James Harden Holding Out

[Jiri Welsch]

https://twitter.com/espn_macmahon/status/1336035549497462786?s=20

Assuming this is the beginning of the end for Harden in Houston, I really hope he stays out West.

[CelticsElite]

He skipped practice yesterday and was spotted at a gentleman’s club last night (which is like the 3rd time in the past week he’s been spotted there)

https://twitter.com/TheNBACentral/status/1335972317881634820?


Now hardens mom has responded:
https://twitter.com/FlamesNBA21/status/1335985986979958786?

[Jiri Welsch]

He skipped practice yesterday and was spotted at a gentleman’s club yesterday

https://twitter.com/TheNBACentral/status/1335972317881634820?


Now hardens mom has responded:
https://twitter.com/FlamesNBA21/status/1335985986979958786?

With a charitable read of the situation, one might be able to justify why Harden has not yet arrived at training camp.

But for him to be out partying in Vegas during COVID, when the NBA just issued guidelines restricting that behavior for the health and well-being of the entire league... the dude is a loser.

[Darth_Yoda]

Another baby not honoring the 100s of million dollar job contact he signed,.

[CelticsElite]

Another baby not honoring the 100s of million dollar job contact he signed,.

they need to withhold each paycheck until he shows up. He signed the dotted line. The players think they can force teams to bankrupt their entire future because things got a little tough

[SHAQATTACK]

its obvious now

he wants to be a Celtic

waiting on Danny to call

[RJ87]

Lol. Of course he is. And this is the guy some posters here want to trade for? Houston is pretty much handed the franchise over to him. Fired coaches he didn't like, traded for or signed star players he wanted, and he can't even report to camp or stay out of a strip club during Covid? What a joke.

Houston shouldn't cave and send him to Brooklyn, the Nets just don't have the pieces needed. Trade him to whatever team makes the best offer. There's no loyalty there, why should they feel obligated to trade him in exchange for a subpar package.

[Roy H.]

Simple solution: don’t pay him. 

[greg683x]

Lol. Of course he is. And this is the guy some posters here want to trade for? Houston is pretty much handed the franchise over to him. Fired coaches he didn't like, traded for or signed star players he wanted, and he can't even report to camp or stay out of a strip club during Covid? What a joke.

Houston shouldn't cave and send him to Brooklyn, the Nets just don't have the pieces needed. Trade him to whatever team makes the best offer. There's no loyalty there, why should they feel obligated to trade him in exchange for a subpar package.

I agree, teams need to put there foot down when it comes to this crap.

Id trade him to Minnesota for a bag of dorritos before Id send him anywhere he wants to go.

easy for me to say though when my job isnt on the line

[Ogaju]

I thought smoeone said that NBA players cannot holdout.

[Jvalin]

If I were the Rockets, I'd trade him to the Sixers for Simmons + whatever else I could get.

I believe Simmons is the best asset they can realistically hope to get for Harden. The Nets package is a bunch of role players + LeVert who's nothing special either. Not to mention, he's injury prone.

PG: Harden
SG: Danny Green
SF: Thybulle
PF: Tobias
C: Embiid

That would be a scary lineup for the Sixers.

[SHAQATTACK]

Sounds like the initial stages of the dreaded Laker itis....

The perfect third whiner to join LeWhine and AD , safe refuge for babied jerks .

Just a matter of time

[Vermont Green]

I can't see a decent trade with this.  Brooklyn can offer what, Dinwiddie, LeVert, and Jordan?  Give the Nets a line up of:

            Irving-Harden-Joe Harris-Durant-Jarrett Allen. 

That is really good.  But what does that leave Houston with:

             Wall-Gordon-LeVert-Christian Wood-Jordan? 

Just can't see Houston doing this no matter how long Harden holds out.

Maybe Philly sends Simmons and Harris for Harden-Gordon-Tucker.  Gives Philly:

             Milton-Harden-Green-Tucker-Embiid with Gordon for the bench. 

Houston ends up with:

            Wall-McLemore-Harris-Simmons-Wood

Neither of these teams wins a title or likely even makes to the finals.

[Who]

I hope Harden does holdout and force a trade from Houston. He is only wasting the best remaining years of his career by staying there.

RealGM's forums had some threads on the owner - how terrible he is and how he is cutting costs everywhere. The writing is on the wall. It is time to get off the boat. Get outta there James Harden.

Start anew somewhere else.

[PAOBoston]

I mean, he’s under contract for two more years at big $$$. He doesn’t have much leverage here. Houston should just hold on to him. I have a hard time seeing him just not showing up. Houston’s roster isn’t really that bad. That’s still a playoff team with him on the roster (assuming health).