I'll make it even easier for you. The following was in response to CH when he actually halfway began to respond instead of run and hide. Of course, after this (and several others pointed to the flaws in his argument) he quit posting.
Idk if I condone what studogg is saying towards CH, but it is nice to see him post something serious.
It's really just a speculation article with no basis in fact. The dog days of summer: just make **** up.
Count me among those that don't get it. He's coming off a knee injury, he can't shoot 3s or FT's, if you're going to pay someone max money you would expect he doesn't have big holes in his game like Rondo does.
- I actually stepped outside for a few hours at the time studogg posted the reply on the Sampson quote. I read it, but was doing something else and was not going to post anything of any length while I was out-- not via a mobile device at least. Then when I finished and got indoors, I kind of forgot about the thing and a bunch more posts were made in the cyberx thread talking about other stuff (a bunch of the stuff was basketballhollic and other people yelling at each other, I think... didn't read those carefully). I'm pretty sure this isn't all that atypical of how people read and participate in discussions on this board. There are a bunch of conversations going on, I'd read and reply to some and not others just because of whatever I was doing at the time and whether I have an actual keyboard to type on or just a 4.5 inch touch screen. Sometimes I might even want to reply to something and then forget about it later. It isn't all about you. So relax. - As for the Sampson quote itself: First, I never said that Harden will not improve-- something that you'd know if you read what I posted in the past (which you may or may not have because not everyone has to read every thread and every post on the board or remember the stuff that they read). He may, he may not. The issue, as it is with almost all player projections, is a matter of probabilities. While Sampson sounded optimistic about Harden's potential improvement on defense, I doubt that even Sampson would guarantee 100% that substantial improvement will happen within the next year or two. And there are plenty of facts that would make one at least have some doubt as to how high the probability of Harden's improving on D is: First, while some players (like Lebron James as Sampson mentioned) do put in more effort on D and become more mature players as they age, this doesn't happen as a matter of course. Some very talented guys never really "get it"-- Steve Francis and Tracy McGrady, for example. Second, Harden had probably his worst season defensively as a 5th year veteran, on a team with Dwight Howard who declared an intention to make a deep playoff run. And his lack of consistent focus and effort lasted not only the course of the season, but also a tight playoffs series-- when the stakes were very high. This makes one doubt whether he has the mental focus and physical stamina to be a star offensively while also playing at least decent defense for 35-40 mpg as one would expect from a franchise player on a title team. Third, Harden has not reacted well to criticism or showed a willingness to accept them and improve. Sampson had to go "back and forth" with Harden all year and the results really hasn't shown yet. Harden also has a habit of running out of the locker room before media enters after a bad game, got defensive when Fran Blinebury questioned his games 1 and 2 performance, and would refuse to admit to taking a bad shot or getting sticky with the ball when these things happen-- and more importantly, he kept on doing these things rather than adapting. These don't guarantee that Harden won't change in the future, but they are the kind of pieces of information that teams consider when evaluating and projecting a player (whether a rookie to be drafted or a veteran player) and they show that there is a risk that Harden will continue to be stubborn and won't become substantially different or better. Also, as a coach, one would expect that Sampson would use a more optimistic tone in talking about his former player-- Not only because Sampson has a personal relationship with Harden that he'd want to maintain (who wants to throw a friend under the bus?), but also because it would be a bad move professionally to sound too negative about a past player as it is not good for recruiting future players. Thus, the criticism voiced by Sampson (most likely an objective observation) carries more significance than the optimistic outlook that Sampson voiced (may reflect an attempt to be polite, or speak in a professionally acceptable/beneficial matter).
Well, if he is healthy the Celtics will ask for too much for us to pay in a trade. If he is not healthy the Rockets would not really want him. Overall I don't see a match.
The last time he was healthy and making his teammates significantly better was maybe 4 years ago. Last season, his points created/(assist opportunity+turnover) was 1.03 points created per assist opportunity+turnover. Harden is at 1.18 points created per assist opportunity+turnover. Considering the Rockets are at ~1.09 points per play, I'm not seeing the huge upgrade. I would expect Rondo's numbers to improve on a better team, but he isn't showing the ability to create easy opportunities for his teammates.
The answer lies in the Bledsoe negotiations.....and they're taking a long time while getting nastier. But, we ARE upgrading PG.....That hasn't changed.
(and as it relates to your post, the exact same could be said for Love's trainer. As the trainer's opinion was the basis for your assertion - why would you take his words of validity and then dismiss those of a coach. Last I checked, a coaches opinion on a players potential is much greater than a trainers.) Carl - if this was a singular time you had done this, I'd agree, but you have a history of engaging in initital discussions with me and then walking away from the keyboard and finding excuses when things don't go your way. I would chalk it up to your busy personal schedule, but you post on the board all day long and seem to be very selective as to when you choose to respond/ignore. Moreover, as I've said in the past to which you took a humourous shot at me calling you a noteable poster - my frustration with your recent posting history has nothing to do with having a difference of opinion and I generally found a ton of value to your posts in the past regardless of if I agreed with them. This is a message board and everyone is entitled to their own opinion and it's what makes the discussion fun. What frustrates me and many others is a continual spamming of the opinion and finding any circumstantial evidence you can manipulate to back your posturing while never actually engaging in a discussion regarding the subject. At the end of the day basketball is simply a game and the outcome is determined on the court and not a message board. And even the smartest, most intellectual and observantly keen of us will be prone to stupid posts and incorrect observations occassionally. It is when we take that opinion against a player, GM, Coach and ram it down the boards throat in every thread that it becomes unbearable. I've likened your recent posting tantrums to that of DD at his worst. He recieved a timeout and has really toned back. Just recently, I've noted that others have pleaded for you to recieve a timeout and even a moderator concurred but indicated that is clutch's call. I offered you a bet a while back that if you would just stop posting your negativity until the season and let the play do the talking that I'd offer something up. I'll take it a step further. If you quit your rant about the Harden's D, Morey's inneptness, and poor interpretations of meaningless quotes for also rans and stick to quality posts until play resumes - then let James Harden's play do the talking- for your troubles I will personally offer to quit posting on the board ever again if Harden doesn't show a marked improvement in his defensive intensity and overall play during the upcoming season. If he doesn't, not only will I stop posting, but you can throw out whatever shots you want at JH unadulterated without ever having to worry about another sarcastic jab from me. The same thing I've been begging for now for awhile. Communicate about what's real. Make your point on what's subjective and move on. It's really quite simple.
well I tried to rep you, but it says i have to spread some rep around or some crap. Rep was meant to say "I wasn't really going to look through your comments. 'twas a joke -pk"
I was one of the ones asking for this... There becomes a point where enough is enough. At times CH does bring value to this board but that has totally fallen off within this past season and summer.
