James Harden once again finds himself on a new team, his fourth since 2021, after he forced a trade to the Clippers from the 76ers. It was the third time Harden engineered a trade in less than three years after he became unhappy with his situation.
Harden’s frequent desire to move on from teams instead of working through those situations certainly has impacted his perception around the league. With that in mind, one broadcaster left no doubt as to his opinion about the polarizing guard in a rant that went viral Friday night.
Bally Sports Southwest analyst Brian Dameris laid it all out on the air before the broadcast of the Clippers-Mavericks game in Dallas.
“Listen James, have you ever had those friends who had bad roommates? Over and over again they complained about their bad roommates,” Dameris said. “They never thought to be self aware enough that they’re the bad roommate. They’re the problem. Hey James, you’re the problem!”
Dameris specifically broke down Harden’s relationship with executive Daryl Morey, which was strong in Houston but withered in Philadelphia, leading to the latest trade request. He also explained how pairing Harden with friends such as Chris Paul, Russell Westbrook, Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving wasn’t enough to keep the veteran guard happy.
Few teams were interested in trading with Philadelphia to acquire Harden this offseason, and as Dameris said, that might mean being with the Clippers is Harden’s last real NBA opportunity.
“If this doesn’t work this year, in this system, with this team, then you’re going to go and point fingers at everybody else, and you’re going to go home and start swiping right for another team,” Dameris said. “There’s not going to be anybody left, because James, you’re not The Beard. You’re not the system. You’re the problem.”
Los Angeles is now 3-5 overall and 0-3 with Harden, including a 144-126 loss to Dallas, as the team adjusts to its new roster composition. The Clippers play host to the Grizzlies (1-8) on Sunday at 3:30 p.m. ET.
