to be a continuing push for a trade, Philadelphia 76ers star James Harden isn’t attending the team’s Media Day on media day on Monday.
Harden wants a trade to the LA Clippers, but although the two teams have talked recently, there’s been no traction on a deal, sources told ESPN. The Sixers’ asking price remains high, and the Clippers don’t seem inclined to bid against themselves in a marketplace that is cool to unloading significant trade assets for Harden, sources said.
Harden exercised his $35.6 million contract option for the season in June with hopes of the Sixers trading him before camp, but Philadelphia president of basketball operations Daryl Morey has shown a willingness to wait out Harden and try to get him reinvested in the team.
Harden could be subject to a fine for missing media day. The Sixers leave for Colorado on Monday afternoon for the start of training camp at Colorado State University in Fort Collins.
The Sixers expect Harden to be a part of camp under new coach Nick Nurse, but it is immediately unclear what Harden’s plans are this week.
In August, Harden publicly called Daryl Morey a “liar” and suggested that he wouldn’t fulfill his contractual services with the Sixers as long as Morey remained president. The league fined Harden $100,000.
In a call with league and union officials during the NBA’s investigation into the comments, Harden insisted that he would be fulfilling his contractual obligations with the Sixers should he remain without a trade, sources said.
This story originally appeared on ESPN
