1. Welcome! Please take a few seconds to create your free account to post threads, make some friends, remove a few ads while surfing and much more. ClutchFans has been bringing fans together to talk Houston Sports since 1996. Join us!

James Harden, Free agency and Leadership.

Discussion in 'Houston Rockets: Game Action & Roster Moves' started by dream2franchise, May 16, 2016.

  1. dream2franchise

    Joined:
    Jul 1, 2002
    Messages:
    2,292
    Likes Received:
    900
    I've been watching Portland and all of the fawning over Damian Lillard and the Blazers and it has me thinking about their free agency plans and how they plan to go forward.

    I'm of the mind that Portland realises they were fortunate to catch a break with Paul and Griffin getting injured, but good enough to take advantage. Now, they face an interesting off season where they have to decide between organic growth or chasing a player that can put them into elite territory.

    I picture a player like Durant joining Portland and think they would be instant contenders, but would Portland bring in a player who views himself as the leader when Dame has become that guy for them? Would that jeopardise that growth? would Dame be welcoming of that kind of player?

    I think a large issue with Dwight was seeing himself as a leader while James felt like it was his team. Harden certainly displayed leadership qualities on and off the court when he arrived in 2012 but that team is completely different to the one we see now.

    I think we'd get a lot more out of Harden if we didn't chase a top tier player, but rather went after players who were ready to go to battle for him. On Harden's part, he needs to be more vocal and establish better communication with his players if the reports of his aloofness are accurate.

    I recall Troy Daniels telling a story about Harden buying him an incredibly expensive pair of sneakers when Troy was a rookie. I think James enjoys the role of leader, but that roster was almost completely turned over in order to build around he and Dwight and a potential third superstar.

    If we can surround Harden with all-star players, but not so much superstar players, I think it will go a long way in Harden feeling secure in his place as leader.

    A player like Jimmy Butler, -if Morey were to kick the tyres on- who sees himself as a leader would not be a good fit. Likewise potentially Durant (unless Harden himself is cool with it-that's a whole different story).

    I don't think Harden is the kind of guy who will bolt if we can't contend. I believe he would benefit most from trust of ownership and a roster of guys his age or younger that can grow together.

    All signs point to the Rockets reloading and chasing other top players, but you can see the closeness he shares with the young players like Capela and KJ. I hope Morey and Co really consider who they are chasing and how they fit relative to Hardens position as the leader of the team.
     
    1 person likes this.
  2. rockets13champs

    Joined:
    Nov 23, 2012
    Messages:
    9,034
    Likes Received:
    8,496
    We dont have the assets to get jimmy butler. Celtics and philly has alot bettet assets.
    And for blake griffin i dont think he would get moved here. We would have to sign and trade dmo and capela and alot of picks. BG is more likely but i dont think so.
    I do think if clippers break up their squad they would trade chris paul first i can totally see a team like miami going out to get cp3.
    He would make hassan whiteside so much better. And lebron would look at that miami squad as even more attractive.
    Heat can trade winslow, dragic and 1st rounders for cp3
    And if bosh retires they can sign a top free agent PF like horford. With two potential pick and role options i think miami can be back in buisness
     
  3. CometsWin

    CometsWin Breaker Breaker One Nine

    Joined:
    May 15, 2000
    Messages:
    28,028
    Likes Received:
    13,046
    I don't think not bringing in leaders so Harden can lead makes much sense because Harden is not only a bad leader but he also prefers not to bother. He's Mark Aguirre.
     
  4. daywalker02

    daywalker02 Member

    Joined:
    Jul 17, 2006
    Messages:
    88,554
    Likes Received:
    42,596
    Harden, FA and leadership in one sentence

    Too much to take in
     
  5. donkeypunch

    donkeypunch Contributing Member

    Joined:
    Dec 8, 2013
    Messages:
    19,394
    Likes Received:
    21,905
    Would heads explode if Harden, FA, leadership, defense and A1 were all in one sentence?
     
  6. fchowd0311

    fchowd0311 Contributing Member

    Joined:
    Apr 27, 2010
    Messages:
    46,999
    Likes Received:
    35,595
    and big booty b****es
     
  7. SF3isBack!!

    SF3isBack!! Member

    Joined:
    Oct 2, 2007
    Messages:
    10,163
    Likes Received:
    1,879
    I've said this before, people on Clutchfans don't know what leadership is. Harden's leading is fine, he just doesn't have much to lead. You never say guys are great leaders on losing teams and that's because those teams don't have the talent to be lead. With a horrible season with not much help and we still made it to the playoffs. We didn't do it with coaching and we didn't do it with team talent. It was done on the back of Harden.

    True leadership in team basketball is shared. Motivation comes from different players at different times on the court. But what everyone refers to as leadership on this board really just has to do with talent and that's Morey's job. The Houston Rockets lack of direction and focus come from Morey, Les, and, the coaching staff. Once Morey makes the moves he should and dump players who are not performing well like Brewer and bring in a good coach and let go of that stupid three point philosophy then we will see true leadership.

    The real leader who needs to step up is Morey.
     
    1 person likes this.
  8. T_Man

    T_Man Contributing Member

    Joined:
    Jan 27, 2000
    Messages:
    6,529
    Likes Received:
    2,420
    Adrian Dantley....

    T_Man
     
  9. txppratt

    txppratt Contributing Member

    Joined:
    Jun 11, 2006
    Messages:
    2,984
    Likes Received:
    296
    whos in charge of player development again?
     
  10. pass_to_Hakeem

    Joined:
    May 20, 2009
    Messages:
    1,330
    Likes Received:
    442

    Every team making the playoffs or hoping to reach the Finals... has a leader. Who was HOU's this past season?? I disagree with your post. NOBODY STEPPED up this season, it was like high school with little factions among the group. SOMEBODY NEEDS to step TF up next season and be one the leader!!!
     
  11. pass_to_Hakeem

    Joined:
    May 20, 2009
    Messages:
    1,330
    Likes Received:
    442
    * be the leader!!
     
  12. T_Man

    T_Man Contributing Member

    Joined:
    Jan 27, 2000
    Messages:
    6,529
    Likes Received:
    2,420
    Totally agree...

    T_Man
     
  13. digitallinh

    digitallinh Member

    Joined:
    Mar 28, 2011
    Messages:
    1,431
    Likes Received:
    23
    You basically have to hope Harden gets that drive to be consistently great, the guys who dedicate every waking hour to getting better, learning the game, etc. Then play max effort all the time during the games.

    You know guys like:

    Curry, Draymond, Lebron, Duncan, Dirk, Kobe, KG.. We won't win a championship until this happens or we bring in someone to teach Harden what it takes to win a chip.

    It's a funny thing how putting in extra effort all the time on and off the court magically makes you a better player...

    sometimes we interchange "team culture" with leadership, but they're both really shared responsibilities between the coaching staff and the best players.

    Like they always say, it starts with your best players. When your best players are also the effort guys (like the above), the coaching staff has a very easy job coaching up the role players.
     
  14. SF3isBack!!

    SF3isBack!! Member

    Joined:
    Oct 2, 2007
    Messages:
    10,163
    Likes Received:
    1,879
    Explain what you mean by "step up". Often when people say step up they really just mean lack of talent. You sound like an angry fan looking for something to blame and all too often we point that anger toward Harden, because he's the best player and it makes no sense. What makes sense it that we are not organized properly and lack direction and talent. The leadership we lack starts with Morey and I mean that in every aspect of our team. He is out leader the entire vision for our team comes from him and Les.
     
  15. SF3isBack!!

    SF3isBack!! Member

    Joined:
    Oct 2, 2007
    Messages:
    10,163
    Likes Received:
    1,879
    You're naming people who have had a lot of help. Again what people on this board call leadership is usually just talent bestowed by a GM. You can give the ball to Harden in the Clutch and most times he'll make the shot, thats his job. but how you get to that Clutch moment is devised by Morey and it takes a team full of talented players and coaches to get there.
     
  16. digitallinh

    digitallinh Member

    Joined:
    Mar 28, 2011
    Messages:
    1,431
    Likes Received:
    23
    You need both, and all of the above to win the championship. There is a very good reason there have been a handful of teams to even win it in the first place.

    1. Talent
    2. Good coaching staff
    3. Team Culture = Effort

    You need all 3. There are plenty of talented teams with good coaches who fail to win any championships...

    You have to at least admit that all of the great players in the past who have won it all have a different disposition to our great player (Harden)...

    He's either tired all the time or he doesn't care as much. I don't know which one it is. But he needs to change. I hate how people keep making excuses for Harden like we haven't seen how the historically great players have done it.

    If you guys are cool with being competitive but never winning it all, fine. Not me.
     
  17. Nook

    Nook Member

    Joined:
    Jun 27, 2008
    Messages:
    53,688
    Likes Received:
    111,071
    If you win, people usually don't question your leadership.

    Was Dominique Wilkens a great leader? What would the narrative have been had the Lakers taken him #1 in 1982 instead of James Worthy?

    Was Shaquille O'Neal or Kobe Bryant good leaders? Had Shaq never left Orlando would critics say he had a loser mentality? What about Kobe, had the Nets taken him over Kerry Kittles? Would he be viewed as selfish and aloof (which he is)?

    There isn't anything especially wrong with Harden's leadership qualities. When a team struggles, fans and critics question the coaching and elite players leadership.

    Hell, years ago critics believed Tim Duncan was soft and too timid to lead, that he couldn't beat Shaq.

    Is Chris Paul a great leader based on what the Clippers have done?
     
  18. SF3isBack!!

    SF3isBack!! Member

    Joined:
    Oct 2, 2007
    Messages:
    10,163
    Likes Received:
    1,879
    You are another poster along with many lately who like to make things up and run with it. There's no way for you to prove that if you give Harden the Warriors minus Curry that they wouldn't win a championship. The reason being is because he was never given that. I come on this board and it pisses me off that I have to constantly defend Harden against bull**** when really thats not what I come on here to do. It like you guys are a big angry mob with torches ready to burn **** down based off of made up nonsense that you can't possibly prove.

    You can say it's your opinion that once we're there you don't think Harden has what it takes to lead. That's fine, I think he'll do fine I could be wrong but the problem is what you're arguing are rich people problems. In other words lets get a bunch of talent and great coaching and a great philosophy and then maybe we can argue over Harden not being a leader. Until then he could be the best leader in the world but it won't do any good because there's nothing to lead.
     
  19. digitallinh

    digitallinh Member

    Joined:
    Mar 28, 2011
    Messages:
    1,431
    Likes Received:
    23
    Of course when you win people don't question your leadership. Because leadership, whether it's from the coaching staff or players (preferably both) is a fundamental requirement to winning a championship.

    of course you need talent too, but the most talent alone is not enough.

    Kobe was definitely a leader. Have you seen how maniacal he is?? You don't think when your best player puts in the effort Kobe does, everyone else does too or risk being yelled at by Kobe (and if Shaq stayed in Orlando, he probably doesn't ever win a ring without Phil/Kobe/Riley)

    Harden lacks effort. There's definitely something wrong with that.
     
  20. digitallinh

    digitallinh Member

    Joined:
    Mar 28, 2011
    Messages:
    1,431
    Likes Received:
    23
    Part of leadership is effort. And I don't think I have to prove to you that Harden can lack in the effort department. Do I?
     

Share This Page