James Harden Holding Out

[Birdman]

Tired of these overpay athletes who aren’t happy, then pouts till they get their way

[Ogaju]

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.

what makes you think another team will take your head case player? That is why these players always get the destination they want. No team other than the desitination of choice is going to trade for your head case player.

[KGs Knee]

This guy is something. I guess we'll see who has more leverage here because it seems Harden is intent on pushing this as far as he can.

[CelticsElite]

(I wonder if ainge is one of these execs. Lowe tends to break Celtics news):

Zach Lowe: Rival Execs Want NBA To Intervene On James Harden Situation

James Harden may already be in violation of his uniform player contract as he has yet to report to training camp with the Houston Rockets as he continues to seek a trade.

The Rockets likely don't want the situation to escalate at this point as it would involve the union.

"I'll tell you this, Mr. MacMahon," said Zach Lowe. "I have already heard from, I don't know, three, four people out of the blue today who don't work for the Rockets but work for the other 29 teams saying 'the league has to step in and do something about this. This is not okay.'

"This is going to become the latest referendum on player empowerment and when does it go too far? I think it's a nuanced and fascinating topic. But it's already spiraling out of control."

The Rockets are also "clinging to the hope" of convincing Harden to remain with the franchise.


https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-lowe-post/id986595124

[Jvalin]

Here comes the inevitable question: Would you guys want the C's to trade for Harden? What would you offer for him? If the C's are willing to part ways with Brown, I bet the Rockets would at least listen.

Personally speaking, I hate Harden's game. I wouldn't want us to trade Brown for him, but that's just me. I don't think the Rockets trade with us unless we include Brown (or Tatum obviously).

[Somebody]

Here comes the inevitable question: Would you guys want the C's to trade for Harden? What would you offer for him? If the C's are willing to part ways with Brown, I bet the Rockets would at least listen.

Personally speaking, I hate Harden's game. I wouldn't want us to trade Brown for him, but that's just me. I don't think the Rockets trade with us unless we include Brown (or Tatum obviously).

I'd trade Tatum straight up for him if it meant we'd be getting him tbh. Like his game or not (I personally love his game: he's probably the GOAT at making that little pocket pass/left to right reads in the PnR, is really good at throwing lobs to big men lurking in the dunker's spot, is an amazing isolationist and is constantly refining his game), he's one of the best players in the world and we should be moving heaven and earth to get players like him as long as it doesn't gut the supporting cast we can surround him with (a supporting cast of Kemba, Smart and Jaylen is definitely not barren).

[Jvalin]

Here comes the inevitable question: Would you guys want the C's to trade for Harden? What would you offer for him? If the C's are willing to part ways with Brown, I bet the Rockets would at least listen.

Personally speaking, I hate Harden's game. I wouldn't want us to trade Brown for him, but that's just me. I don't think the Rockets trade with us unless we include Brown (or Tatum obviously).

I'd trade Tatum straight up for him if it meant we'd be getting him tbh. Like his game or not (I personally love his game: he's probably the GOAT at making that little pocket pass/left to right reads in the PnR, is really good at throwing lobs to big men lurking in the dunker's spot, is an amazing isolationist and is constantly refining his game), he's one of the best players in the world and we should be moving heaven and earth to get players like him as long as it doesn't gut the supporting cast we can surround him with (a supporting cast of Kemba, Smart and Jaylen is definitely not barren).

Tatum? Wow! I wouldn't even trade Brown for him. I get your point though. Harden is an elite-level talent, no doubt about that.

It's basically the Kyrie situation all over again. He even has 2 years left on his contract, like Kyrie did when he demanded a trade from Cleveland.

[Somebody]

Here comes the inevitable question: Would you guys want the C's to trade for Harden? What would you offer for him? If the C's are willing to part ways with Brown, I bet the Rockets would at least listen.

Personally speaking, I hate Harden's game. I wouldn't want us to trade Brown for him, but that's just me. I don't think the Rockets trade with us unless we include Brown (or Tatum obviously).

I'd trade Tatum straight up for him if it meant we'd be getting him tbh. Like his game or not (I personally love his game: he's probably the GOAT at making that little pocket pass/left to right reads in the PnR, is really good at throwing lobs to big men lurking in the dunker's spot, is an amazing isolationist and is constantly refining his game), he's one of the best players in the world and we should be moving heaven and earth to get players like him as long as it doesn't gut the supporting cast we can surround him with (a supporting cast of Kemba, Smart and Jaylen is definitely not barren).

Tatum? Wow! I wouldn't even trade Brown for him. I get your point though. Harden is an elite-level talent, no doubt about that.

It's basically the Kyrie situation all over again. He even has 2 years left on his contract, like Kydie did when he demanded a trade from Cleveland.

Harden is in a different universe compared to Kryknee as a player but yeah I understand the reluctance to make such a move. Just feel that while Harden is being a pain in the neck right now, he's nowhere near to being the toxic, volatile, self-proclaimed basketball genius that Kryknee can be.

[gouki88]

Here comes the inevitable question: Would you guys want the C's to trade for Harden? What would you offer for him? If the C's are willing to part ways with Brown, I bet the Rockets would at least listen.

Personally speaking, I hate Harden's game. I wouldn't want us to trade Brown for him, but that's just me. I don't think the Rockets trade with us unless we include Brown (or Tatum obviously).

I'd trade Tatum straight up for him if it meant we'd be getting him tbh. Like his game or not (I personally love his game: he's probably the GOAT at making that little pocket pass/left to right reads in the PnR, is really good at throwing lobs to big men lurking in the dunker's spot, is an amazing isolationist and is constantly refining his game), he's one of the best players in the world and we should be moving heaven and earth to get players like him as long as it doesn't gut the supporting cast we can surround him with (a supporting cast of Kemba, Smart and Jaylen is definitely not barren).

I’d be scared of Harden declining his option and leaving (Hayward wound is fresh) in two years, but I’d still move anyone not named Tatum for him. I think.

Hopefully Smart wouldn’t rip his head off

[td450]

Consider for a moment just how bad things are right now with covid, and this guy is hanging out in a strip club several nights a week, to force a trade from a team that gave him literally everything it could give, despite having 3 years left on one of the most lucrative contracts in sports history.

He is, clear as day, a toxic human being.

Boston fans would run him out of town.

What I hope for is that teams are desperate to get him, and Danny can grab a really nice second tier player by offering to take salary to make a deal work.

[footey]

Consider for a moment just how bad things are right now with covid, and this guy is hanging out in a strip club several nights a week, to force a trade from a team that gave him literally everything it could give, despite having 3 years left on one of the most lucrative contracts in sports history.

He is, clear as day, a toxic human being.

Boston fans would run him out of town.

What I hope for is that teams are desperate to get him, and Danny can grab a really nice second tier player by offering to take salary to make a deal work.

[footey]

No thank you to trading for James Harden.

Sink or swim with our team.  Add a key piece with TPE.  Hope Kemba knee is manageable.

No to Harden. 

(Unless you can work a trade without giving up Jaylen or Jayson, which you can't, so no).

[NKY fan]

Given Kemba’s 3 yr deal, Smart two years I would consider Harden for the next 2-3 years in a win now move.... with that the max I would offer is Jaylen plus fillers plus 2 first round picks and 1 swap.
The fillers can be young players so that helps the perceived value Houston are getting.
I would think they will jump on Jaylen vs Simmons but it depends on what sweeteners Morey adds.
3 year window to compete then rebuild with Tatum and cap space ...
Now as I think about it every single team in our division would bid on harden.
Knicks are dying to be relevant again but their young players suck and that means they only have toppin plus picks to offer..
maybe Toronto wins the bid with Siakam+Powel + 3-4 first round picks

[BringToughnessBack]

No thank you to trading for James Harden.

Sink or swim with our team.  Add a key piece with TPE.  Hope Kemba knee is manageable.

No to Harden. 

(Unless you can work a trade without giving up Jaylen or Jayson, which you can't, so no).

I one thousand percent agree. He had a ton of talent around him and still cannot figure out how to get over the hump. There is no scenario where I would ever entertain putting a 22 year old Tatum into a deal for a 31 year old Harden. I would also like you say, not want to include Brown. If Danny was tempted though, one of them would be needed to get him. A big NO from me.

[Big333223]

The latest example of why a team is dumb to essentially let its star player run the organization in an effort to keep him happy. Cleveland lost Lebron (for a while, then for a second time), New Orleans lost Anthony Davis, OKC lost KD, and now this.

Teams need to focus on building their teams the right way and not just placating to their stars because if the star is willing to leave if you don't do what he says then he'll be willing to leave even if you do everything they want.