I get why people want to bring Harden back, I just don't agree that it will turn out all that great in the long run. I also hate and I mean absolutely hate how the discourse of this site has turned into a nonstop **** show of people assuming everyone's an idiot because they disagree with eachother. Reasons to want Harden that I agree with: Best free agent on the market Insane passing skills -- top five in the NBA The skills that he has should age well because he has really good basketball IQ when it comes to running a pick and roll or how to beat a man in iso situations We are tired of losing and Harden automatically increases our wins just by being Harden Harden will get his teammates wide open looks Reasons I do not want Harden I do not believe he plays a winning style of basketball. He has won was when Harden was playing super saiyan mode (used to be an every regular season game thing!) or a All NBA teammate of his is going off in a "your turn, my turn" kind of way. Sure, put him on the worst team in the league and they'll win more games, but the young guys on the team won't really "learn" how to win like people think. Depending on Harden is not a winning strategy as we build this team right He doesn't strike me as a guy who will play within an offense, even with Ime as the coach. This could be a continuation of the first bullet, but I don't see him adapting to an offense that is more conducive to winning Every single game I watch of Harden he doesn't move AT ALL without the ball, for example. He just stands there 100% of the time. I've heard his logic behind why he does it and I just can't get behind it. Certainly this can't be good for the young guys... I can't think of a single championship star who has won this way For as great as his IQ is when leveraging an opponents body against them for a foul or reading a pick and roll he doesn't offer anything else (IQ) noteworthy to the game of basketball... or even worse... he doesn't care about it. He's not a leader, but... is somehow going to be the vet leader of this team. Don't bore me with this "but he bought his teammate a Rolex!" Nonsense either His partying will 100% catch up to him and he will miss 30-50 games per season every year moving forward. I get it, let him live it up... if he parties and the next night he drops 50 who cares, right? Well, his body cares and it's already catching up to him. This isn't a opinion on his personal life either... I could give a f less. It's just basic facts that his lifestyle will catch up to him How does he help mentor our young guys? It's scary for me to think about it. This isn't vet CP3 on OKC/Suns like people think, in my opinion Even though Harden will get his teammates wide open looks, that's all they'll do (for the majority of the game theyll just be standing there). Green and Smith aren't just spot up shooters, so they'll start to lose extremely valuable real-game reps of creating shots for themselves (or others). Rockets did a good job drafting talents like Green, Smith, Sengun, Eason... and if you do not agree with that I could 100% see why you want to get Harden. You don't believe in those young prospects. But, I do. My biggest fear with Harden isn't just the cap space he will take up, but the amount of possessions and how those possessions looks. Every play will become an iso or pick and roll where Harden stays at the top of the key which will absolutely destroy any and all off ball movement (outside of the actual pick and roll). For an example: I could absolutely see Harden and Smith playing pick and roll very often and Harden finding Smith for a wide open 3, which is GREAT (if you think Smith is just a spot up shooter). But they'll also be a lot of standing around possession after possession. The thing that's even more of my fear, on those pick and rolls, Smith will get switched up on a smaller guy around the free throw line and Harden will get switched up on a bigger. Short term you'd want Harden attacking the big, but long term you'd want Smith developing the skills of using that mismatch -- one of his best strengths is creating a shot from that spot on mismatches, it was just SEVERELY underused last year. I'd guess 90% of the time Harden will use those switches for an iso when I belive long term we should see a much heavier dose of Smith trying to create in those situations. I could make similar examples for Green or Sengun too. Harden is the second greatest Rocket I've seen and will appreciate him for what he did, but we need to move on
I think most people who want Harden back are for sentimental reasons. They try to think of a lot of seemingly rational reasons to convince themselves and ignore the most obvious problems.
Harden is a much more efficient KPJ with excellent court vision. When KPJ or Green has the ball currently everyone just stands around watching. It’s according to the draft or other trades, but I would absolutely welcome Harden on a 3 year deal at 105M. I would not go full max on him or more than 3 years. In all worlds, we need to end the KPJ Pg experiment, either through a six man role or a trade.
Yeah and watching KPJ drove me NUTS when he did it. I agree about your comment on Harden/KPJ. I actually think KPJ showed real promise when he wasn't expected to play pg for us. I also think KPJ would be more easily influenced by Ime and if he isn't then it's easy to just cut ties, whereas Harden is a former MVP, former league leader in scoring and does what Harden wants.
Harden has always been a team player. He has adjusted his game when paired with better players. He adjusted with CP3, he adjusted with Kyrie and Durant, and, he has adjusted to Embid. The whole Harden is selfish dialogue is just not true.
He then demanded CP3 be traded for Westbrook.... then demanded he be traded when that failed. He then went to Brooklyn, adjusted to KD and Kyrie so well that he demanded s trade. Then he adjusted to Embiid so well he's rumored to be bailing on them. Wonder where that selfish label came from?
I did mention that. If you are all nba type of talent, he'll let you go "your turn, my turn..." which is NOT what our guys need imo. For all other players who aren't already all nba resume it's either set the screen, shoot it when you're open, or catch a lob which might be OK if he's playing like a mega star and our roster is full of guys who are just role players. Our roster has guys whose career trajectory is far more than just 3&D role players and I have major doubts he'll contribute to those guys developing skills outside of the ones that are dependent on him. If I am wrong in that and Harden really is coming here knowing he isn't the future of Houston basketball, willing to play a totally different offensive style and understands these guys need time to develop then I'm all for it, but I don't think he'll have that patience and/or willingness.
I can certainly believe Harden is injured, but he's been getting injured more frequently. He has never really been one to take care of his body.
When he has the ball in his hand. Would Ime want or allow Harden to remain stationary out of the action without the ball?
I’m talking about on the court. He is not a selfish player on the court. As to your comment on KD and Kyrie, when they were able to play together they were great. It was Irving’s idiocy and Durant’s injuries that caused him to bail. Why wouldn’t he? We don’t really know if he is bailing on Embid, but on the court he has definitely subjugated his game to make Embid better.
As a big Harden fan I do not think he should return here. Theres a reason you dont get back with your ex once you get rid of her with a messy break up like Jimmys.
If this organization signs this dude, they deserve whatever they get... I really hope he balls out and stays or goes to Miami (rumored).
Can’t wait until they call our number on the 16th! However as much as I’m looking forward to this draft, I have the same enthusiasm for FA and it being over so we can quit talking about a JH return. 90 pages and going strong
This is a really fair write up. To be honest I've been okay with the idea of the Uncle Harden Returns arc but I think that was just the throes of losing speaking. As great as he was, and is, let him do the thing elsewhere. We got the very best of him. Hopefully he wins a ring somewhere but in a rational place I don't think he's good for the development of this team. As he really starts hitting middle/late 30s at that salary point it's going to be a shitshow and I just want to invest the time and effort into the core we tanked so mercilessly to get. Green, Eason, Sengun, Smith. Maybe Porter. 2023 draft pick. These are the guys we want to see progress. I don't care if it takes 4-5 more seasons before the Rockets are legit contenders. That's what starting over and rebuilding is about. You play the long game to have long success. Living and dying by every trade deadline and buyout got us extremely close. Drafting and giving those guys the time and space is what sustains success.
