Harden to the Rockets

[realorange]

From the article I posted on page one of this thread:

"-----Not all superteams can be viewed in the same prism. Oklahoma City will never get the TV deals that the Lakers can pull. Oklahoma City can never charge the ticket prices the Heat or Knicks do. Oklahoma City does not have a team owner who can lose money for a decade like the Mavericks or Celtics. All Oklahoma City can do is ensure the team can be profitable for as long as Kevin Durant can play. And that means that Oklahoma City needs to make sure it can be successful for as long as possible. It's about more than tomorrow for small market teams in the NBA. It has to be. It just has to be."

There are other pieces of the article that do a good job of explaining why OKC went the way they did. Not the least of it is what they got for Harden. The draft choices alone are huge. They likely would not have gotten anywhere near that much in another year when they would have been under the gun.

 

[Knicks411]

They seemed determined to avoid the distraction of Harden's situation all year long though. They wanted to take care of it now. And according to this, Harden was griping about shots and minutes after a finals game 1 WIN, before apologizing after being checked by Fisher and Perkins. If that's the case, I just don't care for that. I don't want to hear the "competitive, want to be the best" thing either. That's something that selfish ahole players usually say

To be fair, that's also something that usually comes out after a team has made a move that the fanbase may not be in love with, either. (Did that story come out at the time? I don't remember. But it just smells of the team trying to leak something to make Harden look a little worse to the fan base)

I agree that's not something you want to hear, but unless there was a systemic pattern of it, I probably wouldn't make a big deal out of it. I'm pretty sure that's not why the Thunder wouldn't offer him a max deal.

 

[OrangeDW]

From the article I posted on page one of this thread:

"-----Not all superteams can be viewed in the same prism. Oklahoma City will never get the TV deals that the Lakers can pull. Oklahoma City can never charge the ticket prices the Heat or Knicks do. Oklahoma City does not have a team owner who can lose money for a decade like the Mavericks or Celtics. All Oklahoma City can do is ensure the team can be profitable for as long as Kevin Durant can play. And that means that Oklahoma City needs to make sure it can be successful for as long as possible. It's about more than tomorrow for small market teams in the NBA. It has to be. It just has to be."

There are other pieces of the article that do a good job of explaining why OKC went the way they did. Not the least of it is what they got for Harden. The draft choices alone are huge. They likely would not have gotten anywhere near that much in another year when they would have been under the gun.

Understood, but I don't like it. They chose to move the team to that small market in the first place.

 

[Knicks411]

Well, after at least 3 quarters of the first game, contract looks pretty good for Houston. (Other than the whole not winning thing. But harden has been fantastic)

 

[Gabjon]

Well, after at least 3 quarters of the first game, contract looks pretty good for Houston. (Other than the whole not winning thing. But harden has been fantastic)

34 pts 11ast and counting!

 

[NineOneSeven]

Harden absolutely killed it tonight. And he's making more money.

 

[SteveC]

Yeah... 37 points 12 assists 6 rebounds 4 steals and a block is good first game no?

 

[scottynguyen]

Phenomenal. Really impressed with his passing.

 

[OrangeDW]

Yeah... 37 points 12 assists 6 rebounds 4 steals and a block is good first game no?

Amazing performance. Can't really play much better than that.

 

[BuffOrange]

Doesn't make a lot of sense for either team imo. For OKC a guy like that can be the difference between a title and not, last yr's finals notwithstanding. But you can't win a title when he's your best player.

 

[NineOneSeven]

45 on 14-19, 15-17 from the line. Yes, he knew what he was doing when he was negotiating contract.

 

[MyMeloMyMan]

It's like the chains are off. Man, he is an efficient offensive player. Doesnt take bad shots.

 

[NineOneSeven]

It's like the chains are off. Man, he is an efficient offensive player. Doesnt take bad shots.

I'd rather have harden over Westbrook, granted, both are studs. Kid you not. Harden does everything in the flow of an offense. He didn't start last year and was top ten, maybe top five, in free throw attempts? The guy attacks the rim. You hear it all the time when a guy is struggling on offense: get to the rim and get an easy shot or get fouled. Thing is, harden does it and shoots efficiently. Deadly combo.

 

[MyMeloMyMan]

I'd rather have harden over Westbrook, granted, both are studs. Kid you not. Harden does everything in the flow of an offense. He didn't start last year and was top ten, maybe top five, in free throw attempts? The guy attacks the rim. You hear it all the time when a guy is struggling on offense: get to the rim and get an easy shot or get fouled. Thing is, harden does it and shoots efficiently. Deadly combo.

He's really good. He struggled mightily when Lebron/Wade put the clamps on him and got too much criticism imo... but, they do that to a lot of good wing players when they really focus on shutting someone down.

 

[NineOneSeven]

He's really good. He struggled mightily when Lebron/Wade put the clamps on him and got too much criticism imo... but, they do that to a lot of good wing players when they really focus on shutting someone down.

Lebron and Wade are future hall of famers. People forget as good as they are offensively, they are studs defensively. The average nba player cannot keep harden from penetrating.

 

[STEVEHOLT]

45 on 14-19, 15-17 from the line. Yes, he knew what he was doing when he was negotiating contract.

...but but..but what about all the people who were claiming he was greedy for wanting more money? stupid for wanting to leave the metropolis of OKC...

perhaps he knew more about his game than others. perhaps he wanted a chance to be the man.

its only two games. true. but it sure is looking good thus far.

i always laugh when people criticize those who seek to maximize their incomes..as if there should be some higher cause that they should seek.

the is a basketball player, he isnt saving the manatee.

 

[STEVEHOLT]

Idiot...these pro athletes kill me. With people barely making it now a days they think they need every dime to live on. Bunch of selfish SOB's.

yeah, he should take fewer dollars, because those dollars would go straight to impoverished children.

 

[alphaorange]

"I know we went though this when Andy first signed with OKC, but I think picking Ibaka over Harden is a no brainer. Ibaka is a 6'-11 guy who can really play, he can shoot, jump, block shots, and rebound although that needs some work. Harden is very good player but guys like him come out of college each other year. Ibaka would be a #1 pick 8 out of 10 years. Ibaka is better than Anthony Davis will be in my opinion."

There is far more false in that post than true. Ibaka is an improving shooter, but far from good. He has games where he shoots it when open to 15-16 ft. Great shotblocker, decent rebounder. He might be #1 in a poor draft but that's it. Harden is a superstar that deferred to the vets. Once OKC signed Ibaka, everybody knew Harden was gone as OKC just doesn't have the deep pockets to absorb what it was going to take. Harden will be a top ten player very soon while Ibaka will be a top ten front court man, eventually. Big difference. Harden is the guy that would almost always be the #1. Saying Ibaka will be better than AD is ridiculous on face value. AD is already a better player. They are just different types of players.

 

[NineOneSeven]

...but but..but what about all the people who were claiming he was greedy for wanting more money? stupid for wanting to leave the metropolis of OKC...

perhaps he knew more about his game than others. perhaps he wanted a chance to be the man.

its only two games. true. but it sure is looking good thus far.

i always laugh when people criticize those who seek to maximize their incomes..as if there should be some higher cause that they should seek.

the ****** is a basketball player, he isnt saving the manatee.

Amen. Athletes also have a much smaller window to make money (unless you're a select few that still make $$$ through endorsements/commercials). While the average joe works 40+ years, the average athlete works ~25-30 years less than that.

 

[Gabjon]

"I know we went though this when Andy first signed with OKC, but I think picking Ibaka over Harden is a no brainer. Ibaka is a 6'-11 guy who can really play, he can shoot, jump, block shots, and rebound although that needs some work. Harden is very good player but guys like him come out of college each other year. Ibaka would be a #1 pick 8 out of 10 years. Ibaka is better than Anthony Davis will be in my opinion."

There is far more false in that post than true. Ibaka is an improving shooter, but far from good. He has games where he shoots it when open to 15-16 ft. Great shotblocker, decent rebounder. He might be #1 in a poor draft but that's it. Harden is a superstar that deferred to the vets. Once OKC signed Ibaka, everybody knew Harden was gone as OKC just doesn't have the deep pockets to absorb what it was going to take. Harden will be a top ten player very soon while Ibaka will be a top ten front court man, eventually. Big difference. Harden is the guy that would almost always be the #1. Saying Ibaka will be better than AD is ridiculous on face value. AD is already a better player. They are just different types of players.

Harden is a very good player and he is hot as hell but he not going to shoot 70% all year teams will defend him differently doubles, etc... we will see how he handles it. He has been killing one on one coverage and soon he won't be receiving one on one and we will see how he does. The NBA season is marathon!

 

[Knicks411]

Amazing performance. Can't really play much better than that.

Guess he wanted to prove you wrong. Jesus, 14-19 from the field?

 

[Knicks411]

Amen. Athletes also have a much smaller window to make money (unless you're a select few that still make $$$ through endorsements/commercials). While the average joe works 40+ years, the average athlete works ~25-30 years less than that.

Yeah, also, if Harden look less money all it would mean is an even richer guy (the owner) would get the money

 

[Gabjon]

Money doesn't buy happiest Harden seems a little hurt and wishes he had more time!

Linky

His agent on the other hand...no regards at all...$$$$