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ESPN’s Brian Windhorst on James Harden: ‘I just know that Daryl Morey plays games’

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James Foglio
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James Foglio Sports Editor

James is a Basketball Insiders contributor. He earned his bachelor's degree in English and Creative Writing from Southern New Hampshire University. James enjoys watching sports and helping gamblers win money.

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Updated28 Sep 2023

ESPNs Brian Windhorst on James Harden I just know that Daryl Morey plays games

ESPN’s NBA insider Brian Windhorst insinuated that Daryl Morey, the Philadelphia 76ers president of basketball operations, cannot be trusted based on his comments related to James Harden trade rumors. The NBA reporter also wonders whether Morey and the Sixers were ever active in trade talks with other teams.

“I just know that Daryl Morey plays games, and he wins negotiations,” Windhorst said on The Hoop Collective podcast. “He routinely, throughout his career, has won negotiations. And that doesn’t mean he hasn’t lost them. Doesn’t mean that’s [not] what’s gonna happen here… But Daryl Morey plays games.”

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“And, I would say, ended what trade talks? What was that? I don’t think they were active. I don’t think there’s any active trade talks in the NBA right now,” ESPN’s NBA insider added. “Certainly not active for [Damian] Lillard and I don’t think there’s anything active for James Harden.”

Of course, Morey has a history of manipulating his players and spouting half-truths to journalists. In 2019, Chris Paul said the NBA executive lied to him about not trading him to the Oklahoma City Thunder. At the time, Morey served as the Houston Rockets general manager.

During the offseason, Morey said he wouldn’t trade Paul. However, the general manager traded Paul to the Thunder for Russell Westbrook. According to Paul, the NBA executive told the point guard that he wouldn’t trade him to OKC. This point cannot be emphasized enough.

ESPN’s Brian Windhorst on James Harden trade rumors: ‘I don’t think there’s any active trade talks in the NBA right now’

“My initial reaction?” Paul said with a laugh. “I was shocked. Truth be told, I just talked to Daryl a couple days before the trade, and he said he wasn’t going to trade me [to Oklahoma City]. That’s funny because that is going to be the alert that pops up on everybody’s phone because nobody knows that. But what the hell, I just said it.”

James Harden is now in the same situation as Paul once was. On Sunday, Harden set the record straight during a visit to China. “Daryl Morey is a liar, and I will never be a part of an organization that he’s a part of,” said the 10-time All-Star. “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.”


While Harden’s time in the City of Brotherly Love appears to be over, Morey is in no rush to trade the seven-time All-NBA member. Harden exercised his $35.64 million player option for the 2023-24 season with the 76ers in June.

His player option is part of the two-year, $68.64 million contract he signed with the team last July. Harden signed his two-year deal last offseason after declining a $47.4 million player option for the 2022-23 season.

His previous option was included in the four-year, $171 million extension he signed with the Rockets in July 2017. Not to mention, the 14-year veteran has been vocal about playing for the Los Angeles Clippers.

Nevertheless, not one ESPN NBA insider has the inside scoop on Morey’s next move. It’s a bad sign when both Adrian Wojnarowski and Brian Windhorst are forced to play the guessing game. The drama in Philly will likely continue.

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