The “give me Harden over FVV” takes are embarrassing

I thought his contract was up this year
It seems it is up next year (End of 25-26)

Rocket River

 

You need to stop. Nobody is calling Harden a "locker room cancer".

 

Agreed. And FVV has a more flexible contract. Harden wanted a long term max extension.

 

For all the people who talk about Harden not being able to develop kids, notice that Clippers forwards and centers have excelled beyond their talent level with him. I don't doubt that Harden probably don't mesh with Green well if you think Green can be an on-ball superstar, and perhaps Harden would interfere with Amen's PG duties. But Sengun, Jabari, Tari and even Amen when playing off-ball, players who benefit from being set up, would've definitely developed more with someone like Harden.

 

the Rockets are easily better with Harden in place of FVV, and the Clippers wouldn’t even be a play-in team with Fred

 

So stupid.

If Harden is the better player no sht, the better player will be better for the team development long term. Harden whole fking career is raising the floor of scurb players. Like all of a sudden he couldn't teach the youngsters how to b better? Ridiculous.

 

that’s just the narrative they go with when they’ve got nothing else…literally grasping at straws

 

Again, it was never about what they were going to accomplish this year. That is revisionist history. It was ALWAYS about developing a team of young talent. Now you may disagree with that strategy but that is a different question.

Just so we are clear:
FACT: The Rockets currently have a better record than the Clippers.
OPINION: Rockets are "easily better with Harden in place of FVV"

 

Why is it a given that the "better" player is better for team development?

The Rockets don't have "scrub" players. The Rockets have young players that can develop into stars. How many stars has Harden allowed to develop under his tutelage?

Plus FVV has a more flexible contract. Harden wanted a long-term max extension.

The goal has always been to develop the team long term. Any of ya'll that think THIS season was the marker for success/failure is moving the goal posts.

 

QUESTION:
The Rockets have a better roster than the Clippers
Fact or Opinion or Fiction?

Rocket River

 

This is such a stupid argument if you know anything about NBA contract structures. Even if you assume Harden would've asked for a 4yr contract to sign with the Rockets instead of FVV's 2yr + Team Option back 2 years ago, the Rockets would've had more than enough money to absorb that length. It's in year 5 (Amen's almost-certain Max Extension kicking in) when a potential dead salary may hurt the team. This is the reason why the Rockets are trying to extend FVV, and that extension is probably 2 years, because they have room and they have to spend money somewhere until their youngsters all get big paydays.

 

What does "better" mean? They have two hall of famers and currently have plenty of experienced players.

In the NBA, if you have the "better" alpha dog, that usually translates into having the better team. Said another way, "most" NBA champions win because they have the best player on the court. The Clippers have two of those guys on staff. The Rockets have none.

 

Maybe but then their flexibility is tied up. Managing a team isn't about being able to "absorb" a contract. It's about maintaining flexibility until you get into the "win now" mode. The Rockets were never in "win now" mode. As Fertitta said, they were just beginning "Phase 2" of the rebuild.

Signing Harden is a "phase 3" move. That's not where they were two years ago.

 

HoF player cant b trusted to impart his greatness down to youngsters.

What a stupid hill to die on.


Harden with this team right now will take us further than fvv. Using technicality it's an opinion but u must b delusional as fk if u think so otherwise

 

Die on what hill? The hill where the Rockets have a better record than the Clippers? lol. I'll take that hill every time and twice on Sunday. lol

But let's be clear, Fertitta and Udoka chose this hill. Not me. Don't kill the messenger.

Here are some quotes at the time:

Udoka also said that “A lot of things were very attractive about this job,” and that “Cap space is a big thing.”

- Ime Udoka (April 26, 2023)

(e.g. Signing JH kills cap space)

"We're just excited. It's phase two. Phase two was getting ourselves back into the playoffs, learning how to win again. Hopefully soon I won't be up here for anything except to tell you how great it was to win a championship. That's in phase three. So, let's have phase two right now. You had to crawl and now we're going to walk and then we're going to run. But we're all expecting a lot."

-Tilman Fertitta (April 26, 2023)

(e.g. Signing JH is a "phase three" move. The Rockets just came off a 20 win season.)

 

Say what? You can’t be serious. Harden is the only reason Clippers are still in playoff picture right now.

 

...which is 5 games behind the Rockets.

 

Harden is one of my favorite players of all time. He was the wrong fit for everybody on this team, except Sengun. FVV was a perfect match with his defense and professionalism as we were developing our young core. Now it is time for FVV to move to the bench and provide a steadying hand when the young core needs it. If they can extend him for 25M or less for a bench role, he will again be a perfect fit for this team. Before the season, I was a big proponent of trading Dillon, but he has really been great this year. I still think he would be best off the bench going forward, but it would be hard to give up his offense (can’t believe I’m saying this). I still think signing a Naz or Durant and moving FVV and Dillon to the bench would elevate us to strong contenders. Amen, Jalen, Jabari, Naz, Sengun with bench of FVV, Reed, Tari, Dillon, and Adams is pretty spicy.

 

I approve of this message. FVV was perfect at the time, 2 years ago. Next season they need to move into "Phase 3".

 

I'm not sure if Talent for Talent
the Clippers are superior
esp considering Kawhi is half man half a season

Rocket River