Already this NBA offseason, Philadelphia 76ers guard James Harden has opted into his player option for next season, demanded yet another trade, called Sixers general manager Daryl Morey a “liar,” and vowed to never play for the franchise again. And ESPN NBA analyst and former player Kendrick Perkins says if Harden isn’t careful, these actions will cost him his career.

“James Harden has everything to lose, and if he's not careful he could possibly be out of the league after next year,” Perkins told his ESPN NBA Today cohorts. “You can't trust him, he's been disgruntled for the last 4 out of 5 years with the Rockets, the Nets, and now the Philadelphia 76ers and the NBA don't need him.”

Perkins went on to say that the NBA creates and develops new stars every year, and as these new stars come up, the league and teams like the Sixers will push aside former superstars who now create more problems than they solve.

The true test of this Kendrick Perkins theory on Harden will come in the days, weeks, and months that lead up to the 2024 NBA season and possibly even the NBA trade deadline next February.

If Daryl Morey and the Sixers can find a taker for Harden and his $35,640,000 expiring contract next season, then maybe Perkins is blowing this out of proportion. If the ESPN analyst is right, though, and the league has had enough of the 10-time All-Star’s antics, it could be a long time before Harden steps on an NBA court again.