ESPN Sources: James Harden was not in Houston today but told Rockets FO he will be soon

This is NOT true. Teams always outlast players. Teams never age or retire. Team over player always.

 

I can hear CP3 laughing bout the Boobie-Man all the way from Eastern Europe

 

Kawhi didn't play. Nothing happened to him. Harden can just fake injury for 6 months like Kawhi.

 

Not mega rich players who can afford to take a year off. Harden is not your average player. He can play the game of chicken. Plus he is the Rockets cash cow.


Also I do think he will eventually report to camp, but my point was legally the Rockets are not in a good spot if Harden is ok with not getting paid.

 

The only thing I know for certain is that 40M will allow @fchowd0311 to suck Greg Oden's dick.

Maybe we can do a Go Fund Me for this CFer.

FYI: I'm certain he would do it for much much less (like even pay out of pocket himself to Oden for the privilege) but let's just humor him.

 

thats true but those endorsements come in because he endorses the product and puts the product on the court, up front and in the spotlight. Adidas wants him to play, other endorsements want him to play.

he’s marketed as the beard; a fun loving, hooper. U start holding out, not playing and become a malcontent- it’s not a good look. He can ultimately do what he wants but there’s gonna be pressure to play.

 

It's not about the money, if you forced Harden to sit out 2 of the final years of his prime, it would hurt him more than anything else you could possibly do to him.

A 33 year old Harden trying to get back into the league after being forced out for 2 years would be a hilarious outcome....but there's no chance of it happening.

 

He seems to be ok with so . My point was legally the Rockets options are limited. Either stop paying him which won’t cripple him or tear up his deal which is what he wants.

 

I

don’t see addidas dropping him. Plus he has other revenues from other endorsements.

 

I would love that. If you can raise 40 mil for me, I would be one hell of a happy camper.

 

There's no way he'd be ok with it. He'd quite literally be in tears if he found out that was going to happen.

Right now we don't know what is going on, but if he really is throwing a tantrum, the best thing that could happen would be for him to be benched for the rest of his contract over it as a lesson to the rest of the scumbag players in the league.

 

Bro..., Harden will retire in a few years and Rocket will be here forever!

 

What a putz. But as devils advocate prior to this pandemic he was playing inside an arena where we couldn’t fill the lower bowl with real fans

 

I’m telling when the check writers of corporate America come calling it’s not good for anyone. Ever. He will do what he wants but they don’t have to drop him, they can apply pressure other ways. Harden doesn’t want that. He won’t sit out games. He may miss all of camp and force a trade but he’s not sitting out games not willingly and not openly.

 

No doubt but right now Legally the Rockets options are limited. They can’t get a court order to force him to come to work if he is ok with not getting paid. That was my point

 

Gotcha and I get that. Look at his life, you think that fool can go without money for longer than the Rockets? He giving away 300k like a immature dumbass when so many people are suffering.

 

Rockets 'Clinging To Hope' Of Keeping James Harden

James Harden may already be in violation of his uniform player contract as he has yet to report to training camp with the Houston Rockets as he continues to seek a trade.

The Rockets likely don't want the situation to escalate at this point as it would involve the union.

"I'll tell you this, Mr. MacMahon," said Zach Lowe. "I have already heard from, I don't know, three, four people out of the blue today who don't work for the Rockets but work for the other 29 teams saying 'the league has to step in and do something about this. This is not okay.'

"This is going to become the latest referendum on player empowerment and when does it go too far? I think it's a nuanced and fascinating topic. But it's already spiraling out of control."

MacMahon said the Rockets "absolutely don't want a fight" with Harden.

"The Rockets are clinging to the hope, 'Hey, we can be competitive this year," said MacMahon. "'If we're competitive and we're willing, maybe James will get back on board' They're just clinging to this hope and I mean, how many times have you seen a superstar demand a trade very publicly and things ended up working out. I will give you Kobe Bryant when they pulled the Pau Gasol trade and won championships. I'm having a hard time thinking of another situation like that."

Because Harden cannot become a free agent until 2022, the Rockets feel like they have time to wait for an improved trade offer.

MacMahon previously wrote about how the Rockets were willing to get uncomfortable with Harden's trade request, but he's already making that a reality as he stays away from the team and makes public appearances at clubs in Atlanta and Las Vegas.

"He's basically saying ''I'm going to make this as ugly a situation as possible.' I wrote the story weeks ago where a Rockets source told me that the franchise was willing to get uncomfortable," said MacMahon. 'Look, you want to be gone. We get that. We're not going to be rushed into it. We're willing to get uncomfortable.' It seems like Harden is taking that as a challenge."

 

I said it in another thread I was looking at it in legal perspective. The Rockets choices are stop paying him or tear up his deal. I think he will report to camp.

 

I know the thought of 40M is only the secondary thing making you smile.

You go girl.

 

Exactly he isn't box office like that. Not sure any player outside of LBJ moves the needle for Rockets fans to get their asses in their seats.