Sixers

Apparently Josh Harris Calling Steve Balmer Got the James Harden Deal Done

By Kyle Pagan

Published: Oct 31st, 2023 · 1:02 PM EDT

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According to Shams, the James Harden deal was hammered out after Josh Harris and Steve Balmer got on a call together:

On a critical call Monday that helped iron out the 76ers-Clippers James Harden blockbuster after four months of negotiations: pic.twitter.com/uGTeCWlWMb

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) October 31, 2023

I like the haul the Sixers got. I don’t love Josh Harris meddling in trade talks. Owners care about making money and silencing bad press. That’s before you even dive into the phone call with Balmer. Because I know if I was on the phone with this guy for more than 30 seconds, I’d give him anything he wanted just so I could hang up as fast as possible:

La Clippers owner Steve Ballmer fired up about one of the Intuit Dome’s signature features: “Toilets! 1,160 toilets and urinals! Three times the NBA average! … We do not want people waiting around. We want them back to their d—- seats.” pic.twitter.com/Zphre8ZMRL

— Ben Golliver (@BenGolliver) March 7, 2023

Do you know the irreparable damage someone like him could do to the ear drum? There’s only so many times you can hear a guy describe KJ Martin and RoCo like this before you go insane:

Steve Balmer’s ‘developers’ chant at Microsoft Windows 2000 Developers’ Conference pic.twitter.com/SAy9nZ0QEb

— Historic Vids (@historyinmemes) January 9, 2023

Maybe Terrence Mann was actually on the table. Maybe there was another unprotected first Daryl thinks he could’ve gotten if they just held out a little longer. Who knows? I’m sure Balmer is dancing in his office like Windows 95 just launched again:

Microsoft Windows 1995 launch party pic.twitter.com/aCjYoDkl5v

— Historic Vids (@historyinmemes) October 22, 2023

P.S. Great job by Shams inserting himself into the James Harden situation. He totally got pantsed by Woj,so what does he do? He begs someone in the Sixers org to give him any tiny morsel of information that will be interesting. For all we know, the deal was at the goal line and owner approval is what was holding it up. Maybe less time with Kay Adams and more time working the phones, Shams. Remember women weaken legs: