I find it strange that people are focused on Harden telling the Rockets what he wants in terms of roster moves ... how do I say this:
It is not complying with a player's demands that drives loyalty; it is making the right decision for the team. If a player makes bad demands on roster moves, you as an organization have to stand up and say no.
Failure to do stand up to a player's bad demands makes you more vulnerable to that player leaving. Not less.
Conceding / complying to a player's bad demands makes it more likely your player leaves your team opposed to staying.
Making the right decisions and keeping the team on the right path is your best bet to convincing your talent to stick around. That is what strong front offices do.
If Houston, and it sounds like they did, concede to Harden's every whim and demand - they only have themselves to blame. They were a weak badly run organization.
They have to look at themselves in the mirror and accept responsibility for their bad management.
Blaming it on the player is such a cop-out. I hate that crap. Just as much as I hate seeing some teams trying to sign a player's friend in order to make the player happier (short termism) instead of trying to improve the team (long term thinking).
No matter what the player says or demands ... you are the management. You are the owner. It is your decision. You have final say in those roster moves and you carry the judgement & consequences of those decisions.
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Back to Harden. Harden's actions in these areas do not worry me. Having a bad front office that won't stand up to him and is incapable of making sound decisions worries me. Harden's wants do not. Just as I am not worried about Harden asking / demanding for a trade because he wants to play on a title contender.
We have Danny Ainge and one of the strongest front offices in the league. I have trust & confidence in Ainge. He can handle someone like Harden. Ainge won't back down and make a bunch of bad decisions for the team just because Harden wanted those moves.
With that said, we've lost 3 major free agents in 2 consecutive offseasons. What this front office can or can't handle is far from a sure thing.
The only black mark is Kyrie, I'm not sure having the other two leave for terrible contracts was a healthy way to go.
And I'd posit that Harden is more like Kyrie than he is Horford or Hayward.
I think we're far passed the point of players being so in awe of Celtics lure that they fall on their knees and are grateful to put on the jersey. The league is as player driven as it's ever been. Players are looking for situations where they can call the shots on personnel and get their friends/relatives jobs within the organization. Our one test with a diva-esque player was a disaster. I don't see James Harden coming in and conforming because of Danny Ainge. That's a nice thought but it's fool's gold.
It is not about conforming. It is about saying no.
The player doesn't have to like it. He just has to understand at the end of the day, the GM is the boss.
The player will accept it (in the long run) if the GM makes the right decision(s). Almost all the time, it'll work out for you. A few times it will not. But it is the best long term decision making strategy for your organization, your own job security (as a GM) and for keeping your best player(s).
It is about making the right decision. That is first and foremost.
Not about capitulating to a player or going against the player. It is about what is right for the team - if your GM can figure that out, your player will accept it.
