Harden: "Dwight and I are the cornerstones of the Rockets. The rest of the guys are role players..."

At a time where the media is probably hounding him all day asking questions about Parsons, I don't blame him for putting out a sharp, blunt reminder that this team was built around HIM. Was it tactful? No. But do you really think that guys like Beverley and Terrence Jones disagree with him? The only guy who MIGHT have disagreed was Chandler Parsons, and he's gone now. Harden and Howard HAVE to take control of the locker room if this team is going to succeed.

 

In other words, Parsons left because HE wants to be the one who holds the ball too much on offense and doesn't play any defense.

 

Go hug a wall if you can not embrace the fact that we are now the no. 1 public enemy and the villain of the NBA.

 

I thought this was pretty funny. Other players answering the question.

Tim Duncan: I mean you hate to lose guys like that, but I think we have some guys that can step in and fill those missing holes and Pops will have those guys ready to go in November. *Does Tim Duncan blank, soulless stare*

Kobe: Aww man I'm gonna miss those guys. They were key to our success last year, but that's business side, ya know? They did what was best for them and I wish'em well. There's no hard feelings, but I'm gonna try to kill those guys every time I step on the court. *Does the Kobe arrogant laugh and grits teeth together*

Lebron: Hate to see those guys go, but its gonna be up to myself and my teammates to step up and produce going forward. I'm looking forward to the challenge. *ESPN creates headline "Source: LEBRON HATES ROCKETS MANAGEMENT, MAY OPT OUT SUMMER OF 2015"*

Dirk: Well we lost some guys in Lin and Chandler, obviously they were key contributors and you hate to lose guys like that, but we got Trevor and Joey and (name new Rockettes scrub) and we'll get them integrated into the team and we'll see what damage we can do. Obviously, as leaders on this team, Dwight and I will have to step up, maybe produce more, help the new guys get up to speed. Obviously, you hate to lose a guy like Chandler, but he needed to do what's best for him and his family.

 

What he said may be true...but you don't say that out loud. I'm sure there are people in our companies that are more important and make more money than you or I, but you don't just come out and say "I make more than them and I'm a cornerstone, they're replaceable" to a reporter if layoffs happen to hit.

Can you imagine another franchise player saying this?? For a guy that choked in the finals, and really did nothing for 90% of the playoffs last year, he needs to deliver more results if he's gonna talk like this.

THe only reason Morey went for a 3rd star is because the 2 cornerstones aren't good enough or able to lift role players to a point where the team can be title contenders.

 

I personally kinda like it.

 

Why would any "role players" want to play hard to cover Harden's D deficiency when Harden doesn't even appreciate them? That is not leadership, and that is not how you inspire your team to win.

Say you are Ariza or Beverley, you cover James Harden on the perimeter so he could reserve his energy and have his offensive glory, while being crowned as the best sg in the league, and he turns around and tell you you are just a replacable piece?

While what he said is true, he should have never said it like that.

 

what people say off the court in the middle of the summer means very little to me. Harden showed little this off season, so I'm not giving him a free pass either.

but then again Parsons didn't show me much either. maybe Trevor Ariza will defend wide open three pointers out of timeouts.

what Howard and Howard say means nothing.

 

Your interpretation of his statement is that he understands that role players and pieces are important? LOL. You can surmise that from what he said?? Ummmmm ok.

 

Then he would be traveling **blows whistle**

 

nah, he never moves his feet....he's just gonna reach around instead and try ot poke the ball......ohh wait, what were you referring to?

 

Knickstorm is posting here.... yikes im OUT .

 

I guess I should have used the, "I'm trying to make a point" font. No, I don't believe that. But subjective interpretation of a comment is just that. It was an attempt to show that no one knows what Harden meant/thinks/feels about it for sure aside from Harden.

 

Not really. Shaq was the reason why they advanced. When Kobe had to lead alone, they were up 3-1 on the Suns and lost in the first round.

 

How is calling everyone on the team besides him and Howard role players not an accurate or rational statement? You always want your "star" player to be choleric and not phlegmatic. Harden was only stating the obvious. If you have a problem in the manner that James relayed this thought then that's one thing, but to say this way of thinking is wrong or "immature" then I would have to respectfully disagree with you. Harden and Howard have to view the Rockets as thier team. They won't be successful if they think otherwise. I think you are under the impression that I am giving Harden a pass for his lack of performance in the playoffs so called. That is not what I am trying to imply here. I'm saying when things go wrong then based on this discussed comment and the statement Harden made, I will put more blame on him now because this is in essence what he is alluding to himself. If Harden wants to be labeled the "man" with Howard then he will get everything that comes with being the "man" and that is the good and the bad.

 

Nothing to see here. We have a confident sports star. Michael Jordan is probably one the biggest A-holes of all time. Harden is not on Jordan's level as a basketball nor is he as big an A-hole, so it's a fair comparison.

 

Fixed

 

Accurate and rational or not, it's bad leadership skills. What if your boss told you point blank that you're replaceable and that your company could easily swap you out for a new hire and it wouldn't even make a difference?

 

I don't see the problem. It's true.

 

I agree. You actually gave me a strange PTSD flashback to Tracy McGrady essentially shifting the blame for losses to the guys he had to play with. Not that he ACTUALLY did that, but I just seem to remember him not having this quality you are referring to.