James Harden: “Loyalty is overrated.” Why the NBA is business — and his focus is winning

James Harden shared his view on loyalty in basketball: “The whole quote unquote loyalty thing is… I think it’s overrated.”
In his words, the reason is straightforward: “This is a business at the end of the day,” with major money and constant decisions.

He pointed to how front offices operate: if a player isn’t producing or isn’t part of the future, “they trade players” to protect jobs and direction.
But when “a guy isn’t happy and he wants to be traded,” Harden says it suddenly becomes “a problem,” despite the same business dynamics.

For Harden, the priorities remain clear: “trying to compete for a championship,” and “making sure that my family is taken care of.”
He also said he has made financial sacrifices that “don’t get talked about,” adding: “I’m fulfilled, and I’m happy with it.”

Source: Fear The Sword (Jackson Flickinger), user-provided text