Like I said I understand the worries and wariness of harden, but even with that I still see us making playoffs easily under harden barring any major Injuries. Folks balk and btch about the price, so we ended up with these sht signing that might not even get us into playoffs.
The pro-Harden-return crowd is now talking about Dillon Brooks contract. Yeah it's bad. Yeah, it's dumb. But it was NEVER about Harden or Dillon. It was about Harden or FVV or some other possible vet PG. The FVV contract is vastly better than a 4-year max Harden deal wanted by the pro-Harden-return crowd. Just because Stone signed a dumb contract with Brooks does not make Harden's potential albatross deal any smarter.
Just making the playoffs by picking up Harden is a shortsighted goal. It seems Ime recognized that a had the org go in a different way. You make the playoffs a couple of times with James but he’s not the type of guy to help your young players expand their games and reach their potential. He’s not a culture setter and he’s not a guy that is going to lead on the defensive end and show guys how important that end is. Whether this team makes the playoffs or not is going to be up to the young players stepping up and that’s the way it should be. These moves were really about adding real role players next to the guys you hope become stars by giving them the best chance to become stars.
Between Harden and FVV only one of them actually put up superstar numbers and it wasnt the one we signed.
But the Rockets aren't paying him to be James Harden, they decided his fit was not good enough to pursue. They paid for a VASTLY better defensive pg, with better ball security, finishes better at the rim (in their current games respectively). James edges him in assist, but he also had the luxury of Embid . The team decided to pay him for what he brings, and he doesn't get the credit for things he brings that are elite. I'm happy it went this way, and I'm excited to see Ime develop this defensive minded squad...I have my concerns for the offense, but I also believe in their core talent...if it matures properly, this team is going to be a problem for the NBA at some point. We just got a very good PG, and I didn't pay a dime to get him...
We overpaid fvv 40+ mil and we have folks including me doubting if play in is even possible. I was fine with not signing/overpaying harden bc of injury concern/culture fit, etc, but to overpay for fvv/brooks and spin it as a win/better move is just stupid/coping. I could b wrong if we overachieve and make it into playoffs, but I'm not gonna b all giddy about overpaying for the likes of fvv and brooks. Getting jilted by Lopez isn't all fine and dandy either
Only serious anti-Harden cultists would prefer paying FVV and Brooks over 60 million per year instead of giving Harden a contract for 3 years at FVV kind of money. I mean, I get it, he left in bad terms and burnt his bridges, but both those players together are nowhere near the caliber of Harden. What's done is done but not very impressed with Stone so far in free agency. I do dig uncle Jeff for 6 million and a couple of the other more judicious moves that may pan out, but the main moves were not good.
You are talking in emotional terms. I can do the same. "I get it. Harden made the Rockets relevant for so many years. You guys just love him and want to see him in Rockets uniform again." But it's not about that. It's about the future of the team. Harden with a 4-year max will tie our hands when the young guys are ready to compete (if they will ever be ready). You guys keep saying how much better Harden is than all the other available PGs. That's an extremely shortsighted view blinded by your Harden love. It's not about how good they are NOW, but what they and their contracts will look like 2 years from now. VanVleet's 2-year guaranteed deal is exactly what we want. The amount of money is not the issue because we would have to spend anyway. I was never against getting Harden IF he would accept a contract no longer than two years. I don't think that's what he would take. Otherwise, Morey would have already signed him. Also, even if we signed Harden to 45M per year, it would not have prevented Stone from getting Dillon Brooks for a 4-year-80M deal. Those two aren't mutually exclusive.
Strictly speaking without any emotional attachment on the situation, Harden and Brooks would be a whole lot better than FVV and Brooks. Harden by himself is better than both. The people who are claiming FVV/Brooks is better than Harden are not doing it on talent alone, and for the next 4 years Harden will be better than both put together. After that, due to age and decline, Brooks out of the three might be the best, but that's about it.
Silly take, Lin got a ring playing for the Raptors too. We aren't winning a ring with FVV. Hell, it's not even certain we would even make the playoffs. You know who I WOULD have bet money on to take us to the playoffs? The guy you refuse to take a chance on.
Signing Harden would not have prevented us for keeping any of Green, Sengun, Bari, Tari, Amen, or Cam. It COULD have helped their development playing next to someone who does know how to run an offense, especially the pick and roll.
Wow... way to hugely undersell this. Harden does not just edge FVV in assists. FVV isn't even in the same solar system in comparison as a playmaker.
thats prob true... but Bobby Brown mighta found his way back into the league... or we'd get some other Harden nuthugger like PJ... lol
Report: James Harden Wants A 4-Year Contract, Is Looking For ‘A Competitive Roster And The Basketball Freedom’ To ‘Be Himself’ You'd think teams would be lining up for the priv of giving the almighty Blames Hard-on a 4 yr max deal... but not so much i guess... Fool had to opt in to secure that 35.6M payday... Gee... i guess folks didnt want to give James that 'basketball freedom' lol
That's where we disagree. You think Harden's high level of play can last 4 more years. I don't. Most reasonable people don't. Or else, teams would have been lining up to try to sign him to a 4-years max. He wouldn't have to opt in for his PO of 35M. This is where you guys look like your emotional attachment to Harden is blinding you to reality. He is not able to find any team willing to give him long term contract, including Houston and Philly.
