Friday marked the five-year anniversary of the Rockets‘ franchise-altering deal to acquire point guard James Harden from the Thunder. Since joining Houston, Harden has evolved into one of the NBA’s top players. In five seasons with Houston entering 2016/17, he has been a runner-up for the Most Valuable Player award twice and made the NBA All-Star team five times.
As Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle writes, Harden, 28, looks back at the trade bringing him to the Rockets fondly.
“Five years go by fast, man,” Harden said. “It’s been a good five years, a great five years, the best five years of my life. This organization has shown me so much love and given me the opportunity to show who I am as a person and as a player. I appreciate it.”
Harden spent his first three seasons in Oklahoma City as one of the NBA’s most potent sixth men, winning the Sixth Man of the Year award for the 2011/12 season. Now, Harden is signed long-term by the Rockets as the face of the franchise. That status was unattainable in OKC with former MVP Kevin Durant and then-budding superstar Russell Westbrook in the fold.
Check out other news from teams in Texas:
- Feigen writes in a separate article that Chris Paul, who has missed five of the Rockets’ first six games due to a bruised left knee, had no idea he would miss this much time. Paul banged knees with Mario Chalmers almost a week before the Rockets’ season-opener against Golden State and has not played since the team upset the Warriors to open the year.
- Nerlens Noel was displaced in Philadelphia and traded to the Mavericks last season. While his statistics are not eye-popping, Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer writes that his energy and impact while on the floor is the reason why he could be in lime for a major free agency payday.
- While Noel has been effective, foul trouble has been a concern. Other centers on the Mavericks roster have not been consistent either but Salah Mejri has vocalized his frustration due to a lack of playing time, Eddie Sefko of the Dallas Morning News writes.
- Dirk Nowitzki is in his 20th season with the Mavericks and he is considered one of the greatest players in team history. However, the 39-year-old may also be taking away playing time from Noel as head coach Rick Carlisle is hesitant to play both seven-footers simultaneously, Brad Townsend of the Dallas Morning News Writes.
Interesting that Nerlens is in lime for a big payday. I had him pegged as more of a lemon kind of guy.
Didn’t Nerlens say about a month ago, “When life gives you limes, sign the qualifying offer”?
Still think Noel would’ve been a solid fit next to Embiid. Only issue would be taking Embiid off the block to guard stretch 4s.
Noel is going to be a late bloomer. As a Mavs fan his energy is great but he’s extremely weak. He has no post up game or shot. His offensive game is strictly put-backs and alley-oops. I would not get even close to maxing this guy out. I don’t think the Mavs are interested in doing so either. Draft a big with their top 5 pick and hope you strike gold like we did with DSJ
James Harden is a massively overrated clown. If Scott Brooks, and then Billy Donovan, and injuries didn’t hurt OKC, before Presti gave away Lamb and Perry Jones after they were used incorrectly, people wouldn’t even mention that trade as much as they still annoyingly do 5 years later. I would also point to the fact that this all happened before the explosion of money into the NBA that increased the cap as much as it did. I think OKC would have been willing to pay the tax for a year had they known what was going to happen. I would have chosen Ibaka in that situation too