Rob Gray-Imagn Images

Nuggets announcer blasted ‘free throw merchant’ James Harden

Originally posted on Larry Brown Sports | By Grey Papke | Last updated Jan 31, 2026 4:33 PM ET

Denver Nuggets announcer Scott Hastings made his feelings about James Harden very clear during Friday’s game between the Nuggets and Los Angeles Clippers.

Harden was checking into the Nuggets’ 122-109 win at Ball Arena in Denver, Co. on Friday when Hastings, a former NBA player and current analyst, decided to take a rather disrespectful approach to his entry.

“Now you’ve got the other free throw merchant coming back in the game, so you want to try and defend without fouling down the stretch,” Hastings said.

Nuggets announcer when James Harden checks in the game:

“Here comes the other FREE THROW MERCHANT.” pic.twitter.com/XqGjB8hfIt
— Logion Noops (@LogionNoops) January 31, 2026

Harden is somewhat infamous for trying to initiate contact and draw fouls to get to the free throw line, a reputation that has trailed him for much of his career. While the title of “free throw merchant” has been usurped by a younger player, the reputation will undoubtedly follow Harden until the end of his career.

The irony of this is that Harden only shot five free throws during Friday’s loss, which is below his season average of 8.5 per game. That hardly mattered to Hastings, though his comments were somehow not the most scathing ones ever made about Harden by a media member.

This article first appeared on Larry Brown Sports and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: