A judge has ordered James Harden to attend a deposition in a lawsuit over a contractual dispute related to a Beverly Hills mansion the Los Angeles Clippers guard leased in 2019, but the judge declined to impose a fine on the NBA player for alleged delays in setting a date for the session.
George Santopietro’s Los Angeles Superior Court complaint alleges that Harden paid $82,200 to stay for a week at the home contingent on him not having more than seven guests. But Harden had multiple parties during the lease term in which he hosted more than 15 people and the home suffered property damage that negatively affected Santopietro’s relationship with the homeowners association, according to the plaintiff’s court papers.
On Friday, Judge Michael P. Linfield said Harden’s deposition must take place within 20 days. In his court papers, Santopietro’s attorney maintained that he has requested many different dates for Harden to appear for a deposition, but none had been provided. Santopietro’s lawyer further stated that he went so far as to offer Harden a deposition date that would not conflict with a day on which he would be playing a game for the Clippers.
“The court has not been presented with any reason or evidence that would support further delaying George Santopietro’s right to depose James Harden,” Linfield wrote.
Santopietro’s attorney asked that Harden be fined $10,330, but Linfield denied the request and called it “outrageously unreasonable.”
In January, Harden filed a cross-complaint against the Beverly Park North Homeowners Association as well as the Vmw Trust, identified in the court papers as the mansion’s title holder at the time it was leased. Harden alleges negligence and is seeking indemnity.
Trial of Santopietro’s case, filed in September 2019, is scheduled for July 29.
Harden, 34, became a member of the Clippers in October, four months after requesting a trade from the Philadelphia 76ers.
He attended Artesia High School in Lakewood and led the team to two state titles. He is the all-time highest scoring lefthander in NBA history.