What clearly isn't true? If the Rockets strike out on Harden they have to find someone else to actually help them win this year if they want to get past the monumental 30 win mark. Otherwise they are running it back with the current island of misfit toys - plus another future project player - what is the O/U on that win total? 26? 27? People worrying about the 2028 season salary cap implications - the more pressing and valid concern is the NBAs worst team putting up another 20-30 win **** show , starting 3 months from now - that too has consequences, none of which are good. You guys just don't get the Rockets salary picture - they have basically zero commitments! It's literally impossible to get any more flexible. And they don't control their own draft! If you see that picture and say "nah, flexibility, tank more man" - you need to go to the Sloan conference and flush yourself into the toilet
Harden is into that freaky freaky stuff that's why... I'm talking 50 shades of gray tie you up bondage, fetish stuff. His whole suite or whatever it is called has a full blown set up lol
1. Nix clearly will not be the backup PG next season. 2. Even if they don't get Harden, they clearly will not be the same team next season. 3. Even if your extreme pessimism about ALL of the young players turns out to be true (which in itself is very unlikely), they will at least improve to a certain extent. Sam, I can't decide if the cause of your extreme negativity is that (1) you really are such a miserable person. or (2) you are trolling just to see how people react, or (3) you believe that such a persona makes you look smarter than everybody else, or (4) you are too scared to be disappointed to the point where you set your expectation so low that reality can't possibly be any lower.
NBA Execs Get Harsh on James Harden, Rockets Free Agency Rumor: ‘It’s Over’ Said an NBA executive, “There’s this talk about him going back to Houston, but from what I understand it’s nothing more than a negotiating ploy. He knows that these guys aren’t going to max him. He’s no longer a max player, but he’s hoping that Philly wants him back and is willing to pay him. “Look, in the right situation, I think he could be an important part of a team. He could contribute to a good team,” said an Eastern Conference exec told Heavy. “But is he ready to take that role and be paid what that role is worth? From our conversations, what James is looking for is someone to pay him at a rate that he thinks that he’s worth, which he’s not. “So James is in that unfortunate circumstance that we talk about all the time. Who’s the last person to know it’s over? The player. His status as a max, alpha player in this league, it’s over. He can’t produce wins.” https://heavy.com/sports/houston-rockets/nba-james-harden-free-agency/
You're right, the Rockets will surely try to make other moves. Obviously they don't have much of a track record of success there but who knows However those other moves will also have future consequences - that are arguably as bad or worse - and have the same probability having to worry about the 2028 salary cap dilemma of passing on hypothetical elite players due to Harden's age 37 cap hit. That's like worrying all the veuve clicquot will be sold out when we get our year-end bonus in 2028 so our NYE party will have to serve Prosecco. It's just secondary to more pressing concerns. The alternative 2028 story is - we suck then, great! tank & draft high in the late 2020's. Something we cannot necessarily do for the next 3 years, which is why another 20 win season is basically intolerable (also, I am a fan of a team that tries to win games, that cannot be overstated). So basiclaly, Harden, somebody else (probably, with more pressure since Harden is off the table and potential to overpay) , or run it back (to be clear, I am saying Daishen Nix is a metaphor for a team that is lazy and decides to run it back with their homegrown front-office favorites that fit the "preferred timeline") I think we are underestimating the probability of a run it back. What do you honestly expect if that is the case? 27 wins O/U 28? 29? That would be an improvement, really, but it's also just a disaster for the fans and the team's supposed rebuild. It means it has failed. YOu ask me why I am so pessimistic - I will tell you - I have not ever seen this combination of circumstances around the Rockets and I have been following them for decades since the Moses Malone era. The team is terrible - as bad as the "Terry Teagle and James Bailey are our best players " era - the same sense of no hope. That era lasted fortunately only a year before Ralph was in place and then in 3 years they were in the Finals. I don't see that on the horizon with this team in this NBA era. I have very little faith in the current ownership/management structure. I didn't love Les, I found him an obnoxious meddler, but he is a whole different animal from Tilman, he largely kept to himself and didn't even live in Houston; I find Tilman's whole celebrity apprentice Trump lite "Shut up & listen" billionaire schtick to be nauseating on a personal level, but the structure he has put in place in the Rockets of installing his Kendall Roy sons in the front office and him being front & center at every press conference - does not inspire confidence. That's the kind of thing that basketcase franchises do. In an NBA era where positioning your franchise for hot takes is seemingly overwhelmingly important, the Rockets basically walk around with a giant kick me sign on them with their current management. That is why I am pessimistic, and since our current plan was just "pray for victor" "hope the Brooklyn picks work out" - it's a whole new level of despair for me. Finally, like I said I went to the last regular season game, and the on-court product was terrible - last game, I get it, but, it was not really fun to watch them play (and they actually won that game against Washington G leaguers). That's why I don't like people taking the moral high ground on Harden (or anybody) based on hypothethical future cap considerations, "sure, we'll win more games, but a fortune cookie told me to save my money FOR THE FUTURE, aren't I so wise!")( no you're not, eat your cookie)
That's funny because he basically single handily just produced 2 wins against the Cs that series. If it weren't for Harden, Sixers would have been swept.
I’m not saying this is for sure happening but it makes a lot of sense. The Suns are being aggressive. JAMES HARDEN IS RUMORED TO JOIN SUNS, IF CHRIS PAUL IS WAIVED https://apple.news/AtYZxbhveQTaHmQDjbtrj2Q
I heard Bobby marks breakdown of PHX situation. This is unlikely to happen. PHX is moving on from Paul for salary cap reasons - unless Harden decides to sign for the veteran minimum or 12.2 MLE there's no way for him to land on PHX without bringing those same problems back in worse fashion (unless Ayton is somehow traded for Harden)
couldn't they move Ayton out and clear some room for Harden? This is a team that traded for Durant, fired Monty Williams and is about to cut Chris Paul. They are not scared to make tough decisions and they are being aggressive.
On top of averaging over 20 points a game and leading the league in assists for the season. Harden has been getting **** on while the MVP is getting a free pass.
And he stunk it up for four. Especially the last two. He proved to be a shell of his former self physically and still stumbles in big games. If you're a fan I get it, but I'm most definitely not in the minority on this one. My opinion, he absolutely is a bad fit for this group of young players. And he does not fit with Udoka's style of coaching. Just my opinion.
“Look, in the right situation, I think [James Harden] could be an important part of a team. He could contribute to a good team,” said an Eastern Conference exec told Heavy. “But is he ready to take that role and be paid what that role is worth? From our conversations, what James is looking for is someone to pay him at a rate that he thinks that he’s worth, which he’s not. “So James is in that unfortunate circumstance that we talk about all the time. Who’s the last person to know it’s over? The player. His status as a max, alpha player in this league, it’s over. He can’t produce wins.” Source: Steve Bulpett @ Heavy.com https://heavy.com/sports/houston-rockets/nba-james-harden-free-agency/ East Executives think it is over while fans are still clinging onto the past.
You mean the TEAM stunk it up the other 4 right? The ENTIRE TEAM failed to score over 90 multiple times, the same team that included the MVP by the way. Again, if it wasn’t for Harden the entire team would have been swept. Harden was never there to be the previous Harden, something you and others don’t seem to be realizing. He was brought in to be a supporter / facilitator which he did all season and most of the playoffs.
Again you got your opinion as do I, but I'm not sure if you actually watched the games or not. So for reference.... Just go down and click on 2023 playoffs. Although they do not tell the whole story. Had to see his play to understand. https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/h/hardeja01/gamelog/2023
I watched the games. I am not denying that Harden didn't play well. I am arguing that the entire team stunk it up and that is not on Harden. He was not brought in to carry the team. That is Mr. MVP Embiid's job and he failed spectacularly against the Cs.
