Harden's mother: "He is doing the best for his career...He is asking for a chance to get a ring”

We also have clutch on the podcast saying Harden literally called everyday asking if the Westbrook deal was done yet.

Ah the good times when Harden actually contacted the team.

 

Well it is all governed by the NBA CBA

So, unless something has changed, under the CBA it is up to the Rockets what they want to do. They could do nothing and keep paying him with the hope that he changes his mind and starts playing. The idea being that the Rockets would not want to upset him more.

Assuming that the Rockets decide to punish him, he can be fined and suspended..... more important for Harden, his existing contract carries over to the next year. So Harden cannot just sit out two seasons and be a free agent.

However this scenario is unheard of because players want to be paid their salary AND teams do not want to see their assets depreciate and they do not want a player sabotaging the rest of the team.

I understand the logic behind what Harden is doing.... he has looked at history, and teams trade away disgruntled stars..... players like Leonard and Anthony Davis come to mind. The problem is that Harden is being too passive aggressive. He should have hired a spokesman that came to the Rockets and told them that Harden will not be happy in Houston, will never resign and will hold out for training camp and will sit out the season. Having an agent like that really helped get Westbrook traded. In fact it was Westbrook's agent that reached out to the Wizards and acted as a middle man to get discussions going again.

Whenever a player does something like hold out, demand a trade.... they will take collateral damage, and will likely take more blame for some things than they should.... but having an agent allows for there to be other media pieces publishing the other side of the argument.

 

He has something like 30 days after the start of the season to report before he is in breach of his contract. Rockets could fine and suspend him for missed days prior to the 30 day mark.

At that point the rockets can withhold his entire salary for the season. All the while his remaining term of service does not reduce.

This is quite different from the nfl cba hence the reason why no nba star has held out in decades.

 

Sure, but that only means he has increased access. That doesn't mean he's being told the complete truth.

I get it though. You're a big Harden fan, and more blame for Tillman means less blame for Harden.

Also, CP3's contract was signed during Tillman's ownership. It didn't become the "worst deal in professional sports history" until the Rockets flamed out again in 2019 and Harden/CP3 were feuding.

 

So if harden sits out, we can call his bluff until he's 40?



Bring it on. Lol

 

No I’m a Rockets fan who sees right through Tillman.

 

I guess you got nothing to say now that Nook shut you down.

 

And I'm a Rockets fan who sees through both Tillman and Harden.

 

I guess his mom is being the spokesperson lol!

 

Harden’s Momma will kick yo ass!

 

Add in what clutch said on the podcast and have said in the past...

Add in all the reports by mcmahon and others at the time...

Along with what harden has said and the cold interactions between him and cp3 since...

Going to have to conclude harden was the driving force and tilman the big mouth who wanted credit.

 

I don't believe everything said in the media. I also don't believe everything said by Tilman, Morey, or Harden. They all have their own interests in telling some part of the truth but not the whole truth.

These are the things I believe:
1. Tilman is the main person responsible for the Paul-Westbrook trade.
2. Harden is at least partially responsible for the trade to be taken place. I'd say about 40% responsible. We know that Morey has good relationship with Harden, and we know that Morey didn't like the Westbrook idea. I am almost certain that Morey would try to tell Harden what he thought about getting Westbrook. If Harden didn't have at least some push on this deal, Tilman could not have forced it against the will of both Harden and Morey. In other words, Morey could not convince Harden that it was a bad idea.
3. Morey knew the Sixers exit route before the trade. My speculation is that he would do the trade and if it didn't work out (as he would think likely) he would jump ship.

 

So the Rockets can force him to play by simply waiting him out - if Harden doesn't show up the contract gets extended which puts the Rockets in an even better position, no? Meanwhile Harden just gets older and not paid, and doesn't get to play ball.

Sounds like he has to show up.

 

I don’t understand why owners are such p*****s, there’s this thing of not being attractive to FA...but for someone like Tillman nobody already wants to come here. Make some one play up to their contract and like u said implement the rules if so. He’s screwing himself otherwise

 

thought you were gonna trot out the Kevin Costner what-I-believe speech from Bull Durham. am disappoint

 

Keep in mind that all these people that are spinning it this way are people who are close to the organization.

These guys also believe Tillman when he said he would spend, which he didnt. The man went on TV and basically said "My ops guys got nervous, so I had to say nope we are doing this." Why would they even be nervous period and get cold feet if they felt that they(Morey) couldnt talk to James about it??? Why? Both Rivers, Tucker and even Macmahon himself said the Cp3-Harden stuff was overblown.

Why would Morey even want James in Philly if he forced his hand in making this decision?

 

I HOPE YOU KNOW I RIPPED ALL YOUR PICTURES OFF THE (John) WALL!

 

Are you claiming @KellyUnchained @Clutch and @The Cat are spinning it this way for the organization? I'm doubtful about that, but could be open to any evidence or arguments to that nature.



Thats what macmahon said LAST year and has consistently said on Lowes podcast and elsewhere to date.

Tilman is a blowhard and I frankly don't trust anything he says. Not that it really matters, but I believe Clutch when he stated this was not a Morey move and that Westbrook trade had Harden's finger prints all over it. I believe Macmahon and Iko and the_cat and multiple other media reports that Harden was the impetus for the trade.

Its fine for you to believe the contrary.

 

Where do you think they get all their info from? Like honestly? Where do you think Shams got his info that Harden was "locked in." Do I believe Harden had a hand in this trade, yea. But do I believe Tillman did as well had the final say....I do. I mean WE HEARD IT FROM HIS MOUTH. Ben himself defends Tillman A LOT. Do you also believe it when they claim Morey left because of Harden's trade request? There is just a lot of spin here. And yea I do believe it when other insiders here have said the same. These guys all said Tillman would go into the tax.....but well....we never did. Never used the MLE either. Harden was upset at them for not spending too, if Harden had ultimate power, why did they not spend?

Tim also said Harden AND Fertitta forced this trade. I dont Russillo but he and others have said multiple times that Patrick Fertitta was also a big voice in this trade. And now Im supossed to believe this was ALL James Harden and that Morey couldn't talk to him at all? And that Morey would take a full blown page ad for James Harden and that Morey STILL wants him on the team??? Yea, thats very sketch.