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Woj: Harden Return?

Discussion in 'Houston Rockets: Game Action & Roster Moves' started by Htown Legend, Dec 25, 2022.

  1. kjayp

    kjayp Contributing Member

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    theoretically - maybe...
    but thing is... its just a ruse - he aint comin back here... period.
    he's a narcissistic sob that only cares about himself and doesnt care who he screws with in pursuit of him getting what he wants...
    Blames wants another fat contract + getting his ass kissed + high visibility for his brand...
    he aint comin back here...
    this is just another Bosh situation...
     
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  2. Aruba77

    Aruba77 Contributing Member

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    I think Harden’s return has to be a legit consideration for these reasons:

    •. We actually have to start winning next year
    •. He fills a big gap at a position of need
    •. We have a lot of cap space and are unlikely to find enough quality FA’s worth spending it on.

    look he doesnt really fit our rebuilding timeline, but he would help our team win next year. Right now we have too many players we are developing and need some veteran stability. Obviously if we draft Scoot this really wouldn’t make sense. But it’s not the worst idea if we can get one last cornerstone in the draft and want to pivot to winning. A Turner/Harden Free agency get (with a new coach) would be huge for winning.
     
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  3. The Cat

    The Cat Contributing Member

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    Some of the laziest analysis I've ever seen in that piece. For starters, there's zero reference to the pending draft-pick package due to OKC, which changes the calculus compared to many rebuilds. Beyond that...

    Frankly, it probably wouldn't even if Harden was going to age well. Houston's two most prominent young players are Jalen Green and Kevin Porter Jr. Both are extremely high-usage guards. The Rockets have encouraged that in the hopes that it would foster development. Porter ranks 20th in the NBA in touches per game at 79 per game.

    Are we really acting like Kevin Porter Jr. is a more prominent young player than Jabari Smith Jr.? Are we seriously acting like giving KPJ that many touches per game is warranted and a good thing?

    For most national writers, their knowledge of the Rockets is insanely surface level and amounts to "just give touches and reps to these young players for years and years and then it'll all miraculously just fall into place, just because."
     
  4. kjayp

    kjayp Contributing Member

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    all it may cost you is some pride...
    if u wanna be the guy begging your ex to come back - in front of your current + the whole world... just to be used like a tool one last time.... thats your prerogative i guess...

    i have zero desire to help Blames Hard-on further line his pockets... screw that narcissistic self centered sonovabitch... i hope he ends up living under a bridge - like the troll he is... at least then his beard will match his situation... lol!
     
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  5. NIKEstrad

    NIKEstrad Contributing Member
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    if Harden leaves Philly for nothing, they have a virtually guaranteed lost year in 23/24. Tobias Harris and Embiid will make a combined $87 million. Even if they can move other pieces around, it’s unlikely can create enough flexibility to build a contender. You almost force Morey to trade Embiid and start a rebuild.

    Between the lost pick, the likely positive revenues of the return of Harden, and sticking it to Morey, I can see the appeal of a Harden signing for this ownership.
     
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  6. #4 IceCreamMan

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    This would make ZERO sense unless Rockets were even close to contending or just wanting to Pad more wins in 23 since our 2024 pick is owed to OKC, why would we want Harden back with an already crowded roster full of development players that Silas or any other new Coach can’t find minutes or shots for?
    So let me get this straight it would be Harden with a bunch rookies going from 22 wins to what 32? And then what? next Christmas a report comes out that Harden wants to leave again to another team because he is not happy No thanks !!!
    I’m sure this is smoke from Hardens Camp to get 76ers to bite and give him a crazy contract , why would Harden want to come back to Team he quit on and demanded trade from in top of that play with a bunch of rookies!!
     
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  7. sirjesse

    sirjesse The Udoker has spoken!
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  8. Handles

    Handles Member

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    People calling him washed aren’t paying attention. He’s no longer in his prime but he’s still a hell of a player and his basketball IQ will keep him in the game for a while.
     
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  9. Hemingway

    Hemingway Member

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    It really depends on how many years Harden would want. We have room for 2 max contracts, but no way I’m paying Harden for more than 2 years. Harden is playing real good basketball right now. If we could snag him for 2 years 80m then you do that, unless Scoot is your pick. If it is anyone else:

    Harden, KPJ, tyty
    Green, KPJ, JGup
    KJM, Tari, draft pick?
    Jabari, Tari, Draft pick?, Garuba
    Sengun, Draft pick?, Fernando

    If Wemby:

    Harden, KPJ, tyty
    Green, KPJ, JGup
    Jabari, Tari
    Wemby, Jabari, Garuba
    Sengun, Wemby, Jabari

    Harden by himself with the youngsters at minimum makes the play-in. This is probably a 4-5 seed as is without any other signings.

    People seem to forget the Brooklyn picks line-up perfectly when we don’t have our pick and just because they are doing well this year those picks are still Gold.

    Stone has done a masterful job with the draft and setting up for the future. Just needs to make better trade decisions and coaching decisions. Hell with Harden on the floor, Silas may be ok.
     
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  10. hakeem94

    hakeem94 Member

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    either dumb or rigging games ...dont want him in either case
     
  11. harold bingo

    harold bingo Udoka Only Fan
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    You're giving up on Jabari being a star already? That seems a little premature.
     
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  12. hakeem94

    hakeem94 Member

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    [​IMG]

    dude he lost in playoffs to max struss, martin caleb and gabe vincent while having an unicorn superstar help...HELOOOO BRAIIIIINN!!

    and its not like he has no abundant history of losing and being shut down by inferior undrafted(lol!!!) players in his prime and peak...

    harden bbiq is not high....
    he doesnt understand such important bb concepts of staying in shape, teamball (not talking about assist or my turn your turn game), importance of midrange, 3 pt being a fools gold, importance of not settling for 3s instead of attacking the rim, shooting 3s only when in rhythm or at least when not cold....importance of defense and hustling, importance of not relying on the refs...

    he only has deep understanding of some minor parts of game that enable him to statpad... not a high bbiq player by any stretch of imagination...

    he may last long in nba up to his 40 tho... because nba teams are dumb and not placing emphasis on winning...not a player i would want on my team especially team full of young players...
     
  13. shocky2002

    shocky2002 Member

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    People gotta realize that he'd never come back to the current regime. There's no way he's going to just "mentor" a bunch of 20 year olds. If he comes back, there's gonna be trades. He's going to demand another superstar immediately so they can contend.
     
  14. MadMax

    MadMax Contributing Member

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    I did before he was even drafted.
     
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  15. Hemingway

    Hemingway Member

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    Then you say go pound sand. He returns under our conditions, not his. With Harden they make the playoffs and in a year they are in contention.
     
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  16. SamFisher

    SamFisher Contributing Member

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    Lol, "pride" - hahaha what are you talking about dude. This isn't Marcellus Wallace talking to Butch

    Nobody involved here cares about you or me or your pride, whether it's a multi billionaire like Tillman buying a 3rd super yacht or a 100 millionaire like Harden buying a 3rd champagne room.

    As far as your pride goes, you can take your pride and you and Sam Quinn and @J.R. and your pride can all watch the Rockets sign John Wall or Reggie Jackson and tank again next year, for the fourth consecutive year, and then watch as OKC reaps the rewards in the summer.

    Me, I'd rather Tillman take the risk of reducing his hereditary billions by an infinitesimal amount and try to actually win a game rather than the 4th straight year of the KPJ experience.
     
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  17. SamFisher

    SamFisher Contributing Member

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    Oh absolutely. The pre draft concern that he wasn't athletic enough was absolutely spot on, despite me dismissing it. He could still be an all star caliber cog in the machine like Rashard Lewis but a 6-11 guy who can't play above the rim or in the post pretty much rules out the whole "drag the team on his back" thing
     
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  18. J.R.

    J.R. Member

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    Thanks Jim!

    I know what we need to do. I know exactly what we need to do!
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
    SWAG CHAMPS ON THREE!
     
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  19. JayGoogle

    JayGoogle Member

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    The thing is this. No chance he signs a 2 year deal for us. I understand he loves the city, still lives here, etc....but if Philly is offering him 2 years and Houston is offering 2 years then he's not choosing us unless we already have some other big move planned to make us a contender right away.

    If we get Harden it will likely be us overpaying for him but the thing is...would that necessarily hurt us? We'd still have cap space to make big moves and our future contender status depends on if Green and Jabari (And Maybe Sengun) can become star players any ways. Like everything is dependent on those guys and our potential pick next year anyways.

    All Harden would do is be our vet PG. Him being here is not going to stop us contending in 5 years...5 years from now is when we are supposed to be an elite team and 5 years from now is when Green, Sengun, Bari, etc will be entering their primes. Harden IMHO helps that. He makes the game easier for everyone and finally the team can settle into set roles and get playoff experience.

    I think you think about it in the terms of building around our young core, having one of the best playmakers on your team is something that is hard to turn down.

    I just don't see the downsides, even if it is a 5 year deal, I don't see the downsides of it.

    We can't assume that some other big star is going to want to play with us, if Harden does again, you jump at it.
     
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  20. Tfor3

    Tfor3 Member

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    i like pie
     

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