Woj: Rockets want to trade Harden "sooner rather than later"

Reaffirms that this should be our options in order of preference:
1) Keep Harden
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.
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2) trade for Jaylen Brown
3) trade for MPJ

 

Memories--I miss me some Carlos Delfino!

 

Siakam and Wood with lot of Alley oops would be fun as you rebuild around these 2 bigs.

 

not another harden rumor from a fake page ‍♂️

 

In before ‘Tilman leaked this to SI/Howard Beck to make [Harden] look bad.’



[...]

Since the moment Harden’s demand became public, we’ve obsessed over potential destinations: Brooklyn? Miami? Philadelphia? Milwaukee? Portland? But the most critical question isn’t “Where will Harden land?” but rather, “What he’s willing to do when he gets there?”

If Harden gets to Brooklyn, reportedly his top preference, would he give up shots and some control to mesh with Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, two of the league’s most dominant scorers?

If it’s Milwaukee, would Harden be comfortable playing off two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo, who controls every aspect of the Bucks’ offense, and whose usage rate last season (37.5) was even higher than Harden’s (36.3)?

If it’s Miami, would Harden bend to the discipline and structure of #HeatCulture and an offense that thrives on beautiful ball movement?

If it’s Philadelphia (and presuming Ben Simmons is sent to Houston), would Harden feed franchise savior Joel Embiid enough to keep him happy? Or reduce him to a glorified screener?

Can Harden, one of the most ball-dominant players in NBA history, scale back, adapt, compromise, evolve? Does he even want to?

As ESPN analyst Jalen Rose recently put it, Harden’s game is “an acquired taste,” whose style doesn’t easily mesh with that of other stars.

What does Harden want? It’s not altogether clear, because he has not publicly explained his trade demand. The presumption is he wants to win a championship and has lost faith in the Rockets’ ability to get him there. But is that truly his goal? And is he willing to make any concessions to achieve it?

For eight-plus seasons in Houston, Harden has enjoyed absolute control on the court and, well, “Whatever James wants” off it. He did not bend for Dwight Howard, or for his erstwhile buddy Chris Paul, or for his childhood bestie Russell Westbrook. When the Rockets hired Mike D’Antoni—who gained fame with a ball-sharing offense that is the antithesis of Harden’s iso-ball domineering—it was the coach, not the player, who compromised.

For eight years, Rockets general manager Daryl Morey made every trade, signing and draft pick with Harden in mind, massaging and sometimes contorting the roster to maximize his franchise star (and keep him happy).

On balance, it worked out pretty well. The Rockets had the league’s third-best record over that eight-year span (behind Golden State and San Antonio), made the playoffs every season and advanced to the Western Conference finals twice.

Harden has collected three scoring titles, seven All-NBA awards, an MVP trophy … and zero Finals appearances. He is one of the greatest scorers of all time and still one of the most feared players in the game. But that greatness does come with caveats and concerns.

Harden leads the league in usage (the percentage of team possessions used) over the last five years, and his ball dominance only increased when he was paired with another All-Star guard, first Paul (in 2017), then Westbrook (in 2019). Harden’s usage rate from 2017–18 through last season is an eye-popping 37.7—a full four points higher than the next batch of players (Antetokounmpo, Westbrook, Luka Dončić and Joel Embiid).

It’s perhaps reductive to say Harden’s hyperdominance has held the Rockets back. They might well have won a title in 2018, if not for Paul’s hamstring injury in the conference finals. They might have won multiple titles if not for a salary-cap fluke that allowed the Warriors to sign Durant.

But these counterfactuals ignore Harden’s role in the Rockets’ postseason failures. He’s dominated the offense, but often misfired in big moments. Whether that’s due to fatigue, predictability or defenses keying in on him, it points to the same issue: An offense tailored to a single individual has little room for error.

To win a championship, Harden probably has to sacrifice a bit—and there’s considerable skepticism around the league that he’s willing.

“I don’t think he is,” says a veteran executive with an Eastern Conference team. “James is like Allen Iverson: He wants to win his way and put up historical numbers while he’s winning. I would never question their desire to win, but they all want to win on their terms.”

A Western Conference exec echoed those doubts, saying, “It’s hard for me to envision him playing any other way,” although he added, “I’m not sure if that’s him or the Rockets” insisting on that style.

Harden’s advocates point to his Sixth Man of the Year award as proof of his selflessness and adaptability. But that honor came in 2011–12, when Harden was a 22-year-old reserve for an Oklahoma City team led by Durant and Westbrook. When you’ve been a franchise star and a perennial MVP candidate, it’s hard to take a step back.

[...]

What’s Harden willing to do to achieve it? What’s he willing to sacrifice? How many shots? How much control? Would he play off the ball? Those questions are more difficult to answer.

Harden isn’t the first NBA star to struggle with sacrifice.

Iverson was never entirely comfortable as Carmelo Anthony’s costar in Denver—and his later refusal to become a sixth man cut short his stints with Detroit and Memphis, hastening his (arguably premature) retirement at age 34.

Anthony struggled to mesh with Westbrook and Paul George in Oklahoma City, and also bristled at the thought of playing off the bench before finally accepting a complementary role with Portland.

Kobe Bryant dominated the Lakers’ offense long after serious injuries had reduced his effectiveness—making it tougher for the franchise to attract other stars. But Bryant, by then, also had five rings and had made his share of compromises to win with Shaquille O’Neal and later Pau Gasol.

When you’re one of the greatest athletes on earth, it’s hard to willingly do less. But there’s a reckoning that every star has to have, Allen says. It often comes in a player’s early 30s, after he’s satisfied all his individual goals.

“There's a point where you have to be real with yourself and ask yourself, `What do I need to do to move to the next level?’ ” Allen says. “A lot of guys say they will make those changes and adjustments. But it’s a difficult, difficult process, and you have to make a huge sacrifice.”

There are plenty of recent examples: Stephen Curry’s, a two-time MVP, recruiting Durant to the Warriors in 2016; Dwyane Wade’s ceding the alpha role to LeBron James in Miami in 2010; and of course, the harmonic convergence of Pierce, Garnett and Allen in Boston in 2007.

All of them sacrificed some individual glory. All of them won titles.

In an interview last year, Harden said he wanted “multiple championships,” to be in the conversation with Wade and Bryant, to build an enduring legacy. He insisted he would do so in Houston, that he had no interest in joining a superteam somewhere else.

Fourteen months later, Harden asked the Rockets to trade him, preferably to a team with multiple stars. Things change quickly in the NBA. Perhaps it’s not too late for James to evolve on the court, too.

“Would he be willing to come together with a new group of guys and trust that they can carry him as much as he thinks that he can carry them?” Allen says. “Everybody gives something up that they don’t want to give up.”

In another context, maybe Harden would play more like Curry, alternating between primary ballhandler and roving marksman, shimmying through screens in a flowing offense. Maybe he’d shave a few percentage points off that usage rate. Maybe he’d stop chasing scoring titles.

“I believe he’s capable of doing it,” Allen says. “You got to ask yourself: What do you truly want?”

Where will Harden land? That depends on some ineffable mix of market forces, leverage, patience and negotiating tactics. Will a championship follow? That part is up to Harden.

 

media conspiracy

 

Going back to a 6th man role, or at least 30 minutes per game with limited shot attempts.

Young Harden was the more reasonable guy, he was forced to think that way.

Durant in Golden State was an ISO guy, a free ghost, while Curry, Klay, Draymond, Iggy were running loops searching for the best shot possible.

 

If it's not to play in Houston? I don't care.

If he wants out, send him to Boston if they will still give the Rockets Jaylen Brown after his hot start.

 

Never gonna happen at least right now. Harden is at worse a Championship team's second best player. He's shown nothing that makes me think otherwise. That's always been the problem here.

 

I only said it if it was a Durant, Harden, Kyrie thing, when one of them has to make sacrifices.

It's either Kyrie or the Beard. Kyrie's best quarter should be the 4th, he can rest the other 3.

 

Harden is not going to change his playing style at 31 years old. He never ran around screens like Curry when he was younger and springier, he sure as hell ain't going to be doing that now that he has lost a lot of quickness and gained size.

If anything his usage would just go down and he would play less minutes, but he will still be the most effective with the ball in his hands. Watching him plod around screens even now is painful. I honestly don't get why people want him to even do that, he barely gets that open when he does run around screens, and even then he just holds the ball instead of actually pull up for a shot

 

After one bad game that he was playing on one healthy ankle the leeches are out again

 

Except Siakam hasn't been good. Raptor fans are not happy.

 

So so so so so FRICKEN spot on.

DD

 

That's true. You rarely see Harden do catch and shoot anymore, except maybe in a broken play. Even when he catches that ball off screen, he almost never just shoots it. I don't think it's because he can't. It's just habit, sizing up the defense, beating his man, etc.

If Harden is going to play in a different style offense, he has to shed some of his habits forming over the past 8 years.

The article is probably too negative. But it will be interesting to watch how Harden plays out his prime years, which is about two or three years. Is he going to be Ray Allen or Allen Iverson?

 

Its amazing after admitting the bolded the still had to write everything else.

So Embid would be a glorified screener yet Capela averaged 19 ppg with Harden and Wood is now averaging 25 ppg.

Makes total sense.

I have never seen a player get reported on like this, it's usually a guy who barely makes the playoffs or never wins.

I mean really WTF did Harden do to these people they can't even report the facts, yes there is a slight question if Harden can play with others as talented as him but he done more than all of the guys mentioned on his own with less but yet he needs to change?

 

Spot on?

How is it spot on that Embid would be a glorified screener when Wood is eating so well or that Capela averaged 19ppg?

 

I also think you need to be skinny, quick and have a really special release to be an Allen or Curry. Harden is so far from that it's not even funny. Harden is built like a tank who is made to absorb contact and finish in the lane, he's probably below league average in pure quickness and hops.

I think Harden will age as well as his 3 point shot. We already see that when he is injured he really struggles to get by defenders like before. If he can't consistently shoot 3's he will not be effective.

Anyway my hope for Harden is that he develop a post game in his later years when his first step inevitbally declines. I don't have my hopes up about him ever moving without the ball

 

Harden needs to do LESS for this team to do more collectively.

DD