Why was James Harden prohibited from traveling with the Philadelphia 76ers?
The situation between the former league MVP and his team appears to be the gift that keeps on giving. Especially after this most recent plot twist.
With the 2023-24 NBA season now underway, fans and neutrals alike have been wondering whether James Harden will in fact play again for the Philadelphia 76ers. As you know, the 34-year-old has been at the center of a standoff with the franchise that started when he requested a trade.
James Harden barred from traveling with the 76ers
You may have caught the news earlier this week that Philadelphia 76ers star guard James Harden had in fact returned to practice following a 10-day ‘excused absence’ as he dealt with a personal matter. Surprisingly, Harden was informed at that time that it would be in the best interest of both him and the team if he remained in Philadelphia to work out, rather than joining the team for their season-opening game on the road against the Milwaukee Bucks.
Nonetheless, reports now indicate that Harden attempted to board the team’s flight on Wednesday, and was promptly stopped by a security official who proceeded to explain to him that he would not be permitted to travel with the team. Needless to say, the former Nets star was not pleased and expressed his frustration, however, it’s important to note that he left the airport without issue or altercation. It is also understood that the Sixers provided a workout plan in order to monitor Harden’s ramp-up progress and speed through a tracking system that is being maintained at the team’s practice facility. To be clear, Harden has not been fined or disciplined.
So, what happens with James Harden now?
That’s a good question. As far as we can tell, Harden remains committed to playing for the 76ers in that he has not reiterated his desire to move on. There have been reports that a move to the Los Angeles Clippers - his preferred destination - could still be on, but nothing official has materialized on that front. At this point, the franchise has given no indication as to what it intends to do with the 10-time All-Star, but it stands to reason that there is going to have to be a whole lot of making up between the two if they are to move forward together.