NBA reportedly launching inquiry into James Harden's comments about 76ers

The NBA is launching an inquiry into James Harden's recent public comments about the Philadelphia 76ers and the team's president of basketball operations Daryl Morey, according to a report from ESPN.

The league is reportedly looking into whether Harden's comments could indicate a planned contract holdout on his part into next season or whether he was referencing past contract discussions with the team, both of which could be violations of the league's collective bargaining agreement. 

Harden made headlines Monday when he ripped into Morey while speaking at an event in China.

"Daryl Morey is a liar and I will never be a part of an organization that he’s a part of," Harden said. "Let me say that again: Daryl Morey is a liar and I will never be a part of an organization that he’s a part of."

When he returned to the U.S. later in the week, Harden told a Houston television station that he believes it is too late to fix his relationship with Morey and the 76ers.

Harden maintains privately that his comments were only a response to the 76ers informing him that they had ended trade discussions involving the 33-year-old superstar and plan to start the season with him on the roster, per ESPN. He requested a trade to the LA Clippers earlier this offseason.

In his first full season with Philadelphia, Harden averaged 21 points and 10.7 assists per game. He has been traded three times in his career, including twice to teams run by Morey — to Houston in 2012 and to Philadelphia in 2022 in the trade that sent former No. 1 overall pick Ben Simmons back to the Brooklyn Nets.

According to Yahoo! Sports, Morey prefers a package of first-round picks as the centerpiece of any return he gets in a trade for Harden. The Clippers owe their 2024 and 2026 first-round picks and a 2025 pick swap to Oklahoma City as a result of the 2019 Paul George trade.