Mad Dog Russo: Rockets Ex James Harden is 'Poison'

Chris "Mad Dog" Russo believes any team that wants Philadelphia 76ers guard James Harden is "absolutely crazy."

Former Houston Rockets shooting guard James Harden decided to accept his $35.6 million player option with the Philadelphia 76ers earlier this offseason, but all signs have pointed to a trade away from the Sixers.

The Harden departure request stems from his poor relationship with Sixers president Daryl Morey, who he recently called a "liar."

This isn't the first time that Harden has wanted to leave a team, as he had drama with the Rockets in 2020 and the Brooklyn Nets in 2021.

Radio host and frequent First Take panelist Chris "Mad Dog" Russo is one of the latest sports personalities to speak against Harden in his drama with the Sixers, as NBA analyst Kendrick Perkins made his statements on Wednesday. However, Russo spoke a bit more emphatically.

"(James Harden) is poison," Russo said on Wednesday's edition of First Take. "This is a guy who ate himself out of Houston because he didn't want to be there, he got himself out of Brooklyn...and was in Las Vegas when they were getting ready for games and now he wants out of Philly?! If anybody wants Harden on their team, they're absolutely crazy."

Harden is one of the few players on the NBA 75th Anniversary Team that hasn't won a ring. The nearly 34-year-old (Aug. 26) is still among the league's best, but he missed the All-Star game for the first time since 2011-12 last season.

Russo believes that the 10-time All-Star's potentially slight decline in 2022-23 is also a major reason for teams to stop pursuing him.

"The idea that (Harden is) some big-time NBA player is a myth," Russo said. "He's one of those guys who plays well one game and then comes back the next game and does nothing. To me, I wouldn’t want him anywhere near me if I was a professional organization because he is not a winner."

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You can follow Hunter De Siver on Twitter @HunterDeSiver.

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