NBA begins an investigation into James Harden and Daryl Morey's 76ers / News - Basketnews.com

The NBA wants to find out why Harden called Sixers president Daryl Morey a liar and whether the organization should be punished for under-the-table deals.

Credit: USA TODAY Sports-Scanpix Credit USA TODAY Sports-Scanpix

A while ago, Philadelphia 76ers superstar James Harden caused a controversy when he publicly called the club's president Daryl Morey a liar. The NBA has decided to find out more.

James Harden

Position:SG, PGAge:33Height:196 cmWeight:100 kgBirth place:Los Angeles, United States of AmericaProfileNewsStatistics

According to Adrian Wojnarowski from ESPN, the league has launched an investigation into what the player's words actually meant and the circumstances surrounding them.

"Daryl Morey is a liar, and I will never be a part of an organization that he's a part of," Harden said during a visit to China. "Let me say that again. Daryl Morey is a liar, and I will never be a part of an organization that he's a part of."

The sentence launched a barrage of speculations about what the star guard was disgruntled about. Reports indicated that Harden might be uneasy because he had agreed to lower his salary to attract better talent to the team the year before, so he could get a bigger deal or a trade later.

Harden opted into his player deal this summer to get traded to the Los Angeles Clippers, Wojnarowski notes, but the deal fell through. If Harden's mini-rant was caused by an agreement and then refusal to trade him, neither Harden nor the Rockets would receive punishment from the league.

The 76ers organization has already been punished for violating free agency rules. Last year, two second-round picks were taken away for having early discussions with PJ Tucker and Danuel House Jr.

Due to Harden being in the last year of his contract, he might not become a free agent if he holds out for more than 30 days unless and until the Sixers allow him to leave, the newly-signed Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) notes.

Last season, the soon-to-be 34-year-old averaged 21 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 10.7 assists per game.

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