Philadelphia 76ers guard James Harden believes the Brooklyn Nets lacked structure during his time in the Big Apple.
“I don’t mean to just, like, down talk to anybody or whatever; it was just, there was no structure, and even superstars, they need structure,” Harden said in a recent interview with Fox Sports’ Yaron Weitzman. “That’s what allows us to be the best players and leaders for our respective organizations.”
He continued: “Internally, things weren’t what I expected when I was trying to get traded there. I think everybody knows that. I knew people were going to talk and say, ‘You quit’ and all that stuff, but then the following summer, the other superstar there (Kevin Durant) wanted to leave. So it’s like: Am I still the quitter?”
The Nets dealt Harden to the 76ers at last year’s trade deadline, shipping him out for Ben Simmons, Seth Curry, Andre Drummond, and two first-round picks a little more than a year after acquiring him from the Houston Rockets.
Brooklyn finished the season 44-38 and was swept out of the first round of the playoffs by the Boston Celtics. Harden and the 76ers, meanwhile, made it to the second round before being eliminated by the Miami Heat in six games.
Durant requested a trade out of Brooklyn following that disappointing campaign but rescinded his request before the 2022-23 season began. The Nets made a coaching change in November, replacing Steve Nash with Jacque Vaughn.
Durant and Harden clashed on various issues while with the Nets, sources told Weitzman; Durant reportedly told Harden he didn’t believe the former MVP was in peak physical shape. Harden missed 32 games during his Brooklyn tenure due to thigh and hamstring injuries.
Harden was also reportedly frustrated with the Nets’ training staff and its focus on maintenance and recovery, as the 33-year-old had grown accustomed to running and lifting after games while with the Rockets.
Harden, for his part, told Weitzman he “wasn’t able to get healthy.”
Harden missed 14 games earlier this season with a tendon strain in his right foot.
Durant’s Nets and Harden’s 76ers will next meet on Jan. 25th in Philadelphia.
Smirfitts Speech 