Houston Rockets guard James Harden will be separated from the team until he can produce six negative tests for COVID-19, this according to multiple reports.
Harden was absent for individual workouts and still had not rejoined the team for the first day of practice on Sunday. Harden was in Atlanta, where he celebrated the birthday of rapper Lil Baby, and then spent time in Las Vegas. The player did not arrive at the Toyota Center for his first COVID-19 test until Tuesday.
Harden, an eight-time All-Star, turned down an extension that would have made him the league’s first player to be paid more than $50 million per year, with $103 million over two years. Instead, Harden was hoping for a trade, looking to reunite with Kevin Durant on the Brooklyn Nets, where he would also be able to play alongside Kyrie Irving. He also told Houston that “he would be open to a trade to the Philadelphia 76ers or possibly other contenders.”
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