Is James Harden the second best Rockets player of all time?

As others have said, I think he's 3rd. He has a chance to overtake Moses, but 2nd is his ceiling. Jim is an amazing player, but he doesn't have the all around elite game, like Dream. Dream really was once in a lifetime.

 

If Jim wins 3 + rings, GROAT

 

Mostly agreed. IMO, Harden's worst career flaw thus far is playoffs. Moses and Hakeem didn't have that problem.

One Finals appearance as best player in HOU gets him ahead of Moses and/or 2 more seasons of similar production (8 years Rocket career vs Moses' six).

To pass Dream... 4 championships and 3 FMVPs. Hakeem's playoff resume and defensive advantage is too easy argument if Harden doesn't accomplish that minimum.

 

If he wins 3 in a row, maybe. And probably not even then. Dream has endeared himself so much in the Rockets community that he may well never be dethroned from the number 1 spot as GROAT. I love Jim, and if he proves me wrong, then that will mean great things for the Rockets.

 

if Harden won 3 rings here as the guy while putting up these MJ/GOAT statlines then I would call him the best player our franchise has had

Harden is truly an all-time great production wise, he just doesn’t have the hardware to cement his status as 1 of the game’s greatest to ever do it

 

I voted yes because those other legends were before my time. In my time, only Dream and Beard have reach this prolonged elite level in a Rockets uniform.

 

I voted no because HE IS THE BEST ROCKETS OF ALL TIME!!!!

 

Duh.

If wins two chips and an MVP he’s at Dream level. Harden’s Euro = Dream Shake just needs a signature moment. Doing it to Durant or Curry in these WCF sounds about right.

If he produces like he is now through his prime Harden might go down as top 5 offensive players of all time.

 

https://www.basketball-reference.com/leaders/bpm_career.html

 

Out of a pool of 17 candidates (players who have logged at least 10000 minutes as a Houston Rocket), here is their ranking using a composite of WS and VORP:

Code:

     Player              MP         VORP     WS        composite rating
1    Hakeem Olajuwon     42844      76.4     160.6       2.72
2    James Harden        15605      37.6     75.8        0.93
3    Moses Malone        17780      22.5     70          0.49
4    Calvin Murphy       30607      16.4     84.1        0.47
5    Yao Ming            15818      17       65.9        0.31
6    Otis Thorpe         18631      18.7     54.5        0.25
7    Rudy Tomjanovich    25714      12.8     70.4        0.25
8    Steve Francis       15024      22.9     41.4        0.24
9    Tracy McGrady       11133      18.9     33.2        0.06
10   Robert Reid         21718      15.1     40.9        0.03
11   Rodney McCray       13517      15.3     36.4        0.00
12   Shane Battier       11912      15.5     30.7       -0.05
13   Cuttino Mobley      16343      11.2     35.9       -0.11
14   Mike Newlin         17646      7.5      36.3       -0.20
15   Trevor Ariza        11870      11       23.1       -0.24
16   Luis Scola          11662      5.8      30.4       -0.30
17   Ralph Sampson       10674      7.8      20.1       -0.35

 

I'm curious who is better? Moses won mvp but Harden as a overall player is tad better.

 

@swyyyguy

 

Moses won two MVPs in HOU with no playoff decline.

If Harden wins MVP and/or has two more MVP-level seasons, he bumps Moses (as a Rocket).

Overall career, Malone is a Top 15 player. James could finish Top 20, but he'll need more postseason success.

 

No and I agree with him about people who post a direct question that could be a poll but isn't. It is annoying.

 

Well Harden should have atleast one MVP if not two. As for for production, Harden's last 4 years has been as good as Moses had been . Harden as a Rocket in the last 4 years has led the league in combined points and has gotten better every year. Anyway they are two different players. Moses may go down as the best offensive rebounder ever. He certianly was no slouch.

 

Anyone who saw Mo play knows where he is in the pecking order (and it's not in the 3rd spot).

 

Moses still

 

^the same guy who spent a whole year arguing that Paul George was better than Harden.

 

Moses? Elvin Hayes? 3rd best still being very good though.