That sounds like every season while he was here. I don't think there's any hope of him getting better in that regard. The only reason to sign him is for him to elevate the other players on our roster. I still think it will be several years before any of them pass him as the best player on the team. It doesn't make sense for us at the cost, and it doesn't make sense for him if he has championship aspirations. It's just a ploy for him to have some sort of leverage in extension negotiations.
If Harden retired and Cam Johnson kept playing, Harden would still be the better player. There is no universe in which Cam Johnson ever has been or ever will be better than James Harden.
fair. But 2023-2026 Harden is probably not a better investment than 2023-2027 Cam Johnson but they don’t have to be mutually exclusive. Wait; what’s that extra $13 mil guaranteed for KPJ?
Thinking about motivations to leak this (whether true or not): - Rockets: If Harden confidentially told them he would consider singing in Houston, they are not going to irritate him by leaking it to the media while he's in the playoffs and screw up their chances. This would be suicide for their chances of signing him. Another motivation I can see here is there is no such communication from Harden or his people, and the Rockets are posturing so that other FA's see Houston as a place a top FA would consider. Feels like a long shot but people do have dumb ideas sometimes. Another possible motivation here I would say is that Tilman or Patrick are not happy at how Harden forced his way out and seeing as they are in "Pray for Wemby" mode they are probably like some of the posters on this board incapable of seeing the potential in the talent they've drafted so they're bitter. Overall, I'd say the most likely of the motivations is Stone is trying to position Houston as an FA destination and he doesn't care what Harden thinks about it. The more there are stories of players wanting to come to Houston, the more people will think it's worth at least looking into whether the franchise is serious about building a champion. - Sixers: no motivation whatsoever to do this unless Morey is risking his own job by leaking this to help Harden get re-signed. Morey is too calculated so I don't buy that. - Nets: I can see a scenario where Harden's camp leaked this earlier in the season just for some leverage in negotiations and the Nets saw an opportunity to bring doubt into the Sixers locker room about whether one of their key players is truly committed to winning a title. I can see it causing a rift between Embiid/Morey/Harden if they are not good communicators and don't trust each other. - Harden's camp: The only intelligent motivation I can see is that Harden doesn't give a damn about the Rockets and they're the only team with cap space that anyone would believe is a threat to sign him. They would have leaked this earlier in the season. I don't buy the idea that it's just being re-posted from an earlier rumor, it's unlike Woj and he wouldn't have his high accuracy reporting if he did things like this. So they must have reiterated that they're willing to sign with Houston leading up to the playoffs and during the playoffs. It's a terrifying thought that Harden cares about his next contract more than a title at this specific moment, will have given up title hopes by coming to Houston, has the worst taken care of body in the NBA at age 34 and will come back to a city where he's comfortable getting a crazy maximum contracts for his seasons aged 34 to 38. Why does it feel like Houston is the home of soon to be retired over the hill players who can't even stay healthy and in shape? Feels like a 25 year problem. The fanbase has such a low self esteem right now, willing to get trampled on out of desperation by anyone. I really hope we're not getting a player who doesn't believe he can win a title and wants to retire comfortably to the tune of $50m per season just as we start our plan to acquire and develop expensive assets. Harden is the second best player in franchise history and one of my top 5 NBA players of ALL TIME. This is not the time to sign him Houston. The Sixers have to give him a lot of money even though they know the last 2 years will be dead cap. Let's just pick him up in a year or two for whichever of our signings and assets we want to dump, Sixers will happily take it at that point. Imagine if during our best title run in 2017-2018 Harden's PR team leaked that he would be willing to sign elsewhere. That's worse than giving up on the court. I have no idea how some people are excusing this if it's true.
Could be as simple as Harden trusted somebody he shouldn't have with the information that he's considering returning, and they're the source of this getting out. Harden hasn't denied it publicly but he also hasn't said "yes I might go back to Houston". For all we know he's pissed at whoever leaked it but is playing his cards close to his chest. He's never been the most emotive and open guy with the media. I just hope the organization doesn't get so in love with the idea that they become blind and desperate. If they bring him back it needs to be a smart basketball move that makes sense in terms of an overall plan. If it's to build a contender right away, they better have some other huge moves up their sleeves that really surprise everybody. If it's just to bring him in as a stopgap to win some games while the young core develops, they'd better be careful not to overpay (especially in contract length).
This is easy. Harden wants his money via Max and Philly doesn't want to offer it. Houston is being used as leverage. Legit all it is and Houston will pay up as they have the ability to do so.
But why is a player in the middle of a title run even thinking and feeling this? It's way easier to understand if he leaves them after winning a title. Maybe he's thinking he has the title and now wants to win one with in his adopted city. I can see that as a legacy play. Would you want to be that guy's teammate on a playoff run? They've invested so much in him, the whole city is behind him, he is playing with an MVP candidate with the best roster he's ever had around him. It's so weird.
hes easily a better investment because he provides exactly what these kids need to get better and this is both short and long term. Cam Johnson does not. He's a solid role player. That's literally it. He'll never be a star, a leader, elite playmaker or anyone who can impact the game to the level of Harden ever has It has nothing to do with being mutually exclusive.
Not going to speculate on this stuff .... don't much care if or why, only how it affects the Rockets in the case he does return. I've always said it's not just Harden returning but who he might be able to bring along with him. So, who can he bring along that moves the needle towards a championship? To answer that you have to explore what he needs around him to be successful - 3x 3D Wings, one who can take the more difficult defensive matchups and a secondary scorer from the 3-4-5 spots to draw some defensive attention. That's a tough roster to put together when you lack so many of the parts. Maybe Jabari and Tari fill two of the 3D roles .... (maybe). You still need a second volume scorer and a top flight 3D guy. Green doesn't seem to be a good pairing with Harden because of the defensive issues .... they both need to be hidden on the weakest opponent. The only volume scoring options available in FA are Austin Reaves & Porzingis .... both have negatives - Reaves being very redundant to Harden & Porzingis the injury issues. You'll likely have to trade for a player to fill this role. Question is - Who and what does it cost?? That does open up the possibilities .... As for 3D wings, Cameron Johnson is RFA, you'd probably have to overpay to keep the Nets from matching. Dillon Brooks is UFA but he's going to come with a hefty price tag. We already have a Jordan Clarkson clone in KPJ .... Not sure he's good enough defensively anyway. Putting together a roster capable of contending immediately around Harden is possible but very difficult. It means adding Harden and two quality players ... and hoping that Jabari & Tari can produce as your wing shooters / defenders.
Skip bayless on undisputed thinks harden is going back to Houston.It’ll blow up after this year because Harden “ wants to go back” to Houston
I feel you have made your point but what about the defensive side. If you strictly just allow them to defend each other........and not score the ball.
Common sense dictates that these rumors are just leverage for Harden to get the max from Philly, but for discussion sake, here's my understanding of why he might actually want to come here. Harden probably feels the best playing in Houston. The west is most open it has been in a long time, and maybe he sees an opportunity to try to get a ring here eventually. Philly is a great team, but they are not beating the Bucks and Celtics to get to the top of the East Here he has a dynamo scoring SG that would benefit having an elite playmaker to set him up early and really make him explode offensively. On defense, Jalen is actually good at guarding PG's. He has the quickness, he needs discipline and focus. With a right coaching hire, I think We will see a marked improvement in his defense next year. Harden also has Jabari at the 4/5 slot, who can be a release valve with middies and spot up threes, and with good (soon hopefully elite) defense and rebounding. Then Alpi at the 5, a great pick and roll partner with secondary playmaking skills. And finally Tari, a defensive menace who just needs to fill the lanes and cut and spread the floor, and James will feed him easy buckets. With a right coach and mix of vet role players, like a defensive wing and Center, with Harden this team can become really good really soon. And that's not even factoring in the draft result. We can give him the contract he wants and still have room to plug the other holes, or try and get a JB7 type player via trade. We have interesting young players outside of our core that We can use to upgrade the team. Obviously this is the best possible scenario, and one I could see Harden having huge interest in. We "just" need to nail the HC hire, have some draft lottery luck and We are back in the mix. After all the heartbreaks We've endured with Yao/Tmac/CP3 injuries and wierd Harden performances in the playoffs, and this 3yr long tanking nightmare, We're due for a period of our lucky stars alligning.
We need an elite playmaker to hone our players skills, Harden fits that description perfectly. The alternatives i heard so far are FVV, irving (lol), head honcho (stupid as fk) and scoot henderson, none can elevate us like harden can. Folks acting like signing Harden to an expensive contract will stop us from winning it all. News Flash, we haven't won anything since 1995, im more focus on providing our youngsters structure and experience playing alongside an actual elite playmaker. Harden could b leveraging us, and we will still b boned regardless if we attempt to run it back with head honcho next season.
Honestly, I think the only remote chance of the Rockets winning it all next season involves Harden's return and some other star tagging along for the ride either thru trade or FA. That tag along probably has to be a very strong wing defender .... while Jabari has to shoot league average and Jalen has to improve on both ends .... Harden Green X-Factor (Bridges / Brown/ ???) Jabari Sengun Bench - Tari KPJ FA / trade guard FA / trade big Tate KMJ Pick X (waiting on the lotto) Pick 20. Garuba, Tyty & Nix gone. I could see that team figuring it out and going on a deep playoff run .... Can you add Harden & three other players one of them a star without giving up any of Green, Jabari, Tari or Sengun?
