The Nets have continually leaked damaging information about James Harden since they traded him to the Sixers.
I am not sure if this will motivate Harden or not, but it appears the smear campaign is in full effect. The general accusations are the same in each other. Harden was never in shape, possibly faked a hamstring injury, and often went out to the club instead of preparing for the next game.
It has gone so far as being rumored that Harden has an addiction to strippers and the club.
The latest reports come from Bleacher Report, where they say Nets sources informed them how much this all bothered Kevin Durant to the point KD made the call to have Harden traded.
“Kevin was like: ‘F–k it. James isn’t bringing s–t,” another figure with knowledge of Brooklyn added. “I don’t think that would have happened without Kevin making that decision.”
Harden and Durant never entered the same gym, and Durant was disappointed by the poor conditioning Harden sported during those early Nets practices.
When Harden first took to the bench with right hamstring tightness, Durant was among the Brooklyn figures who were skeptical of the injury’s severity.
After posting an emphatic 37-point triple-double on 13-of-24 shooting at the San Antonio Spurs on Jan. 21, Harden left the team for Houston and a night of clubbing, B/R has learned. He rejoined the traveling party in Minnesota for a Jan. 23 game against the Timberwolves and scored just 13 points on 13 attempts.
As last year’s regular season wound toward the playoffs, there was some form of miscommunication when Harden was scheduled for morning treatment on his bothersome hamstring, sources said. After another late night out, Harden told Brooklyn staffers his legs felt fine. But after four minutes and 22 seconds of action against the New York Knicks on April 5, he reaggravated the injury that eventually sidelined him against the Milwaukee Bucks in the Eastern Conference semifinals.
Harden didn’t arrive at the Jazz game until halftime, sources told B/R. When it concluded and Brooklyn continued with its planned itinerary to Denver, Harden flew to Las Vegas, sources said.
The short flight from Salt Lake City has made for frequent Vegas getaways for Harden dating back to his Rockets tenure, sources said. He would also stay behind following trips to Los Angeles and meet the team at its next destination.
I am not sure why the Nets keep leaking this information, but it is apparent they want it out there for the world to see.
Will be curious to see if Kevin Durant will react to everything that is being said about his involvement.
Flip the pages for more about the trade and Harden’s love of the nightlife.