The NBA is investigating whether the 76ers and James Harden are violating the league’s new player participation policy for their nationally televised game against the Bucks, a league spokesperson told ESPN.
The NBA is investigating if they Philadelphia 76ers and the escort James Harden are violating the league’s new player participation policy for its nationally televised opening night game against the Milwaukee Bucks on Thursday, a league spokesperson told ESPN.
“We are investigating the facts surrounding the availability of James Harden tonight to determine if there is an approved reason for his lack of participation,” league spokesman Michael Bass told ESPN.
The situation of James Harden is an interesting early test of new league legislation aimed at increasing the availability of star players for nationally televised games. The Sixers decided to keep James Harden in Philadelphia after he returned to the team following a 10-day absence for what the team called “a personal matter.” The Sixers believed that James Harden He could get into shape more efficiently by remaining at the team’s practice facility to work with the Sixers’ developmental coaches and medical staff, sources said.
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James Harden He had wanted to travel to Milwaukee and Toronto on the team’s first road trip, but the Sixers didn’t believe he was physically ready to play after spending so much time away from the team, sources said. Beyond his 10-day absence from the team, Harden’s only preseason game was Oct. 7 in Boston, further clouding his preparation to make his season debut, sources said.
The player participation policy The NBA allows teams and players to sit out due to injuries, personal reasons and “rare and unusual circumstances.” A team could be fined $100,000 for a first violation, with increasing penalties thereafter.
It is believed that the decision of James Harden walking away from the team was due, at least in part, to his displeasure with the fact that the organization has yet to honor his request for a trade with the LA Clippers. Harden exercised his $35.6 million player option for this season and immediately requested that the team trade him.
After months of negotiations, the Clippers walked away from trade talks James Harden in recent days, sources told ESPN. The Clippers could revisit them later in the season, but the organization wants to take the time to evaluate the team around healthy stars Kawhi Leonard and Paul George over the next few weeks, sources said.
ESPN’s Bobby Marks contributed to this report.
2023-10-26 23:28:08
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