James Harden is back with the 76ers for practic on Wednesday, but he won’t be going to Milwaukee to play the Bucks on Thursday. This is the most recent development in a story that has been going on for a while involving the irate star point guard, who has stated that his relationship with president of basketball operations Daryl Morey is irreversible and still wants to be transferred.
Harden had been away from the Sixers since Oct. 15 for what the team described as a “personal reason.” He did not play in any of the Sixers’ four preseason games, after initially saying during his only recent media availability on Oct. 13 that he planned to be ready to take the floor for their exhibition finale last Friday against the Atlanta Hawks.
Sixers coach Nick Nurse said following Wednesday’s practice that Harden participated in portions at the beginning and end of the team session, but not game-plan work because “we had to get ready for our game tomorrow with the guys that are going to be playing.” Harden was not on the floor for the media viewing period at the end of practice, when he is often spotted going through extra work with teammates and staff.
The decision for Harden to stay behind in Philly, Nurse added, was so Harden could re-enter the “ramp-up phase” after being away from the team for 10 days. Harden will scrimmage and go through other on-court work with the Sixers’ staff, along with players on two-way contracts and from the G League’s Blue Coats who also will not make the trip. Nurse added vice president of athlete care Simon Rice and the medical staff spearheaded concocting the next steps for Harden, and that working out at the Sixers’ facility allows them to use the “finest technology to figure out exactly where he’s at and where he can get to
