Philadelphia 76ers All-Star James Harden is blamed by his former Rockets coach Kevin McHale for losing his job: ‘He was fat… and I got fired’

Philadelphia 76ers 10-time All-Star James Harden’s name has landed in the headlines once again after he was ripped by his former Houston Rockets head coach Kevin McHale.

Harden has been one of the most talked about stars in the NBA this offseason -once again – due to his trade request from the 76ers after opting into the final year of his contract.

The last chapter in this season’s book of Harden trade drama saw him label 76ers president and general manager Daryl Morey a ‘liar’ and saying that he would ‘never be part of an organization that he’s [Morey] a part of.’

McHale has now given is the latest chapter in the Harden saga when after recently claiming in a chat with Heavy Sports that the seven-time All-NBA player engineered a plan to get him fired in the 2015-16 season following the Western Conference semifinals.

The then-Rockets head coach had infamously benched Harden during the fourth quarter of Game 6 against the Los Angeles Clippers.

James Harden has been called out by his former Houston Rockets head coach Kevin McHale

McHale (R) accused Harden of concocting a plan to have to have him fired from the Rockets

Harden is in the midst of yet another trade saga as he currently wishes to depart the 76ers

‘The next year he came to camp, he was fat and didn’t feel like playing, and I got fired [11] games into the season,’ McHale said. ‘He had a plan.’

McHale was fired after a 4-7 start that season and coincidentally this is not the first time Harden has been accused of using being out of shape as a method to get his way in Houston.

Ahead of the 2020-2021 season Harden showed up to Rockets training camp both late and noticeably out of shape – to the point some fans had accused him of wearing a ‘fat suit’ during warmups after he had famously demanded a trade out of Houston.

Harden and his lack of interest in being properly conditioned until he got his way eventually worked as he was dealt to the Brooklyn Nets.

This theory also likely fed into a social media post from ESPN poking fun at Harden after he was seen carrying a stack of hamburgers during the Rolling Loud music festival in Miami, which Harden eventually called out in the comments.

Whether or not Harden will show up to camp with the 76ers in shape – or at all – this season is still in question after the organizations decision to shut down trade talks.

Fellow superstar Kyrie Irving recently defended Harden for his harsh assessment of Morey.