James Harden Holding Out

[RJ87]

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

Exactly, the Nets just don't have a good enough young prospect to make that package a no brainer. I'd try to engage the Sixers or double back to GSW- Wiseman/Wiggins/Minny 1st rounder is a better starting point than anything Brooklyn can put on the table.

[Who]

I never understood the "he has no leverage, he is under contract for x number of years" argument. Harden has as much leverage as he chooses to use. He has two main options (1) show up and as much of a horse's ass to everyone every day to make life unbearable with him (2) refuse to come to work and stay home.

Harden has to live with the consequences of those choices but he does have choices. He can force a trade.

Any player under contract no matter how long can force a trade. It only comes down to a matter of will-power. Are you willing to do what is necessary to make life unbearable for employer and/or fellow employees?

[cons]

so obnoxious

stay away dude, most people will not miss you

[RJ87]

I never understood the "he has no leverage, he is under contract for x number of years" argument. Harden has as much leverage as he chooses to use. He has two main options (1) show up and as much of a horse's ass to everyone every day to make life unbearable with him (2) refuse to come to work and stay home.

Harden has to live with the consequences of those choices but he does have choices. He can force a trade.

Any player under contract no matter how long can force a trade. It only comes down to a matter of will-power. Are you willing to do what is necessary to make life unbearable for employer and/or fellow employees?

Sure he can force a trade, but Houston should deal him for the best package instead to a "preferred" destination for a pupu platter that doesn't benefit them at all.

[PhoSita]

If I were running a team in Houston's position and the player screwed up my ability to get a decent return in a trade by publicly holding out, demanding a trade, etc, I would probably trade the player to a small market team with a crap roster regardless of the return. 

Of course, that's one of many reasons why I would likely be a poor GM, but even so.


Harden's under contract for what, a couple more years?  Trade him to the Knicks.  Is he really gonna sit out?  What will Sacramento offer me?


I definitely wouldn't take whatever Brooklyn is offering.  Forget that.  Caris LeVert isn't rescuing my team anyway.  Nor is Jarrett Allen.  Either way I'm gonna have to be bad for a while to get another player of the caliber that I'm losing.

[Who]

I never understood the "he has no leverage, he is under contract for x number of years" argument. Harden has as much leverage as he chooses to use. He has two main options (1) show up and as much of a horse's ass to everyone every day to make life unbearable with him (2) refuse to come to work and stay home.

Harden has to live with the consequences of those choices but he does have choices. He can force a trade.

Any player under contract no matter how long can force a trade. It only comes down to a matter of will-power. Are you willing to do what is necessary to make life unbearable for employer and/or fellow employees?

Sure he can force a trade, but Houston should deal him for the best package instead to a "preferred" destination for a pupu platter that doesn't benefit them at all.

Agreed.

Harden has enough leverage to force his way out but it would be difficult for him to force his way to any 1 particular team.

He can destroy trades by refusing to join a prospective new team and make that new team rescind it's trade. Most teams are too scared to invite that type of problem into their team & are too scared of giving up valuable assets only to see Harden leave in 2 years for nothing.

So Harden does have some leverage in choosing his next team so he has some choice but it is not completely his choice.

[nickagneta]

No show, no dough.

See how many games he misses paychecks on before he decides to show up. Clearly Houston would be okay with getting into the lottery, so having Harden pout for half a year and not get paid that $20 million, is going to be okay with the owners.

[Jvalin]

I never understood the "he has no leverage, he is under contract for x number of years" argument. Harden has as much leverage as he chooses to use. He has two main options (1) show up and as much of a horse's ass to everyone every day to make life unbearable with him (2) refuse to come to work and stay home.

Harden has to live with the consequences of those choices but he does have choices. He can force a trade.

Any player under contract no matter how long can force a trade. It only comes down to a matter of will-power. Are you willing to do what is necessary to make life unbearable for employer and/or fellow employees?

Sure he can force a trade, but Houston should deal him for the best package instead to a "preferred" destination for a pupu platter that doesn't benefit them at all.

Agreed.

Harden has enough leverage to force his way out but it would be difficult for him to force his way to any 1 particular team.

He can destroy trades by refusing to join a prospective new team and make that new team rescind it's trade. Most teams are too scared to invite that type of problem into their team & are too scared of giving up valuable assets only to see Harden leave in 2 years for nothing.

So Harden does have some leverage in choosing his next team so he has some choice but it is not completely his choice.

Reminds me of the Kyrie situation. The Celtics weren't in Kyrie's list, yet we did the trade anyway. Just like Harden, Kyrie was under contract for 2 more seasons at the time.

[Who]

No show, no dough.

See how many games he misses paychecks on before he decides to show up. Clearly Houston would be okay with getting into the lottery, so having Harden pout for half a year and not get paid that $20 million, is going to be okay with the owners.

Do the owners still have to payout the money?
Not to Harden but to a charity.

Isn't that how fines work in the NBA?

To stop owners or league from trying to steal the player's paychecks. Take away the financial incentive. Not sure I am 100% here but I think this is how it works.

[greg683x]

No show, no dough.

See how many games he misses paychecks on before he decides to show up. Clearly Houston would be okay with getting into the lottery, so having Harden pout for half a year and not get paid that $20 million, is going to be okay with the owners.

Do the owners still have to payout the money?
Not to Harden but to a charity.

Isn't that how fines work in the NBA?

To stop owners or league from trying to steal the player's paychecks. Take away the financial incentive. Not sure I am 100% here but I think this is how it works.

im not sure this would fall into the category of a fine.  its a breach of contract, houston shouldnt have to pay out any money to anybody, Harden is initiating this entire conflict.

if this isnt the case it should be.

[RPGenerate]

Let him rot on the bench for 2 years, if it really comes to that. Don't trade him for garbage just because he wants to go to Brooklyn. He such a child, going to strip clubs instead of getting ready for the next season.

[CelticsElite]

The cba should allow an “exception” for disobedient players like this

Should a player protest for longer than a month intro the season, the team can get some sort of cap exception similar to the injury exception.


 if harden sits himself out for the season, the team deserves some sort of relief

[moiso]

The cba should allow an “exception” for disobedient players like this

Should a player protest for longer than a month intro the season, the team can get some sort of cap exception similar to the injury exception.


 if harden sits himself out for the season, the team deserves some sort of relief

Good idea.  It would take away a bit of the pressure to make bad trades just to unload guys like Harden.  I don't mind that Houston might be forced into trading him as much as the fact that they will probably have to rush into a very bad trade.  I'd like to see them get whatever Harden is worth, not a bunch of Nets not named Irving or Durant.

[Csfan1984]

Warriors make sense but that is about it. They have the assets to trade. Question is would Harden play there or is he set on the Nets?

[Who]

How about Denver? A package based around Jamal Murray, some youth and picks. That is more attractive than Brooklyn. Harden gets to play with the great Jokic.

If I am the Clippers, I'm offering PG13 for Harden. See if I get any takers. Houston might do it to avoid a rebuild. Harden + Kawhi is big time.

If I'm Utah, I try his agent and see if there is any chance Harden would go there to play with Gobert. I'd deal Donovan Mitchell for Harden if Harden would stay. A Harden-Gobert partnership would be dangerous. Bogdanovic, Ingles, Conley, Favors. That team is a title contender. Heck, I might do the trade anyway because I don't see that Jazz group getting to the a title any other way. Take the risk like Toronto did with Kawhi. Be brave.