Is there a better duo than 76ers guard James Harden and 76ers President of Basketball Operations Daryl Morey?
OK, so the answer might be that there is in fact a better duo out there, but there's no denying that Harden and Morey have developed quite the partnership over the years.
The two now enter a new chapter as Morey's Sixers motioned to acquire Harden from the Nets at the 2022 trade deadline. And who was the first person to greet Harden when he got off the plane in Philadelphia? You guessed it.
it’s a BEAUTIFUL day in Philadelphia!
— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) February 12, 2022
welcome, @JHarden13. 😁 pic.twitter.com/b9X6gfWC7y
While Harden won't officially suit up for Philadelphia until after the All-Star break, his official introduction as a Sixer is the perfect time to look back at the timeline of the relationship between him and Morey over the years.
Oct. 29, 2012 – Morey, who was entering his sixth season as Rockets GM, orchestrated a major trade ahead of opening night by acquiring Harden from the Thunder.
Harden, who was the reigning Sixth Man of the Year, was entering his third NBA season and viewed as a promising young talent. Morey, however, saw much more.
I think he’s a great, great player. I think he’s already playing at an All-Star level and is going to be a perennial All-Star and those players are rarely traded so I thought, frankly, it was going to work out there. I’m very happy for the Houston Rockets that he’s here.
Then when we were able to talk to James it was real exciting because I think our goals and his goals are aligned: We want to win a championship and this is a place where he can win a championship as a foundational player for a team.
Not only did Morey call 23-year-old Harden "foundational" but he also correctly predicted that Harden would be an All-Star that season, which was the first of 10 consecutive selections.
On Oct. 31, 2012, Harden signed a five-year extension with the Rockets worth $80 million.
July 20, 2015 – Morey, a savvy tweeter, takes to Twitter to joke that anyone disagreeing with Harden being deserving of MVP of the 2014-15 season over Warriors guard Stephen Curry. The joke is based on the viral "meet me in Temecula" story involving a Kobe Bryant fan one year prior.
He would again express disappointment in the MVP process in 2017.
Anyone who doesn't think @JHarden13 was MVP - let's go now! pic.twitter.com/AFVbVeoR91
— Daryl MorΞy 🗽🏀 (@dmorey) July 21, 2015
June 21, 2017 – Morey signs a four-year extension to remain GM of the Rockets through the 2021-22 NBA season.
July 8, 2017 – Just two weeks later, Harden signs the richest contract in NBA history at the time – a four-year extension reportedly worth $228 million – to remain with the Rockets through the 2022-23 season.
June 25, 2018 – At the NBA Awards, Morey is named Executive of the Year and Harden is named MVP of the 2017-18 NBA season.
Aug. 15, 2019 – During an appearance on the 100 Thieves' "Selfmade" show, Morey, wearing a Harden shirt, says "it's just factual" that Harden is a better scorer than Michael Jordan.
Daryl Morey: "It's just factual that James Harden is a better scorer than Michael Jordan...You give James Harden the ball and before you're giving up the ball how many points do you generate, which is how you should measure offense, James Harden is by far #1 in NBA history." pic.twitter.com/91A9ij3wRc
— Alykhan Bijani (@Rockets_Insider) August 15, 2019
Oct. 18, 2020 – Days after it was reported that Morey would step down from his post as the Rockets GM, he took out a full-page ad in the Houston Chronicle to confirm the reports.
In his letter to Houston and the Rockets organization, Morey penned that "James Harden changed my life," adding that he could dedicate an entire page to Harden.
Nov. 2, 2020 – Morey is hired as the 76ers President of Basketball Operations.
Dec. 28, 2020 – As Morey settled into his new post with the 76ers, he inadvertently sent out an automated tweet celebrating the one-year anniversary of Harden breaking the Rockets' franchise assist record.
It turned out to be a pricy mistake as Morey was fined $50,000 for violating the league's anti-tampering policy as Harden was still a member of the Rockets at the time.
Jan. 14, 2021 – After publicly demanding a trade from the Rockets, Harden was linked to Morey's 76ers before ultimately being traded to the Nets.
Feb. 10, 2022 – With Harden privately requesting a trade from the Nets, Morey and the Sixers again emerged as suitors.
This time, a deal was done at the trade deadline with Morey and Harden reuniting in Philadelphia.
Feb. 15, 2022 – Harden is officially introduced as a member of the 76ers.
With a history that dates back nearly a decade, Morey has always been a believer in Harden and in turn, Harden has made Morey look like a genius more often than not.
They might not be the best duo there is, but you'd be hard-pressed to find a similar relationship between an executive and a superstar in all of professional sports.
