James Harden has been absent from the Philadelphia 76ers for over a week due to a personal issue, and while the team is giving him an excused absence for now, the team could begin to fine him if it continues, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN. The Sixers are not fining Harden now, but could if he misses games with his absence. Harden still wants a trade, and wants to go to the Los Angeles Clippers, but nothing has come to fruition yet.
“It is unclear when and if James Harden plans to return to Philadelphia,” Adrian Wojnarowski said on ESPN. “The organization has taken him at his word that he's away on a personal matter, that there is something that he has to attend to. But how long will they do that is certainly a question. And the possibility now very much looms that beginning Thursday on opening night against Milwaukee, if at some point here the Sixers want more clarity and a timetable for James Harden to return to this team and start playing, that if they don't get that, they are certainly within their rights to start fining James Harden as much as $390,000 a game for each missed game. And that comes out of his $35.6 million salary this season.”
“It is unclear when and if James Harden plans to return to Philadelphia. The [Sixers] have taken his word that he’s away at a personal matter."
Woj on Harden’s excused absence.
(via @ESPNNBA)pic.twitter.com/syrhvRS4Tu
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) October 23, 2023
Wojnarowski went on to say that the Sixers still want Harden in their lineup. There is a lot of uncertainty surrounding his status with the team, so it will be worth monitoring over the next few days.
“So certainly, the Sixers want James Harden in the lineup,” Wojnarowski added. “They want him to play. He has wanted a trade, he continues to want a trade. Talks with the Clippers have not progressed. There has not been any traction or anything close on a possible deal.”
It has certainly been an interesting summer for Harden and the Sixers, and uncertainty looms as the regular season approaches.