Because we do. This is 4 straight years of dudes demanding to trade Harden after the postseason. It's a tradition and it is beautiful.
Trading Harden is not the answer. Once again going out to find another star to play with him is. Wussell anyone???
Harden's apologists will say that Harden needs more help but the issue is not getting more help for Harden. His game and temperament are not suited for being the best player on a championship team, so in order to win a title what he needs is not a better supporting cast--he needs to play alongside a better player and to become part of the supporting cast (a leader of the supporting cast, to be sure, but not the team's top star). Morey can keep tinkering with the roster and the coaching staff and he actually makes some good moves from time to time--but as long as the Rockets are Harden's show, they will lose in the first round most of the time, as they have done in three of Harden's five Houston seasons. - http://20secondtimeout.blogspot.com/2017/05/harden-disappears-as-spurs-embarrass.html?m=1
I do not think Harden being a playoff dud is beautiful but yup we should go with the team. I hate to say it but this team is still light years away with Harden or sans Harden. All 3 or drawing fouls system is still flawed, Maury's thinking and Alexander's choices of coaches.......
1) Of course we're light years away. Look at the league. Look at our talent. This has been known for a while. I'm laughing at any and all who think this is some sort of revelation uncovered in the past 24 hours. 2) Harden had a inexcusable dud of game that he should be embarrassed forever about. He also averaged 30/8/5 in the playoffs. He'll have to bounce back, but he's no scrub. 3) Yeah. The system has notable flaws. Up to Morey and Co. to keep building and grow after what was a fun and successful first year of the rebuild. Once again...this has been known for a long time. I do not understand how anybody could not have seen this for a long time now. Doesn't mean it wasn't a good starting point.
1-3) Sure but I cannot see how this system can be rebooted and improved on substantially unless they bring in a big time defensive coach. Everything else Morey does is kicking the can down the road as we have seen the last years. MDA has to make way or stay as an All Offense assistant coach. Let's be honest here: MDA is close to an elite Regular Season coach but not the Greatest in the Offseason! He had a superstar everywhere he went but only succeeded with Phoenix. And now small success with Houston. Pops and Carlisle are the only ones that comes to my mind who have a championship pedigree and have the integrity to hold Harden and others accountable every important game. Those are not growing on trees. And IF Harden cannot work with a HOF coach then it will be time to say good bye.... He would not be a winner. It is really that simple.
Even if we did trade Harden it's not like we're gonna get another superstar right away and with no Harden it's back to the lottery for us.
you wanna keep building around a star who keeps choking in the po's? 6 straight years if u include the finals. if u dont include that, his first year as a first option and last years **** show, 3 years. how much time does he need?
It's not that simple. Houston finished something like ~18-20th in defense this year, and that is with what was supposed to be ghastly defensive talent. Bzdelik did a solid job in the first year defensively. And I don't know how this year was merely a "small success" for D'Antoni, as he surpassed even the wildest expectations for the team. Up to Morey to find more two way players and up to D'Antoni/Bzdelik to continue to improve the team's system/philosophy.
Unless Morey is offerd something like way, way above the dollar for Harden, there IS NOWAY HE TRADES HARDEN this OFFSEASON. It will have to be a deal of a lifetime.
The only way we can improve as a team is if Harden fixes his major weaknesses. He needs to improve his conditioning, defense, and activity without the ball. That's key to making Houston an attractive destination for star free agents. I know the knee jerk apologist reaction is to point to the successful regular season we just had, but star free agents don't care about that. What matters is the caliber of teammates they'll be joining. We can b**** and moan about the super teams, but it's not an coincidence that elite, dedicated players end up on the same teams. They want teammates who will put in the necessary work to hone their craft. Does that sound like Harden? He's 27 years old, and his skillset hasn't improved in 2 years.
Except for the JVG era where we had horrible Offense and great Defense, almost every Adelman team, McHale team had flashes of good Defense. See, the surpassing of wildest expectation mentality only works for teams that are constantly fighting for the consolation prize. Houston has been doing it for years. 1st round exits, 2nd round exits and 1 WCF appearance in all these years. Or not making the playoffs and still ending up with the 14th pick over and over again. When you are in the playoffs you want to make the upset happen like the GSW 8th seed did vs the Fist seed Mavs years ago. There is no IF and But. You cannot give up. I will take the McHale team with Dwight Howard that wen to the WCF over this year's team. The bench did wonders while Harden was a no show.
What does JVG, Edelman, or McHale have to do with this? The grass truly is always greener, man. I remember all the "Fire ________" prior to D'Antoni. And what's wrong with being happy about exceeding expectations? What's wrong with that? Of course the Rockets were fighting for a consolation prize, they had zero chance of winning the title this season. It's just a matter of being realistic. I hope and root for the Rockets to win every game they play, but if you thought this roster was championship-caliber then that's on you, my friend. And who said anything about giving up? Of course you can't give up. That last game is literally the only thing I'm disappointed about this season. The Rockets fought hard all year and were awesome to watch all year. I feel bad for those who have forgotten that.
It depends on what your goals are. If fun regular season performances are the end game sure keep harden. I'm not saying trading him guarantee you one, but its pretty much the only scenario where you have the potential to win a ring.
