With James Harden on the verge of taking his sixth coronavirus test and being cleared to practice with the Rockets, there has been “no change” in his desire to be dealt to a new team, according to ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne and Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.
Although Harden would prefer to be playing elsewhere, he has expressed to Rockets ownership and management that he intends to be “professional and engaged,” per Shelburne and Wojnarowski. As the ESPN duo explains, the former MVP is aware that tanking his value would hinder Houston’s ability to complete a deal. He’s also willing to be patient, recognizing that it may take some time for the Rockets to find the right return.
The Rockets have been holding out hope that Harden may still come around to believing in the team’s ability to contend, and John Wall expressed over the weekend that he thinks he and Harden and be “a heck of a combination.”
However, the 31-year-old has been “unmoved” by the acquisition of Wall, sources tell ESPN. As Shelburne and Woj explain, it’s not personal with Wall — Harden simply hasn’t changed his view that he’d have a better chance to compete for a title elsewhere.
The Rockets have touched base with the Nets and Sixers, the top two teams on Harden’s wish list, sources tell ESPN. However, Philadelphia is still unwilling to offer Ben Simmons or Joel Embiid in any deal for Harden, and Houston remains unenthusiastic about a Brooklyn package that would consist of “complementary players” and draft picks.
A hypothetical trade with the Nets may have to involve a third team that could send the Rockets the sort of young franchise cornerstone they’re seeking, according to Shelburne and Wojnarowski, who add that neither Brooklyn nor Houston has expressed interest in a package centered around Kyrie Irving.
ESPN’s report doesn’t mention any talks with teams besides the Nets and 76ers, though that doesn’t mean that none have taken place. Harden has also reportedly added the Bucks and Heat to his list, and Miami is said to be interested in exploring the possibility of a deal. Additionally, since Harden has no power to veto trades, the Rockets could cast a much wider net as they looks to maximize their potential return for Harden.
You’re the best player in the league and you have another superstar on your team but you want to go somewhere else where you have a better chance to win. Like where to the Lakers?
Lol @ best player in the league
That’s what I thought ??
What superstar? He’s got John wall. Man hasn’t been that for 2 years
I think you mean TWO superstars. Boogie is there too.
Also, the year is 2015 and I’m really wondering if this Michael Kidd Gilchrist is going to fulfill his All Star potential this season.
Why is it that Kevin Durant doesn’t get the same criticism?
Kevin Durant has faced ~every~ criticism.
Some players face more scrutiny for the decisions they make than others. The reasons for that can be speculated, but might have to do with how savvy they are with handling the media and how much their reps prepare them.
I know all about that. I just meant that he has missed the last season just like Wall and is older than Wall and yet people talk about Wall as if he belongs on the Island of Misfit Toys and Durant as if he is still a guaranteed MVP candidate. It’s just frustrating to see as a fan.
Trust me, not everyone views Durant that way. Personally, I completely expect the dynamic of Irving and Durant to implode this season. I can’t stand either one, so I have that bias, but I think they will not coexist well. Both seem way too soft to handle anything other than smooth sailing when dealing with people, and both seem pretty petty and childish on their own levels.
Pretty sure to be the best player in the league you need to have at least 1 ring.
I’d take Karl Malone over Robert Horry all day, every day.
Young Karl Malone isn’t being discussed. It’s who is the best player in the league. Give me Lebron, Kawhi, AD, and Durant over Harden. If you want to include guys with no rings give me Giannis or Luka over Harden. Harden is not the best player in the league.
Stop using rings when judging individual players.
Best player in the league? Hahahahahahah
Best player in the league and another superstar on your team? This post can’t be about the Harden trade request.
And if this was about Giannis, I haven’t heard about him asking to be traded.
Kyrie comment is interesting …
“No Change” in Harden demanding to play for perfect team.
So Harden is legally bounded to a contract with the Rockets, right?? And yet he claims he would be have professional demeanor?? You got to be kidding me! Some of these athletes poor attitudes! Unbelievable! BTW. The NBA should ask Harden to buy a razor to trim that horrible beard. Good lord in heaven!!!
He could sit, but he isn’t. Players rights.
If he sits he doesn’t get paid. I bet te Rockets wouldn’t mind him sitting and save all that money per game. He will get traded but it will happen in the middle of the season when his value goes back up.
& that is why Harden wants to leave, ’cause HOU rather don’t pay him than him playin’, all HOU wants is to save $$$ & to never compete!
That is why all the fans are with Harden & just want him to enjoy his career away from the dung pit HOU is, all & everything is nothing but HOU’s fault, Harden is just the victim here, as you point out!
Embiid and Simmons are just a couple of guys that have never even made the NBA Finals. Giannis is in the same boat. And Jimmy Butler is a guy that already alienated 3 other franchises in his history and is a “me first” player.
These are all criticisms levied at James Harden by some people here. Although Harden has been in the conference finals more often than Embiid, Simmons, or Giannis. And he has almost double Butler’s career assists per game average.
As far as Harden’s defense goes, his offense rating is far greater than his defense rating. In basketball, you don’t get extra wins for allowing fewer points. A 133-130 victory counts exactly the same as an 83-80 win. As long as his offense outperforms his opponent, who cares about the rest. It’s only trivia.
Houston has had the talent to get to the finals for at least the last 3-4 years and hasn’t. Rotate all the players you want but the common factor is Harden.
A lot of teams have had the talent to get to the Finals but haven’t. It’s not easy to get there. Since there are 15 teams in each conference, getting to the Finals once every 15 years is good. Harden just had the misfortune of running into the juggernauts that were the Curry’s Warriors and now LeBron’s latest superteam.
Harden ranks 62nd in adjusted FG shooting. His main skill is foul drawing which makes his Total Adjusted Contribution to Offense #1 in the league.
Drawing fouls adds points and victories but does not necessarily make basketball fans excited about you as a historically great type of player.
Drawing fouls also has diminishing returns when you get to the playoffs, which is prob why he hasn’t had as much success as people expect
Having said that I more or less agree w/ hiflew. I think the criticism of Harden is a tad harsh these days
Also – players have a right to request a trade. And a trade request early in a contract is actually BENEFICIAL for the team. Gives them a chance to maximize return (as opposed to trading an expiring or a guy walking for nothing)
@bs69 I agree with you. I loathe Harden’s style of play. It is crafty but isn’t sporting or fun to watch. It’s the absolutely worst expression of analytics-driven sports.
The only thing close as far as annoying and joy-killing for me as a spectator is the defensive shift in baseball.
uh, actually that was a direct reply to @The Howler
Take up another sport. Is my advice
hiflew
im nor a rockets or a philly fan but just doing some spectating. about if the rockets traded john wall and harden to philly for tobias harris and ben simmons? and obviously trade some less tier players around to satisfy both parties. i just want to hear other peoples thought on this.
houston gets rid of walls terrible contract and gets ben simmons
philly gets their star in james harden but they also dump tobias harris awful contract.
harris contract runs longer than walls and will be in the upper 39m in a few years. (wall could realistically opt out after next season. harris you still have to pay for the next 4 seasons- including this season)
i think philly needs to make a trade. the combo of
simmons-embiid. simmons embiid butler harris simmons embiid and harris hasnt worked out at all the past 3 seasons. something needs to change imo
76ers get better and have 6 times better chance to win the east but they will absolutely rejected
Reason
They want to take Rockets advantage because Harden wants out
Na, Wall has looked exceptional the last two games. Looks like HO got the better end of that trade due to Westbrook’s health. Looks like Washington messed up taking less for Wall without letting him start the season. Much like HO got burned dumping Paul before the season last year. Going to take Simmons, picks and salary fillers or Bam/Herro and picks to move Harden.
I look forward to doc figuring out that a new coach doesn’t get Embiid in shape, injury proof, and Simmons willing & able to shoot a jumper. His initials aren’t JC and he doesn’t walk on water. He does blow 3-1 series leads because he wants to be players friend and unwilling to kick George a$$ / bench him when he was awful.
Rockets should take the Brooklyn deal where they get Spencer, Caris, Allen and maybe Prince. They’ve gone as far as they can with Harden and no other team is giving away a legit superstar for him
The best idea is the third team sends the Rockets young franchise connerstones
such as …….
The Rockets need high draft picks for a rebuild and none of those four teams will have them. They’re better off dumping him somewhere (if such a team exists) like the Magic or the knicks who need to make a splash but will still be a lottery team
With Harden, First round picks have little value
Forget about future picks
The best idea for Rockets would be
1 proven young all star
1 top tier rookie contract
= 70% value of Harden
If they can’t pry away Simmons I would be interested to see if Boston gets involved. Brown is what 22? Already a 20 ppg guy + a plus defender?
He may be the second best option for Houston. Def more upside than Levert and a bunch of mid to late first rd picks
Brown, Smart and picks would probably get it done, but I don’t see Boston even slightly interested in doing that.
Next CBA must restrict players from colluding to join certain teams, and openly tampering by publicizing to which team they want to be traded.
100% agree. If management gets punished for publicly stating they want a certain player that is under contract to another team, then a player should not be allowed to publicly state they want to go somewhere else specifically while under contract to another team.
Now publicly asking for a trade to a non-specific team is fine. But really this type of stuff needs to stay private because we really don’t need to know how the sausage is made. Let’s just enjoy its deliciousness.
Agreed. If owners and front franchises can’t do it, players shouldn’t be allowed to do it either. It’s even been manipulated by certain franchises that have certain stars. I love the Heat, but I figure that when we had D-Wade, Pat Riley and Mickey Arison’s son were able to convince LeBron and Bosh to come to Miami through D-Wade.
If you want to eliminate tampering from the game, the players need to be stopped too.
Feel like the Heat can put together the best package for harden at the moment. Tho I don’t see herro being a headliner. Unless maybe herro, duncan, and precious gets it done? Plus like olynyk and whatever to make salaries match
If you are just looking at young players, I think I would take the Brooklyn trio over the Heat trio. Of course if I am Houston, I am contacting Atlanta to see about their young players and/or picks. Atlanta has signed several vets this offseason and doesn’t have the room for all of their young players. Although if Simmons is on the table, that tops them all. And I think Boston could put together a better offer than the Nets or Heat as well if they chose to.
If I was the Rockets, I would view the best bets as
1. Philly (with Simmons involved)
2. Atlanta
3. Boston (they have a lot of young guys)
4. Brooklyn
5. Miami
6. Philly (without Simmons involved)
7. Another Eastern team
8. Milwaukee (just don’t have enough)
9. Any Western team
Rockets want
Murray Nuggets
Booker
Simmons
Mitchell
Bam
Most have 5 year contracts
If Heat don’t offer Bam they can use third team to acquire a young star
76ers can do the same
Heat aren’t trading Bam.
OK so this is espn talking. This is who a lot of you, tells you what to think right. Ben an Embiid are 26 n 24 yrs old. You have 10 yrs AGAIN ten yrs AGAIN, TEN Years to get a title. Plus you just got a new coach. And finally got shooters, a few. Around them. Why would you go after a ball hog who’s chased away every talent and coach he’s had. Who’s 31 yrs old and doesn’t play D. OK If Philly lets Morey give away Ben. They should hang him by his feet on the Rocky statue. I doubt Doc would allow it.
Then we are supposed to believe Kyrie for Harden. Kyrie who I don’t even like. Is from NJ just30 mins, no traffic. From Nets stadium. He’s The one Who brought KD here. Kyrie plays PG. Ky isn’t going anywhere. This is team, he finally can say that. Then we are supposed to believe Harden will share the ball with them. And who is going to make stops. You don’t win without making stops. You don’t have to be great on D. But you have to make stops. Games in playoffs are won on 2-3 possessions. You don’t make stops you don’t win Simple. Nets would be dumb to trade for Harden (no Ky). But they probably do it for cheap. Even Sixers could do it for cheap (no Ben). Or Heat for cheap. Or anyone would do it for cheap. It will only be with a team with a legitimate shot at title. And truth is the longer it takes (on the cheap) is probably the way he goes. He’s got two yrs on contract and baggage. Nobody is giving up the store for him. Personally I feel sorry for whoever takes him. But on the cheap, I can see him getting moved.
Exactly. These Harden apologists are hilarious…
Well stated.
I as a Heat fan am not interested in Harden. I’d rather see what we have going into this year with our further development, then go all in after Giannis.
Guaranteed whenever this new CBA comes up…owners will make clauses saying “After you sign a max deal, when you demand a trade, a portion of the money kicks back to the organization”. Wouldn’t shock me… I’d send Harden to Indy or SacTown …
And that’s why you’d never work for the NBA
At this point, Fertitta and Harden deserve each other.
Enjoy 2021 boys, regardless of how badly you (further) damage your own reputation.
It’s not gonna matter where harden goes.. lakers are winning the ring this year.. they have been manhandling the clippers starters in the time they’ve been on the court.. not a good sign for clippers when lakers bench is beating your starters..
Lakers do look good. I wouldn’t read much into preseason. My guess is about 20 gms into season. We will see the good teams step up. Lakers are the team to beat.
#FreeTheBeard
Just checking in to see if harden-Westbrook-mvp still has a pulse. Haven’t seen him on the boards much, not sure why.
I’ve been here every day posting like always, where have you been??
He’s already back with the team today and will be in the lineup tomorrow. Once he sees how good the team with be with Wall, Wood, Cousins, and Nwaba the rumors will begin to fade away. This team is way better than you think, wait and see.
Let’s not forget what happened 13 years ago in LA when Kobe demanded a trade, of course it never happened. We can expect the same thing to happen here in Houston.