[Bill Simmons] Harden and The History of Unhappy Stars Being Traded

Hakeem demands trade, Rockets resist - 2 championships
Pippen Demands trade, Bulls resist - 1 more championship
Kobe demands trade, Lakers resist - 2 more championships

I wouldn't mind continuing this trend...

 

I wouldn't wipe my ass with Bill Simmons.

But would not think twice on ******** on him.

 

This is why I was surprised everybody over there was repeating the Harden has been given everything mantra and that Harden wanted Westbrook gone narrative.

 

Why do people dislike Bill Simmons? I rather like him.

 

I dislike Simmons as much as the next guy, but I have to admit this video is 100% on point...if only about 10-15 years late.

 

this paragraph should be pasted on the homepage of clutchfans and at the bottom of every post:

But way back, before any of that, is a more basic question: How sure is anybody that this hasn’t all been a success? The Rockets didn’t win a championship with James Harden, and it now appears all but certain they never will. But they made the conference finals twice during a period in which they shared a conference with the most dominant team in league history, and came as close to unseating the full-strength version of those dynastic Warriors as any team that didn’t have LeBron James on it. They surpassed 50 wins five times in eight years, and 60 wins once; they had the Warriors on the brink of elimination twice in 2018. Harden won three scoring titles, made first-team all-NBA six times, won the MVP award in 2018, and finished in the top three in voting four other times in his eight seasons in Houston. How many teams have ever enjoyed that kind of run and then didn’t go through a precipitous fall afterward? LeBron left the Cleveland Cavaliers in utter ruin twice just in the past decade, for God’s sake.

From here it looks like the Rockets had a fabulously successful eight-year run with one of the greatest scorers in NBA history, and now it’s ending—for what are ultimately normal reasons: roster attrition and stagnation, coaching staff and front-office turnover, the unmistakable sense that the team has gone as far as it can and its championship window has closed.


reminds me of people making fun of "LeGM" like, if lebron was actually building cleveland, he was failing at it. oh he supposedly assembled a team that almost won the finals with their 2nd and 3rd best players hurt, then came back and beat a 73 win team in the finals, then came back and basically swept their conference before losing to the 73 win team that added a top-20 all-time player? yes, save cleveland fans from all the terrible basketball.

 

Harden is at that age where I compare to Drexler. Clyde led his team to 2 finals and couldn't get through, but he was ready to move on. I respect Harden actually giving his best years to us, but he's on the back end of his best days and earned enough respect to honor if he wants out(what i hate is very young players and in their prime players wanting out to win the easier way instead of going through the hardships like most champions before-leBrons NBA).
The way Hardens gone about it has turned me against him. He had a heavy hand in the current state of the Rockets and he wants to destroy our franchise even further in his exit making sure we're left with as little as possible.

He can repair the image if he stays and makes the effort to repair and apologize to his teammates and the fans. As of right now, im ready for it to be over and expecting the worst type of trade return. It almost never works out for the team trading away the all timer.

Wed be sitting here known as the franchise that traded Hakeem Olajuwon for Stanley Robert's. The only good enough trade I can recall was Rice, Smitty, Seikley and picks for Hakeem. Rockets said no and later called about it again and Miami said no and countered with some horrible trade.

Can history repeat itself and Harden stays and becomes an all time Houston hero on Hakeems level? Nah. Only Hakeem could be so honorable after ownership was destroying his character and reputation to save money. Hardens gone.

 

Lol sorry to Clyde but he never had a season in Houston or Portland like either of Harden's past 4 or was even close to doing so. Clyde was a perennial all star. Harden is/was a perennial MVP.

That's a big step up.

 

Kawhi Leonard completely shut down on the Spurs to get out of there and nobody gave a ****. Harden may want out, but to this point, it has yet to impact a regular season game. I’m not saying I agree with Harden, I’m disappointed in his actions this offseason, but there continues to be a massive disparity between the media coverage of James Harden and literally every other superstar ever in nearly every aspect related to basketball.

 

Clyde did play on some really good Finals teams though.

Excellent coaches as well.

 

I wasn't saying they're equals as players. I used Clyde as reference due to him ending up in Houston after that trade and similar age and both stars. Im sure Harden would take a hit to his stats to carry his team to 2 Finals appearances. Their age group is the age range of respectable and understandable trade demands to contenders. KG put in work and loyalty to Minny, so you can use KG as an example too if you want. Neither are 25 and looking to bounce due to impatience. Harden is exiting his prime and nows the time to make difficult decisions. I dont fault him for a trade demand.
BUT since you want to compare eras. I'd rather have Clyde and he could put up high scoring triple doubles yearly in this league.

 

Yes Drexler came home and won a championship. But other players "went fishing" for a championship and were not successful. To name a few, Karl Malone and Gary Payton went to Koby's Lakers and did not win a championship. Barkley came to Houston for a championship...nope, didn't happen. A trade or moving to a championship team is not always a successful way to a ring.

 

Again, I don't see the Bill Simmons hate. What, you personally feel like Bill Simmons doesn't do enough coverage of the Rockets? What's the beef?

 

Yeah interested to hear more about the Ringer Union vs Simmons. Do all of the writers/podcasters dislike him even though he set the Ringer up? I noticed he dropped Mallory Rubin from his podcasts and I really enjoyed hearing her talk NFL football

while I have to give Simmons props for things like 30 for 30, Grantland and The Ringer (and I loved reading his columns back in the day; he jumped the shark years ago when his ego exploded.

stealing this quote from a comment under and article about him union-busting:
He's basically the sports writing equivalent of an aging rock band that ran out of ideas 20 years ago and hasn't realized that despite originally being counterculture and against the industry establishment, now has become the establishment because it keeps themselves rich.

 

He very likely does not like the Rockets.

And he is a Boston homer.

Personally meh actually.

I do like the Celtics in spare time though.

 

It blows me away how many people on clutchfans dont see what a once in a lifetime talent Beard is. I wonder if Dream got any of this (not on social media) before he won a title and had a quality supporting cast. What if Dream and the Rockets had not come back down 3-1 to the suns? Or if Dream didnt block Stark's 3 in game 6 of the finals and it went in? I cant comprehend how anyone can regularly watch Harden and think he is a loser, choker, or cancer. I dont get it. Chances are he is gone, but I sure hope not.

 

Simmons forgot to mention when Pippen forced his way out of Houston. Rockets fans still boo Scottie Quiten lol.

 

I don't think there's any question about him as a player, he's absolutely a top 3 player in the league on the court, but there's plenty of room for criticism of him as a person. The image he projects is one of a loser, a clueless diva, and someone who won't take any responsibility for anything....who will throw a temper tantrum if he doesn't get exactly what he wants any time he wants it or if anyone suggests he should take any responsibility for the things he does.

We'll see what happens, but I just don't see how anyone could have any respect for Harden as a person after the way he's acted the last few years.

 

The Question: How much money does it take to give up your dream?

Most of us think playing in the NBA is the dream
but
It's not . . .. winning the Championship in the NBA is the dream

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