RealGM Basketball Wiretap

07 December 2023

• James Harden Confirms He Expected Max Contract From Sixers

  James Harden spoke about his exit from the Philadelphia 76ers in an exclusive interview with Sam Amick of The Athletic. In the interview, Harden confirmed he believes there was a broken promise of a max contract during the 2023 offseason. When it became evident to Harden that the Sixers were preparing an offer below the max, he decided to opt into his $35.6 million contract while demanding a trade.

  Harden was asked to explain his thought process when he decided he wanted to leave the Sixers and whether it was always exclusively to the Los Angeles Clippers.

  "It was about trying to get to a situation where I could get paid and obviously have a chance to win at the highest level," said Harden. "These last few years, I sacrificed so much - whether it's role, whether it's financial - that, at this point, it's over with. I just want to be able to move forward and still have the opportunity to make some money and obviously win at the highest level."

  Amick asked Harden if he was told by the Sixers that a contract was coming.

  "A max?" replied Harden.

  Harden then said "Yes" and confirmed that it was said by Daryl Morey.

  But Morey stopped communicating with Harden following their exit from the playoffs.

  "Yeah, me and Daryl had a really good relationship. So (in the past), a week or two after we lose in the playoffs, it would be all about trying to figure out how to improve the team. (They'd talk about) 'How do we get better?' And that's been going on for 10-plus years, you know what I mean? And then this year, there was no communication. And at that point, it's like, 'OK, I see what's going on.' I'm very intelligent. So then I just figure out 'What's my next move, and what do I want to do?' So I understand that, at the end of the day, this is a business. And just like he has to do what's best for his organization, I've got to do what's best for me and my family. It's as simple as that."

  Later in the interview, Harden claims that Morey spoke with his representation about a contract before the start of last season's playoffs. A source from the Sixers denied the claim to The Athletic.

  Harden then reflected on his unique relationship with Morey and how it ended.

  "Yeah," said Harden. "It surprised the hell out of me, you know what I mean? I looked at it like a marriage. We talked about a lot of s-. And we've got a lot of s- that, in front of people's eyes, you don't know or understand. But instead of (Morey) having a conversation with me (about free agency) or saying, 'All right James, we don't want to offer you this, but we have this.' Then we go back and forth, and that's a dialogue. But you just ice me out? Then it's like, you don't respect me as much as I thought you did. You don't need people like that, you know what I mean? So it's just bad karma. People were throwing dirt on my name, but the good guys always win."

  Harden doesn't plan on reconnecting with Morey anytime soon.

  "There's too much money, too much respect (lost) and too much loyalty on my end to even double back (with Morey). There's nothing to talk about. There's nothing to talk about. This is real money."

• Daniel Theis Officially Signs With Clippers, Debuts Against Rockets On Friday Night

  Daniel Theis officially signed with the Los Angeles Clippers on Friday, sources told Andrew Greif of the Los Angeles Times.

  Theis also made his Clippers debut against the Rockets on Friday night.

  Theis gave up nearly $2.2 million in his buyout with the Pacers.

• RealGM Radio: Jared Dubin On The First Month (Nov 2023)

  Host Danny Leroux talks with Jared Dubin (@JADubin5) the first month of the NBA regular season.

  They discuss Tyrese Maxey's impressive start, the surprising teams in the Western Conference, the Clippers' struggles, a fun rookie class and much more.

  Subscribe to RealGM Radio on Apple Podcasts or via the RSS feed.

• Russell Westbrook Requests To Come Off Bench For Clippers

  Russell Westbrook has reportedly asked Ty Lue to come off the bench for the Los Angeles Clippers. Westbrook's hope is that this move will help the Clippers find some continuity with their starting lineup.

  In the wake of the James Harden trade, the Clippers are 0-5 and have lost six straight games overall. LA's offense has been uneven and has lacked spacing at time with their new starting lineup.

  Westbrook came off the bench in 49 games for the Los Angles Lakers last season, before being traded to and bought out by the Utah Jazz. That was Westbrook's first run of games as a reserve since his rookie season with the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2008-09.

• Clippers Looked Into Signing Kai Jones

  On the latest "No Cap Room" podcast from Yahoo! Sports, Jake Fischer said the LA Clippers looked into signing Kai Jones. Ultimately, LA promoted Joshua Primo to a standard contract from his two-way deal, and they're set to sign Daniel Theis after his buyout from the Indiana Pacers.

  Jones was waived by the Charlotte Hornets during the preseason. Jones had been away from the team for weeks after displaying erratic behavior on social media.

  Fischer said that Jones doesn't appear to be in the mental or physical condition needed to play in the NBA right now. That led LA to look elsewhere before landing on bringing in Theis.

• Paul George Fined $35,000 For Criticizing Officiating After Denver Loss

  Paul George has been fined $35,000 for public criticism of the officiating. The fine amount is based in part on George's history of public criticism of the officiating.

  George made his comments to the media following the Clippers' 111-108 loss to the Denver Nuggets on Nov. 14 at Ball Arena.

• Josh Primo On Fully Guaranteed Contract With Clippers For 23-24

  The Los Angeles Clippers signed Josh Primo to a two-year, $3.96 million deal after converting him from a Two-Way deal.

  Primo's contract is fully guaranteed for the remainder of the season and includes $1 million in guaranteed money for 24-25.

  Primo has yet to appear in any games for the Clippers this season.

  Primo received a four-game suspension from the NBA for exposing himself to multiple women while a member of the San Antonio Spurs.

• Daniel Theis Gave Up $2.2M In Buyout, Pacers Can Create Up To $9.7M In Cap Space

  Daniel Theis gave up nearly $2.2 million in his buyout with the Indiana Pacers, a source told Keith Smith of Spotrac.

  The amount is the same as what Theis will sign with the Los Angeles Clippers once he clears waivers.

  The Pacers can now create up to $9.7 million in cap space this season.

• Tyrone Lue: This Is My Toughest Challenge As A Head Coach

  The Los Angeles Clippers have yet to win a game since acquiring James Harden. They have lost six in a row and are now 3-7 on the season.

  "This is my toughest challenge as a head coach, but I'm up for the task for sure," Lue told Bleacher Report after their loss at the Denver Nuggets. "The biggest thing is getting these guys to sacrifice for guys, whether that's starting the game, finishing the game, shots, touches, who's running pick-and-rolls, and things like that. Getting these guys to sacrifice will be the biggest challenge all season."

  The Clippers are continuing to believe that this is merely an integration process.

  "We're all honoring this adjustment. We have to sacrifice. We understand it. Simple as that. No one is going against that. Nobody is frustrated about it," Paul George told B/R. "We know what we have. There's one ball, and there's four good motherf--kers. And we understand that and embrace it. We want to make each other better, and I don't think one person is complaining one bit about it."

  "Just communication and making sure I'm doing my part with preparation and knowing where we're trying to get to on both sides of the ball," Harden explained to B/R. "I've played a handful of games, and obviously we're not winning, but I'm off the ball more than I've ever been in a very long time. I'm just trying to find a balance between that and getting more pick-and-rolls.

  "Our coaching staff and my teammates have communicated about getting me in more pick-and-roll sets. We have a lot of talent, so we're just trying to accommodate and make sure everyone is happy. We're trying to get to what works to make us the best Clippers team.
  
  "I'm just trying to find my way to leave an imprint on the game. I'm using the first 10 games to get in real NBA basketball shape. I didn't have a training camp, so it's going to take some time."

• Daniel Theis Agrees To Buyout With Pacers, Plans To Sign With Clippers

  Daniel Theis has agreed to a contract buyout with the Indiana Pacers and plans to sign with the Los Angeles Clippers.

  The Clippers recently lost Mason Plumlee to a sprained MCL and isn't expected to return for several weeks.

  Theis had $7.8 million remaining on his $9.1 million this season.

  Theis is represented by Aaron Mintz and Steven Heumann of CAA. Mintz also represents Paul George.