James Harden reportedly showed up to the 76ers team plane to travel to their season opener, and was told to stay behind to practice and make up for the time missed in the preseason.
Then, reports followed that the NBA was investigating the Sixers for violating league rules by keeping Harden behind.
Boomer and Gio simply wanted to know what the 76ers should do with a player who demands a trade, skips practices after publicly saying he would never play for the team again, and then shows up to travel with said team.
“What are you supposed to do with this megalomaniac?” Boomer said. “Why is the NBA investigating the 76ers, when they should just be dining the guy for contract detrimental to the team?”
Gio, who was highly critical of Harden during his time with the Nets (which also ended in a trade demand, and began with a trade demand from the Rockets), has had enough of Harden’s antics, and says it makes for a bad look for the league.
“This is a perfect example of how the NBA player has too much power, and Adam Silver and the NBA Players Association work too much in conjunction with this situation here,” Gio said. “The 76ers are the only one doing the right thing in this situation here…now they’re the ones who have to be investigated?
“It’s the worst side of sports not involving crime, is guys like this who get paid so much money, you don’t feel like they want to win, you don’t think they give their best in the biggest moments in the playoffs, then bitch and complain and get whatever they want.”