PHILADELPHIA - The tenuous relationship between James Harden and the Philadelphia 76ers took another twist as the team instructed the disgruntled guard to remain in Philadelphia while the rest of the team travels to Milwaukee for Thursday's season opener.

Harden, who had previously requested a trade in the offseason, did not participate in the preseason and missed practice last week due to personal reasons. However, he showed up on Wednesday at the team's complex in Camden, New Jersey, indicating his readiness to play.

Coach Nick Nurse confirmed that Harden was present during practice but did not take part in the game preparation specifically focused on the Milwaukee Bucks, their opening opponents. Despite the situation, Nurse stated that Harden understood and accepted the decision.

The opening game on Thursday evening will feature a showdown between two-time NBA MVP and scoring champion Joel Embiid and Milwaukee's very own two-time NBA MVP, Giannis Antetokounmpo.

In light of this development, Nurse emphasized the importance of focusing on the players who will be available for the game while acknowledging the need to ramp up Harden's involvement as soon as possible. He further explained that Harden will remain in Philadelphia to engage in on-court work with the team's staff, G League players, and two-way players.

Harden has expressed his dissatisfaction with the Sixers' failure to offer him a long-term contract after last season, a factor that contributed to his desire for a trade. However, no trade materialized, and Harden ultimately decided to exercise the option on his current contract for the current season.

The 76ers will play against the Toronto Raptors on Saturday, with Nurse facing his former team as the head coach of the 2019 NBA champion Raptors. They will then have their home opener against the Portland Trail Blazers on Sunday.

When asked about Harden's potential participation in the upcoming games, Nurse declined to give a definite answer, mentioning the need to evaluate the situation in the coming sessions. He specified that the coaching staff would rely on the available information to make that decision.

Harden joined the 76ers' training camp late and continued to practice with the team early last month, despite his trade request. At the time, he expressed doubts about repairing his fractured relationship with team president Daryl Morey, comparing it to a broken marriage, and explicitly stated his reluctance to play for the 76ers.

As of now, the 76ers have requested that Harden not travel with the team for their season opener, as per sources familiar with the situation. The ongoing saga surrounding Harden's status will undoubtedly continue to capture attention and intrigue in the days to come.