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Houston Rockets star James Harden has received $ 50,000 for violating NBA health and safety protocols, the league announced Wednesday night. Videos showing Harden at a party without a mask began to circulate on social media Wednesday morning, leading to a league investigation.
Although Harden tested negative for the coronavirus on Monday, Tuesday, and again on Wednesday, by Ramona Shelburne from ESPN, was unavailable for the Rockets’ game against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday night due to violating league protocols. That game was ultimately postponed because the Rockets didn’t have enough eligible players.
Harden has been in the headlines the last few months for all the wrong reasons. He was seen attending parties in Atlanta and Las Vegas during the ongoing pandemic as the Rockets began training camp in Houston. The former MVP made waves when it was reported that he would like to be transferred to a contending team, with the 76ers, Nets, Heat and Bucks all on his roster. The relationship between Harden and the Rockets franchise has been frozen in recent months, as the team has undergone changes both in the front office and on the court.
Head coach Mike D’Antoni resigned at the end of the season after the Rockets lost in the second round of the playoffs to the Lakers, and general manager Daryl Morey also decided to leave the team and now serves as president of the Sixers.
Houston also traded Russell Westbrook to the Wizards for John Wall, after Westbrook told the team he wanted out if changes were not made to the organization’s culture. There was also reportedly tension between Westbrook and Harden over the preferential treatment Harden received and the lack of responsibility the franchise placed on him for being late for filming sessions and team flights for away games.
Over the summer, the perennial All-Star had COVID-19, which required him to be late for the Rockets in the NBA bubble. Harden already had to self-quarantine and test negative multiple times over the summer before the restart happened, and when he was late to training camp, there is now a chance that he will miss multiple regular-season games depending on how long the league. requires it to be quarantined.
The league has implemented various health and safety protocols for this season due to the pandemic, which prohibits players from attending bars, restaurants or clubs. If players do not adhere to those guidelines, there is a possibility that they will be suspended or fined.
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