Cousins: Harden's disrespect started before Tuesday's comments

James Harden has burned every bridge with the Rockets organization. Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports

DeMarcus Cousins: James Harden's disrespect started before comments after loss to Lakers

By Erin Walsh | Last updated 1/13/21

It appears Houston Rockets big man DeMarcus Cousins has had enough of the disrespect from superstar teammate James Harden.

During a press conference on Wednesday, Cousins revealed that Harden's disrespect "started way before" the comments he made following Tuesday night's 117-100 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers.

DeMarcus Cousins: "My interest is to play with John Wall, to be brutally honest. ...The (Harden) disrespect started way before. This isn't something that, you know, all of a sudden started last night. ...It's completely unfair to the rest of the guys in the locker room."
— Sam Amick (@sam_amick) January 13, 2021

Demarcus Cousins: "Other 14 the guys in the locker room have done nothing to him. For us to be on the receiving end of disrespectful comments and antics...it's unfair to the rest of the guys in the locker room.
— Alykhan Bijani (@Rockets_Insider) January 13, 2021

Following Tuesday's contest, Harden said the Rockets "can't be fixed" and that the club is "not even close" to being a contender in the Western Conference, among other things.

Harden didn't practice with the team on Wednesday and Rockets head coach Stephen Silas admitted it was best for the team that he wasn't in attendance.

The Rockets now appear to be actively working on a trade for Harden. According to The Athletic's Shams Charania, the Philadelphia 76ers and Brooklyn Nets are finalists for the three-time scoring champion. The Nets are willing to offer multiple first-round picks and anyone but Kevin Durant, while the 76ers explore trade packages that don't include Ben Simmons or Tyrese Maxey.

While Harden waits for a trade, he has essentially quit on the Rockets, scoring less than 20 points in each of his last four games. In eight games this season, the 31-year-old is averaging 24.8 points, 5.1 rebounds and 10.4 assists per game while shooting 44.4% from the field and 34.7% from deep.

Harden hasn't averaged under 25 points per game since the 2011-12 campaign, his third year in the NBA and final season with the Oklahoma City Thunder.

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