James Harden to Houston = Worst trade in NBA History

[Midnight Toker]

I consider this to be a good trade because if they let him walk in off season, they get nothing. They were a 1st team in their division last year, they are a first place this year. They had the best record in the nba for a good part of this season, and are still in the driver's seat for the playoffs this year. So, what exactly has been the fall off here? Harden wanted a max type deal, and you cant have 3 max guys on one roster. He wanted 16 mil, OKC offered 13.5 per year, he turned that down. Westbrook, Durant, and Ibaka all took paycuts as an agreement they made that the rings were worth the paycut. Then Harden decided he needed that few extra million, you know, to feed his family, and wanted to be a #1 guy. Okc wasnt going to make him a # 1 guy. meanwhile here's a houston team willing to spend max dollars, 5 years, and make him the face of the franchise. He didnt turn down small market okc, he just wanted to be a max paid #1 option, not a stud 6th man only making 13.5 million (scrub money).

[arifgokcen]

I consider this to be a good trade because if they let him walk in off season, they get nothing. They were a 1st team in their division last year, they are a first place this year. They had the best record in the nba for a good part of this season, and are still in the driver's seat for the playoffs this year. So, what exactly has been the fall off here? Harden wanted a max type deal, and you cant have 3 max guys on one roster. He wanted 16 mil, OKC offered 13.5 per year, he turned that down. Westbrook, Durant, and Ibaka all took paycuts as an agreement they made that the rings were worth the paycut. Then Harden decided he needed that few extra million, you know, to feed his family, and wanted to be a #1 guy. Okc wasnt going to make him a # 1 guy. meanwhile here's a houston team willing to spend max dollars, 5 years, and make him the face of the franchise. He didnt turn down small market okc, he just wanted to be a max paid #1 option, not a stud 6th man only making 13.5 million (scrub money).

Durant didnt take a paycut he took the max you know even though lebron is 4 years older durant is making more money!!

[JerryWest]

we'll see... wait till next year

[disel]

Harden would have never gotten the chances he got on the Thunder that he gets on the Rockets. Besides that, Harden is overrated. I can't believe people actually think he's better than Dwade. Harden is massively overrated as a scorer. He's one of those player that just lives at the ft line and his defense is subpar. The one thing I actually do like about him is he's a great play maker for a sg, but so is Dwade and he's a much, much better defensive player and scorer in general.

Fukin spastic. You rag on Harden for living on the line but rave on about Wade. Thats pretty much how Wade made his living you handicapped moron.

[Shepseskaf]

Harden is being ridiculously overrated by some people. Just look at the Rockets' roster and tell me who else can provide consistent scoring. The entire offense goes through Harden, on practically every trip up the floor.

Give any above average scorer that green light, and the results would be similar.

Harden hasn't been particularly efficient (.454) and turns the ball over nearly 4x per game.

He has been spectacular on occasion, but pump the brakes on all the praise until we can see how he performs under the pressure of the playoffs as the #1 option. Last time he was on the biggest stage, the results weren't good. DWade produced, Harden didn't.

[Jacks3]

Not efficient? Dude has a 61% TS. That's +8% relative to league average. Hes the most efficient scorer in the league after Durant/LBJ.

Dudes still using FG%.

[Fatstogey]

Lets not overreact. Harden + refs cost OKC the title after all.

LOL Lebron cost OKC the title.

[Shepseskaf]

Not efficient? Dude has a 61% TS. That's +8% relative to league average. Hes the most efficient scorer in the league after Durant/LBJ.

Not true. Try again.

Dudes still using FG%.

TS% is BS. Combining FG% with FT% makes no sense at all, because one is generated under duress and the other is a completely uncontested shot.

Just another example of over-statification and similar garbage that doesn't provide a true picture of a player's performance.

[kuniva_dAMiGhTy]

TS% is BS. Combining FG% with FT% makes no sense at all, because one is generated under duress and the other is a completely uncontested shot.

Just another example of over-statification and similar garbage that doesn't provide a true picture of a player's performance.

[Smoke117]

He's #3, but he's quite arguably (and at this point probably) been the best SG in the league this season. He's been better than Wade for the year. I'll still take Wade for right now tho.


But bagging on him for getting to the line makes no sense. I was a huge Wade fan, but I know he got to the line a lot. I think the whole D-Whistle thing is, for the most part, BS. Wade was a guy who got hit and earned the FT's. But so does Harden. Your argument against Harden, on that basis, isn't an argument. If there's more to it, post it.


His defense is subpar. He knows where to be but he closes out too late and he can get blown buy if he's left out too deep or in the open. He'll get better.

There is a big difference between Wade getting to the ft line and Harden. Everyone talks about Durant getting all kinds of bullshit calls, but Harden gets just as many. In 2009 Wade was averaging 9.8fta's on 22 shot attempts. Harden is averaging 10.1 on 17.4 shots attempts. Even those two seasons Wade averaged over 10fta's he was taking more shots and let's face it...James Harden isn't close to the penetrator Dwyane Wade was/is.

[Haymaker]

Not true. Try again.


TS% is BS. Combining FG% with FT% makes no sense at all, because one is generated under duress and the other is a completely uncontested shot.

Just another example of over-statification and similar garbage that doesn't provide a true picture of a player's performance.

Truth! Repped

[ZenMaster]

Not true. Try again.


TS% is BS. Combining FG% with FT% makes no sense at all, because one is generated under duress and the other is a completely uncontested shot.

Just another example of over-statification and similar garbage that doesn't provide a true picture of a player's performance.

It makes sense when you want the overall scoring capabilities of a player because 2pt shot, 3pt shot and FT's are the only way to score points.

The people who disregard TS% as a valuable stat are the same ones that think FT's are a random chance event, which is far from the truth.

[Whoah10115]

There is a big difference between Wade getting to the ft line and Harden. Everyone talks about Durant getting all kinds of bullshit calls, but Harden gets just as many. In 2009 Wade was averaging 9.8fta's on 22 shot attempts. Harden is averaging 10.1 on 17.4 shots attempts. Even those two seasons Wade averaged over 10fta's he was taking more shots and let's face it...James Harden isn't close to the penetrator Dwyane Wade was/is.

But he draws contact just as much as Wade did. Wade would throw his body around, but Harden stays on the ground when he gets hit. He uses the old man game.


Also, while Harden is a better shooter than Wade, he has no midrange game to speak of. He either has the straight jumper or the drive. Wade, despite what the LeBron years tell people, was a very good midrange shooter his whole career. And Wade spent a lot of time in the midrange. Plus, he was better in transition and often got to the rim too quick to get fouled.

[Whoah10115]

Harden is being ridiculously overrated by some people. Just look at the Rockets' roster and tell me who else can provide consistent scoring. The entire offense goes through Harden, on practically every trip up the floor.

That's why your argument is poor. Harden is the guy and defenses key in on him. Yet, he's still putting up the numbers, while facilitating and enabling his team to as good a they are on the offensive end.


And he's not shot-jacking to do this. Like Smoke said, when Wade had similar FT numbers, he was putting up 5 more shots a game. Despite being the supposed only guy on his team (a point you're exaggerating) he's putting up crazy numbers and doing so without taking a crazy amount of shots. Not to mention the fouls are getting the other team in trouble...and they're not bailout calls.


Plus, his team is above ..500 and currently in the playoffs. There's nothing at all overrated about that.

[Shepseskaf]

It makes sense when you want the overall scoring capabilities of a player because 2pt shot, 3pt shot and FT's are the only way to score points.

The people who disregard TS% as a valuable stat are the same ones that think FT's are a random chance event, which is far from the truth.

Its mixing apples and oranges. Contested shots and uncontested shots are different, require different skillsets, and should be measured separately.