Amid his trade demand from the Philadelphia 76ersa, James Harden caused a storm of controversy when he called team exec Daryl Morey a liar while on a trip in China. It put him under negative light, especially with many criticizing the way he's handling the situation.

However, it's not really the first time that Harden has found himself embroiled in controversy. Having jumped from team to team throughout his iconic but rather bizarre career, he has also faced issues on and off the court.

With that being said, take a look below at these controversial moments and how they affected the All-Star guard and his career, reputation, and legacy.

5 Harden’s stripper spree

It’s no secret that Harden’s life outside the court is just as colorful. Back in 2017, it was revealed in the Joe Budden Podcast that the All-Star had his Houston Rockets jersey retired by a strip club after he allegedly spent $1 million in a single night. It even got to a point where the club’s owner decided to hang his jersey inside the place to honor Harden’s time there.

Since then, Harden’s reputation as a frequent customer in these establishments has stuck with him. Throughout the following seasons, the 2018 NBA MVP could be seen partying with his entourage, even opting to spend significant chunks of his time there rather than preparing for a grueling NBA season. Add the many issues he had with the teams he played for, splurging on these clubs at the same time has given Harden a worsening image over the years.

4 Feud with Dwight Howard

After enduring a feud with Kobe Bryant in Los Angeles, Dwight Howard’s stop in Space City had him against Harden as their careers intertwined from 2013 to 2016. At first, the two stars blended together to make the Rockets favorites to win the NBA championship. But as time went on, it was revealed that the big man did not appreciate playing second fiddle to the Beard.

Howard’s main contention with his All-Star teammate was how he dominated the ball by running the Rockets’ offense. This led to a cold war between the two and a conflict that affected the Rockets’ locker room for the duration of the feud. For his part, Harden maintained his role as the team’s primary option, leading Howard to decline his $23 million player option to become an unrestricted free agent.

3 Giving up on the Brooklyn Nets

After forcing his way to the Brooklyn Nets from Space City, Harden spent almost two seasons playing 80 games for the latter. With Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving as his teammates, there was hope amongst fans that this would be The Beard’s opportunity to redeem himself and win an NBA championship with those guys.

While that could have become a reality had Irving and Harden stayed healthy, and if Durant had made that fateful three-pointer against the Milwaukee Bucks in the 2020-21 NBA Playoffs, what happened was quite the opposite. Harden slowly grew disgruntled in his time in Brooklyn due to shouldering the offensive load with Durant and Irving out for different reasons.

It even got to a point where the All-Star guard vehemently displayed his lack of interest in playing the game, as seen during a match against the Detroit Pistons in November of 2021. The issues started to snowball until the front office had to trade Harden away to Philadelphia in exchange for a package headlined by another disgruntled star in Ben Simmons. For his part, Harden explained that the organization’s lack of structure made him feel that he would be better off with another team.

Needless to say, Harden’s lack of passion for the game has already placed him in a bad light at this time as the memory of him desperately trying to get his out of Houston was still fresh. But his saga of controversies didn’t end there.

2 Forcing his way out of the Houston Rockets

Speaking of Houston, it’s well-known that the eight seasons Harden played as a Rocket were the absolute best of his career. During that period, The Beard posted averages of 28.4 points, 5.7 rebounds, 7.1 assists, and 1.9 steals per game. He even won MVP during his time there, and almost led the Rockets back to the Finals back in 2018 with Chris Paul.

But after a string of frustrating playoff campaigns, with a questionable roster around him, and faced by the absence of Daryl Morey and Mike D’Antoni, and the appointment of first-year coach Stephen Silas, Harden had enough and demanded a trade in November 2020. After reporting to training camp late and playing without any dedication to the team, the front office decided to enter into a four-team deal that sent Harden to the Nets in exchange for a package headlined by Victor Oladipo.

His trade demand and all the actions after made Harden look desperate in wanting to leave Houston. Nevertheless, the gambit paid off, and he found himself playing for Brooklyn before demanding another trade to the Philadelphia 76ers.

1 Calling Daryl Morey a liar

While Harden has consistently been a magnet for controversy, his latest decision to call out Daryl Morey as a liar might top this list. The All-Star added that he has no plans of being in an organization with him on it.

This move comes after Harden picked up his $35.6 million player option on the basis that his franchise would work on a trade elsewhere, but no deal has materialised.

As such, Harden is left in a tight spot by being forced to start the upcoming season with Philadelphia. It remains to be seen whether his move to call out Morey will pay off, but he has definitely made things awkward. If he does end up staying in Philly, it can create new controversies that will definitely tarnish Harden’s legacy in the NBA. Fans might even see another situation similar to the one he had with the Rockets.