James Harden: - Gave up between $100m and $200m to finally be back in a winning situation/culture and with owners willing to spend like a champion BEFORE winning a title. - He was right that HOU was not a winning situation. He even admitted that his own friend (Westbrook) was not the answer. It was clear, the owner had f*cked up by bargain hunting during what should have been a title year. - He was right that BKN was not a winning situation, even though he was also part of the problem. He knew he had ****ed up with his fitness, but still brought above average defense, offense and practically led the league in assists whenever he wanted. He knew he could lose weight and get in shape, but Kyrie was not going to become more passionate about basketball. Harden is an advanced stats master. - Caused the Nets to disintegrate, the front office had no belief in this team even with Ben Simmons replacing him. Unintentionally, he's made our BKN assets amazing. This sounds like a guy who - after the Westbrook trial - just knew he could not accept conditional excuses from GM's anymore. Even now, he gave up the contract money while spending significantly on PR to put the Sixers on the clock about SPENDING the money that he is creating for them (the discount he's taking unlocks the NTMLE and BAE, but from experience with Houston having those things doesn't mean the owner will approve using them). He is ensuring the money he's not getting paid is going to acquiring winners. He has made sure everyone knows that the Sixers can and should spend all that money. That's the lesson he learned from f*cking Tilman. I can acknowledge that he took a risk with WB and it didn't pan out. I can acknowledge that there's a game here or there that he should've shown up for, just like every franchise player who doesn't go on to win the title. Just like Lebron James or kevin Durant when there's not another MVP calibre player (or two) on the floor with them. But the BS on this board about him not caring about winning, being selfish, being a chucker, never being able to grow mentally.... that's all BS. This guy has shown character and the national media is talking about it, even though he's not in NY or Cali. Give the man his flowers and give him a chance this season. His only crime was that he wasn't good enough to win it all without a co-star as good as him. He has that now, and I'll be rooting for him to get that title so that stars can see the value in giving up a few dollars now for a lot of legacy later. I wish he had learned that lesson sooner, but I'm happy he eventually got there. He has 2 years before our dynasty is in full blast. Good luck to the second best player in Rockets franchise history, a record that Jabari and/or Jalen will likely take down.
He's setting the 76ers up. He's getting PJ back for his comments, he's getting House back for abandoning the team during the playoffs, he's getting Morey back for leaving him in Houston... and he'll actually be signing with the Rockets on a very team friendly deal after filling the roster with bad contracts. If I'm wrong, who cares.
How did you come up with the $100-$200M discount? I saw he opted out of his $47M player option, but I didnt see any details around what his contract would look like. What type of flexibility are they really expecting that to add? I think hes up for a 5/$250M deal similar to Beal, but $200M discount would mean hes signing for 1/5th that? I dont think hes going to take that big of a discount, I think the story on him declining the option being for flexibility is true, but it is likely some PR spin as well. Usually when a player of this caliber does something like this there is not more than a 10% discount, and it is made up somehow in later years of their career. If this is a big discount Harden will be sitting on that Sixers bench longer than Haslem until his beard is fully gray collecting checks. I don't think they win it alll unfortunately. I can not see him taking a $200M discount to take a chance on glass Embiid, an awful coach in Rivers, and a bunch of washed up ex Rockets. If you are willing to take that big of a discount you go to maybe the Bucks, Celtics, Heat, Warriors for that type of money.
I saw Blames running up a hill in a video. I can only assume there was a stripper with a Hardee’s burger up there.
He definitely has learned the Tillman lesson. I hope he has learned the Westbrook lesson that he is a crappy GM. If so, and he wins a ring with Philly, good for him. The Rockets are in good position with an exciting future. Holding onto EITHER any animosity OR nostalgia is just a waste of mental energy.
I see no reason to talk about James Harden at all, he's got nothing to do with the Rockets. He was toxic garbage here so when he destroyed the team here we bet on him screwing over his teammates in Brooklyn and we were right and we'll reap the benefits from him being a POS. That's his only relationship to the Rockets.
That discount means nothing to me. He will make money through endorsements and other avenues. At the end of the day Harden still has to mature his game in areas he still ignores (like leadership) and develop a mindset to do the uncomfortable things on the basketball court during the crucial moments of playoff games to ultimately succeed. That has to be consistent. Even if he loses or fails we should be saying man... Harden did everything he could and left it all on the floor... blood, sweat and tears! Nobody can say that because he's simply not giving the game of playoff basketball that so until he does it then I'll say he really cares deeply about winning a championship.
We have KPJ/green/Jabari/sengun now so I honestly couldn’t care less. I don’t think I’ve been truly this excited to watch a team grow
Not much to talk about harden until he wins a ring or attempts to return. All this praising harden stuff is just gonna rile up the anti harden folks, quite unnecessary
His max went down by $50m IIRC by not staying with Houston. If he was Bradley Beal minded (i.e. doesn't give a F about winning) then he could have just been fine with losing, not bothered giving it his 100% and keep re-signing. Why fight to get Westbrook? Why fight to dump him when he's bad? Why force your way out of Brooklyn when you can just get in shape and lose while $40m Kyrie sits on the sidelines watching Harden get injured? In Philly, he's going to sign a contract exactly the amount that will allow them to keep the NTMLE and BAE. I've seen it estimated in the range I stated, happy to be corrected. Had he taken the Beal route, I think his current and future earnings would all be at insane numbers. That's the standard star these days: money first. Harden is a unique rare case these days. The other day Matt Barnes was on ESPN telling players to never ever give up money. That's why he was a role player.
Too much energy spent dwelling in the past and defending opinions. We're building something great here lets focus on the future!