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

Anyone else find it interesting he used the word "cornerstone"? In order to have corners you need at least 3 pieces...he wants a third star too?

Ha but in all seriousness, this thread is way too long. Harden states the obvious truth -- every team is made up of pieces. Harden and Howard are pieces too: corner pieces. In order to have a team and display unity, you have to first have a collection of different pieces that work together well enough to achieve contender status.

And this is news...

 

No he didn't. OKC traded Harden because they didn't want to pay him. They picked Serge over him. Parsons was a free agent. Two different situations.

 

Yes because finding it harder to root for Harden means i no longer care about the team

Last I check, the Jersey says Houston Rockets on it and not the Houston Harden or eve the Houston Beards.

 

man chanler is showing he was always a true maverick at heart. what a little punk, there was nothing wrong with what Harden said.

 

Again, different situations. Harden has earned the right to be defended by Rockets fans (at least the ones that do). He dragged a team to the playoffs in the west which is something the great Kevin Love couldn't do. Lin had one great month. Big difference.

 

Harden will be on this team longer than anyone else on the current roster. His fate is tied to the rockets.

 

as mentioned above Harden was given an ultimatum to decide his fate - OKC ownership tried to lowball him when he already made sacrifices - he wanted a near full 4 or 5 year deal and OKC wasnt near that. They gave him a deal said he had an hour to decide to take or leave it -- when he said no they traded him. He didnt have a choice on where he would end up - Parsons is a far different story.

In addition Harden had said had OKC just paid him (instead of keeping Perkins - forget Ibaka) -- he would have been fine in the role they wanted to him

 

Remember when Ariza was a good roll player with the Lakers championship team and then we signed him to be a star player and he sucked? Much like the situation we have with Parsons except instead of getting the third best player on a championship team the Mavs got the third best player on a first round exit team. Now fast forward a few years when Ariza is traded around because he under performed the bigger contract and could not carry a team by him self. Listen to Ariza and how his mind set has changed when it was much like Parsons at the time. He has accepted his place as a good roll player that can play an important part on a championship team. Exactly what parsons was willing to accept until Fagen sold ocean front property in Arizona to Cuban. Which DM would have accepted if Bosh came here. Not because it was a fair deal for parsons, but it was the best and only option for a good SF going forward with our cap situation being what it was at the time. With Bosh declining there was only one option and that was to decline Parsons ludicrous contract It hand cuffs this team for the next few years and do we want to do that for Parsons? We seen were that takes us so it is a no, a painful no but still a no. Now he has to act like he is worth that money to fend off all nay sayers and he probably has bought into his own hype just a little. Just to many similarities to the Ariza story from a few years ago, I personally think it will have the same results.

 

It may as well say the "Houston Harden's"... This isn't football. The NBA is a star driving league and if you don't have one _ you're pretty much screwed.

 

Maybe not from you, but have you read the thread when we found out Parsons wasnt coming back? The hate was there long before the the Parsons felt disrespected comment came to light.

So what your saying is Harden basically didn't care about being on a contender or a more prominent role? That his priorities at the time was all about the money?

You should read all the comments about how Parsons sold us out all for the money in the other thread.

 

A lot of Rockets fans take Harden for granted. He is young and growing and has a big ego, surprise. Its not easy, its suppose to be hard. I don't know why everyone expects things to fall into place automatically. You have to work for it and its hard. Mchale and Morey got to get a hint that basketball is a spiritual and psychological sport, not one based solely on stats. Its not about stats, its about managing your stars properly, like Phil Jackson has. I am not sure if this organization has that skill.

 

That's what Harden was to OKC so WTF are you crying about?

 

A max contract for coming off the bench, are you insane? It's like talking basketball to a bunch of 5 year old.

 

I can't believe this thread going on for 40 pages and there would be so many apologists for Harden. What Harden said is true, but not right, just like what Morey did to Lin is ok, but not right. Sadly it seems rubbing ppl off in the wrong way is the theme of the Rox this season.

Ppl think what Harden said is no biggie because they are just FANs, not players on the team. Fans cant feel for like thoese pieces. What if Harden says that the players are what we need to win champs, not fans? it's 100% true, but how does that make you feel?

 

So does that mean I have to blindly support him when he makes leadership blunders and falls asleep on defense>?

Would Harden being a better leader and actually working on defense not make the Rockets a better team?

I don't see how I'm in the wrong when I point that out. Just because he's on the Rockets doesn't mean he gets a pass. And don't forget who is the GM of this team. Im pretty sure if Morey can get a Lebron, Durant, or CP3 for Harden, we would be waving goodbye right now.

 

Folks, say goodbye to championships!

Stars like this will destroy camaraderie and poison locker room atmosphere. They maybe the corner stones, but they aren't be the corner stone of a quality team, let alone a championship worthy one.

 

I'd feel just fine.

 

So Harden = Rockets? You are sounding more and more like the LOFs.

The double standard with some people here is hilarious.

 

Still when it came down to it Money > Winning for Harden right? I'm not faulting him for this. I would make the same choice. It looks like Chandler made the same choice too, only thing is he chose not to go to a terrible team? As much as I hate Dallas, I can respect that choice.

 

Should we start the HOF label then? Probably start the HOH one as well while we're at it