FORT COLLINS, Co. — James Harden is back on the court and sporting Sixers attire.
After exercising his player option, requesting a trade, calling Sixers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey a liar, and skipping both media day and Day 1 of training camp, Harden practiced Wednesday at Colorado State University.
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Sixers head coach Nick Nurse said he spoke to Harden shortly before blowing his whistle to signal the start of practice and that the 34-year-old participated in "just about" all of the session.
“He looked good," Nurse said when asked about Harden's next steps. “That’s what I want to say, is he looked good, and I just think it’s always in coordination with strength and medical (personnel) and the player on how fast they’re going to go get all the way through there.
“Like I said, he looked good, participated in the majority of it anyway. Looked like he’s physically in good shape.”
Danuel House Jr. was short and sweet when asked about Harden, saying with a smile that the 10-time All-Star looked "great" and leaving it at that.
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Tobias Harris didn't think it was necessary for Harden to speak to the team about his discontent this offseason. He doesn't consider Harden's approach thus far "any disrespect to any one of his teammates."
“We’re all grown men here, so everybody understands the business of the game of basketball at this point," Harris said. “Personally, he doesn’t have to address himself or anybody, truthfully. But his participation, in my opinion, is addressing.
“He’s here, and his attitude and energy today allowed everybody to understand that he wants to go out there and compete with us. … In my opinion, that’s what it’s all really a matter of, is his energy and effort toward myself and all the teammates. Everybody already knew what time it is anyway. We’re just trying to figure ourselves out as a whole group.”
Whether Harden will ramp up to full participation and how exactly he'll approach his situation moving forward remain to be seen. He was not present when reporters entered the gym for post-practice media availability.
The Sixers' training camp will run through Friday and they'll begin their preseason Sunday night in Boston against the Celtics.
As for Day 2, Paul Reed was glad to have Harden on the floor again.
"It was cool," Reed said. "James is like a big brother to all of us, so it was just cool having our big brother back.”