James Harden’s agent says his client could be MVP this coming season. Is that really the case?

What is now clear is that the 76ers and their star have come to an impasse. What’s not so clear is how his agent has come to the conclusion that the former MVP will once again be one of the names called when talking about the league’s best player.

What’s the situation with James Harden right now?

It would be fair to say that James Harden’s situation in Philly is complicated. Since he requested a trade, we’ve seen back and forths between the two parties, we’ve seen rumors about the Houston Rockets - his former team - as well as negotiations that came and went with the Los Angeles Clippers - his preferred destination. Then, on Monday, Harden seemingly ripped up the script when he declared that 76ers President of Basketball Operations, Daryl Morey, “is a liar” before adding that he will not be part of the organization as long as Morey remains.

For the purpose of context, Harden had previously pushed for a long-term, big-money contract with the Sixers, something which some reports indicated was informally promised to him, after he chose to take a pay cut last summer in an effort to help the team build a competitive roster. Indeed, it was something that the 33-year-old spoke openly about. On the other hand, one has to acknowledge. Now, here’s the thing: Harden is a great player but that the Sixers declined to grant him his wish is telling, but not nearly as foreboding as the idea that the Rockets with whom he’s continually flirted didn’t make a move, and the Clippers didn’t lay it all on the table in order to acquire a former MVP who has openly stated he wants to join them. This brings us back to the declaration about Morey, which in the context of what’s just been highlighted, begins to look like the position of a player who is simply angry that he didn’t get his way, rather than one who was deceived.

So, what did James Harden’s agent say?

Before we get to the comments made by Harden’s agent, Troy Payne, it’s once again important to take a brief look at the context. James Harden has failed to honor his contractual commitments to two different NBA teams: the Houston Rockets and the Brooklyn Nets. That’s to say, the behavior we are witnessing at present could be considered par for the course. With all of this in mind, Payne’s words about his client border on laughable, and not because Harden is necessarily past his prime, but rather because it’s a not-so-subtle attempt at bumping up the value of a player who is problematic at best when it comes down to the bottom line. What did Payne say? This:

“James has a crazy hunger in him right now,” Payne said during a recent appearance on The Hidden Gems podcast. “If he got an MVP this season, I wouldn’t be surprised. That’s what kind of hunger he got in him right now, just from the disrespect...you know, the free agency stuff, which I don’t really want to get into.” Payne didn’t stop there either, as he went on to promote Harden’s workout routine and diet, things which are standard for any decent professional athlete.

Has James Harden been disrespected?

If you’re a Harden fan then the answer is almost certainly yes. If you’re not, you will more than likely go with the idea that his inability to get what he wants is simply what he deserves. Yet, if you’re a neutral observer, the scenario might just be a little more nuanced. As mentioned before, James Harden is a former MVP and we can say that wasn’t a fluke. On the other hand, since his time in Houston when he was clearly a cut above, Harden has done time with the failed super team that is the Brooklyn Nets, and most recently the 76ers who are for all intents and purposes another team that has failed to meet the very high expectations set for it. Would it be crazy to think that his performances or lack thereof are the product of not being in the right environment, and if that’s the case is that not understandable? Whatever the case, the comments of Harden’s agent are almost certainly not going to be of any help in what is becoming an increasingly bitter spat between a player and his team.