[Woj] Rockets are expanding trade discussions on Harden

What everybody on clutch fans really wants Kenny could not have said it any better...
https://amp.tmz.com/2020/12/22/kenny-smith-james-harden-houston-rockets-trade-demands/

 

If you've been playing bb this long - every day - and you haven't learned to shoot yet, then you're never going to pick it up. Just face it. Now he does have other qualities that make him desirable but not on a team that has Wall. You can't have teams playing 5 on 3 on the other end. And you can't sit Wall with that paycheck nor Simmons with his. So either Wall or Simmons has to get moved ASAP. Since we can't trade Wall this fast, our only hope of any kind of season that's not brutal to watch would be a 3-way trade where Simmons goes somewhere else for a player we can use.

And the other players from the 76ers just make a mediocre bench slightly better. It doesn't help our starters battle their starters. We might be able to cut their time, but we'll be in such a hole, it won't matter after 10 minutes of mismatched talent. And the picks will be HIGH picks - 25-30. It's very rare to find someone good in that range. Another bench player is about all you're going to get. Sure you can bundle them to move up a few spots but most teams don't need 3 25-30 players. They'd rather have 1 15-20. And while you could add them as sweeteners in a trade, after trading Harden (and most like PJ), we won't have much left to trade. What's Boston done with their treasure trove of picks?

Keep Harden warts and all until the right package comes along. I see a disgruntled Harden >>>> Simmons on this team. Tell Harden to be patient, play within the system and if he still wants to move, we'll find him a good home before the deadline but we aren't trading you for garbage or players that don't make sense.

 

It’s painfully obvious we’re going to be disappointed with the return on this trade.

 

Correct.

 

Lucky for me I like Ben Simmons.

 

People talking about Ben Simmon's defense have obviously never watched him try to get over a screen.

 

that's funny, that's what James says about wearing his Rockets uniform

 

According to reports from Shams at the Athletic, James Harden and Ben Simmons have been in regular contact with one another where they b**** constantly about their respective teams.

 

How much truth is in these rumors do you think? It seems to be partly driven by the media to me.

 

After a lukewarm reception from Durant and a forced exit from Westbrook, I guess Harden needs new friends.

I hope we just go for the best picks, it really doesn’t matter which second rate star we pick up after discovering that even a perennial MVP candidate doesn’t guarantee you a shot at the title without other players of similar caliber.

 

A lot of it is half truths and taken out of context.

For example, Harden had a voice in the moves the Rockets made. However most superstars do have input and Harden did not get everything he wanted. At the end of the day Harden isn't the GM and he isn't the owner.

Another example is Harden partying. He does party, he doesn't do it every day but he enjoys to to go to clubs and concerts. He is far from the only player to do so, LeBron James did for years and there are others. Also Harden has never been arrested or been in trouble, and there has never been an issue with his work ethic or effort. Yet it it is problem when Harden does it.

Harden is late for practice. He doesn't show up half way through practice but I have heard he sometimes will be running 10-15 minutes late. Now, that has long been the case and the Rockets allowed because he was also the last one to leave practice and he was predictable about. Yet he always practiced, he didn't sit on the sideline like Paul did often and he also was always working as hard as anyone on the court.

Harden wasn't getting practice cancelled, he was excused from 3-4 practices a season, typically right before or after the All Star Break or if there was a long layover. Harden still always got his work in and practiced overall as much or more than anyone else. Yet the media said "Harden had practice cancelled" which is the biggest load of BS. Now could Gerald Green get excused like Harden predictably did? No he couldn't because there are two sets of rules, one for 95% of the players and another set for the last 5%. A lot of star players are "excused" from practice from time to time and it doesn't get out. Hell Derrick Rose did not practice for an entire year and Rose decided before tip off if he was going to play.

So if someone wanted to say to me "Harden isn't a leader like Tim Duncan or Dirk Nowitzki" I would say, yes Harden isn't the first player to practice and he gets benefits other players do not get........ but when it comes to putting in the work, Harden is a great role model. Also if someone wants to ding Harden for having special rights, then they better do the same for Magic, MJ, Barkely, Olajuwon, Shaq, Westbrook and the overwhelming majority of players of that quality.

At the end of the day Harden is being singled out, in large part because he has always been aloof to the media and has literally asked them to leave him alone.

 

What we learned is what Daryl Morey pointed out numerous times....... it is very hard to win a title in a game ruled by team dynasties..... and almost impossible to do so without high draft picks. The highest draft pick the Rockets had under Morey was very late lottery....... even a team like the Lakers were built through very high draft picks used on Ingram and Ball (#2 and #3) that were sent for Anthony Davis.

Even the teams that are great at talent identification and development have had some high lottery picks. Look at the Celtics, Tatum was the #2 pick, Brown was the #3 pick, Smart #6, Langford #14... and they traded a #8 pick to get Kyrie Irving.

So I am not sure what the Rockets think they are going to do.

 

No Murray, No Deal.

 

Barton, Harris are like Eric Gordon like players, MPJ could very well be a great player only 22.

Nuggets do have alot of picks. I just rob em of picks and Take above players.

Not a bad deal. Not great but they do have picks you want.

Going in Next Summer Draft Owning 2 Of Pistons First round picks is gonna be nice, and Having pretty young roster with Wall, MPJ.

 

Woj bomb: Shams sucks

 

If it’s not a Nook bomb I don’t believe it or care anymore.

 

Yeah, never really bought the Murray rumor.

 

Here is a question. If Harden is traded to a contender in the east, doesn't that team become the favorite to win the east?

If so, what contending team in the east doesn't want to be the favorite?