Fchowder Lin troll ( von bok) can bump this thread with his numerous alt accounts but it won’t change the fact harden aint getting traded
You don't trade Harden. With that said... The Warriors have distorted the dynamic of the league so much that all the one or two Allstar teams are literally in a situation where they're asking themselves "what's the point?" It's beyond the point of just adding pieces slowly and hope that they gel at the right time (a la Dallas in 2009). Warriors being able to add KD just when the cap increased means that they aren't playing with the same rules as everyone else. It's like everyone's playing Texas Hold'em, and they get dealt 5 cards. Just think that we are a legit 65 win team that in any other year would be the favorite to win it all. However, we are talking about needing to add the second best player of all time just to compete with them. If we're in that situation, then what the hell is New Orleans going to do with AD and Boogie? Portland with Dame and CJ? Wolves with KAT and Butler? Washington with Wall and Beal? It's like they're all looking into the abyss for the next 5 years.
In the past I would have taken the time to read through all the replies here. But my eyes just can't take that. So I may be saying something that's already been collectively said. The problem, as I see it, is not a matter of choking. It's just plain stubbornness. If fans remember the season that McHale got fired, some of the players on the team mentioned how the coach(es) would be calling for plays but "certain" players were ignoring the play calling and just doing their own thing. Just a few games back, in the after-game press conference, D'Antoni, when asked, said, "I don't really call plays for them." Now is that because he really trusts them to know what to do in most situations or is it that a Harden led team, will, ultimately do whatever Harden decides? Everyone watching Game 1 of this WCF saw that the main problem was too much dribbling into the shot clock, with little ball or player movement. So in Game 2 we saw the remedy applied, for the most part and a much better outcome. So why does a team that proved the style of play in Game 2 with was superior to the style of play in Game 1 come out and repeat Game 1 style in Game 3? The way I see it rests heavily on Harden' shoulders. All the player-analysts who saw Game 1 and were pleading for the Rockets to play the way they did in Game 2 could see the obvious. Fans could, too. It's as if Harden feels he has to prove that ISO ball which features him as the MVP , can beat the Warriors. That's the best explanation as to why they reverted to Game 1 play in Game 3. James Harden needs to hear this and look in the mirror. No, better yet, he needs to look into the face of Chris Paul and his other teammates and ask himself if he really wants them all to win a championship. Harden does become turnover prone in pressure situations, and if you want to call that choking, there is an element of that in his game. But his real failing is in really understanding how to lead a team. If he wants his talent and game to set the tone for a team, that's not an unreasonable way to approach it. But dribbling for 7-10 seconds into the shot-clock, to me, screams, "I am going to showcase my skills at one-one-one match-ups, even if it costs us the game or series. Being aggressive to set the tone, is, almost by definition, starting movement very early in the shot-clock. Yes, Chris Paul has ball handling responsibilities, but when both he and Harden are on the court, the first player to bring the ball up the court is more often Harden. Paul defers to him a lot. Charles Barkley said at the start of the playoffs that the Rockets would go as far as James Harden could take them. That is almost certainly true. The question is, does he want to prove that his and Paul's ISO ability is what makes the Rockets the first seed, or will he truly, do "whatever it takes" to win a championship. And for the answer he would do well to ask Chris Paul. I would say this is part of maturing as a basketball player, going from MVP to leading a championship quality roster. Whether you like him or not, LeBron James seems to have learned that lesson and understands better. Harden shows flashes of "getting it," but there is a stubbornness that may cost he and y8s team the best shot they may have had at winning it all this season. Maybe the team can overcome what seems almost insurmountable.I said, in what I thought would be my one and only post this playoffs, that if the Rockets lost either of their first two home games, I felt like they would lose the series. Had they truly played according to their mantra -- we just take what the defense gives us -- I think they could be the ones owning a 2-1 advantage right now. Harden's teammates proved in Game 2 that they will play their hearts out for the team. If Harden can give up his stubbornness to prove something that is meaningless, the Rockets do have the talent to win a championship -- this year. It just may be too late. I wish them all the beast. (Please forgive typos and grammatical errors. It's all I can do just to get the words down without a lot of proofing.)
When has any MVP ever been traded the year after winning MVP? We’ve strapped ourselves to him as a franchise player. The team has coddled him to the point that he runs the team. This is our life. All we can hope for is for James to eventually get it.
Trading Harden would be idiotic. He is a top 5 player in the NBA. There is something mentally up with him come playoff time though.
People love the scowling screaming energy guys like......... Westbrook. Sure Westbrook would not lose by 41 points ever!!!!! Then again he would never be in the finals to be blown out by 41 People loved getting 100% of 50 Moreso Than 90% of a 100 Rocket River
I'll take 100% from 50 when it happens 95% of the time. Not a fan of 90% of 100 when it happens 60% of the time. I can hate of Westbrook for being arrogant and having low BBIQ but the man tries almost EVERY game. Harden is a better player but doesn't try 30% of the time.
Look I criticize Harden as much as anyone, but if you trade an MVP you can watch your franchise go down the crapper for the next 5+ years.
That is just a lie Westbrook tries on defense???? 10 ft from his man waiting on the rebound?? This Is the blind hatred i am talking about Harden is mvp with only 30% effort Rocket River
This is what I'm talking about. YOU'RE saying you're ok with Harden only giving 30% effort. That's ****ing stupid!
You never trade a player like harden. There is one team in existence that can beat us, and it’s not because of Ariza, green, Gordon, Tucker or Clint. And let’s say all hope was lost and for some strange reason we did try to trade him. I can’t think of a package that would be even worth 75% of an MVP in his prime with 5 years left on his contract who is an international superstar. Be real here guys...
I agree. Let's jump right back onto that #15-17 draft pick every year merry-go-round! It was so much fun for a decade there.
D’Antoni loves Harden Morey loves Harden ... And I believe they both will be gone before Harden goes ANYWHERE, because Tillman loves Harden.
