I'm only okay with this depending on the contract Harden gets. You can't rely on him to be consistently efficient in the playoffs. That's just the truth. However. There's still value there in the regular season to help this young team get more wins. Harden just needs to take a backseat when it comes to the amount of shots he gets per game. He can still drive and get to the free throw line, though. If he's a facilitator first then I'm on board with this.
Harden is asking for the max or near max and signing him for that is the dumbest move this org can make this off-season, especially when the next off-season the free agents are stacked. Signing Harden likely means we aren't drafting Amen, trading the pick instead. Sengun is now expendable since he doesn't fit an offense where Harden dribbles the air out of the ball. Also, **** defense.
He'll have to adjust on a per game basis. If he knows his shot isn't falling. Stop forcing it and look to pass more.
He just won the assist title with a guy who takes a lot of shots. He only averaged 14 shots per game. He can adapt to any style. He is top 5 in passes. Also depends on what style will be played.
We know how good of a passer he is. I just want him to have more of a pass first mentality compared to his last stint with the Rockets. Especially in games at critical times when he's not shooting efficiently.
Are we talking about the season he was traded? He was leading the league in assists when traded. Those other scoring days were in his prime, he is not in that anymore and he played any role the team wanted him to. He doesn't get enough credit for his adaptability.
Agreed. That's why it just comes down to the money for me. Paying him 40+ mil a year to be less of a scorer and more of a passer? I'm not sure.
I'm still going to say that he's using the Rockets as a leverage point for a sign and trade to the team he really wants to go to. He's telling Daryl "trade me to LAC/PHX/etc or I'm walking to Houston and you're not getting any assets back". How does it make any sense for him to come back to a non competitive team at age 34? Yeah, the lifestyle matters for him but so does playing good basketball and competing for at title, for his legacy (otherwise he wouldn't have left in the first place) And the fact that this whole thing was so out in the open. His camp is clearly the one that's been leaking this stuff out. there's just got to be deeper purpose to it.
I am in on James at these deals but they keep getting worse as you add years. 2yrs - 90m / 3yrs - 120m / 4yrs - 155m If he wants more I am fine taking our 60M and looking at Van Fleet, Middleton, Vucevic, Grant, Clarkson, Bridges. Personally would overpay a few million a year for Draymond on a 2 or 3 year deal.
Plan is maybe to sign Harden and trade number 4 and Sengun for a player like DeAndre Ayton or Robert Williams.
Perhaps they know how bad the Rockets need a PG and want them to take a wing or forward in the draft.
No thanks. I do appreciate all Harden did when he was with the Rockets before but he is not right for this team . Defense is required for any team with playoff aspirations and he just doesn’t have that in his bag; I also can’t see our new coach buying into this move.
Who in 2024? I don't like this 'Let's just wait till next year, the (draft) (FA Class) will be so much better!" I feel like there's a all-star right here that we can get that makes the team much much better, why wait? The guy you are waiting on in FA could just resign for his team. The only guy there worth maxing will be Jaylen Brown and either he re-ups with the Celtics, is traded, or you'll be in competition with 4-5 other teams so pushing all your chips for another season just....the rest of the guys in 2024 are players like Porzingis or old vets like Klay Thompson who likely won't want to come to a team still building. I don't know what the deal will look like but I don't think even a 4 year deal hurts the Rockets as much as people think. It's not likely we'll get a player better than Harden in that time for that money and our guys will just be hitting their prime, meaning this Harden Rerun will be its own era. I've been for the move because I think it's better to start winning...now. We have enough young players, lets build a winning culture now. Also, for the people that will mention him choking in the playoffs... don't care. I'd rather the team GET in the playoffs and move from there. Let's see how our young guys will react to big games like that, maybe, like Murray is, they'll respond and make up for it. Maybe not. But I'd rather get there then have another season where we are arguing about who to draft.
What is the motivation for Harden to work hard/fight adversity after he gets his last contract from us while playing in a team which is not ready to content during his tenure?
