NBA Season 2022-23

[gouki88]

Keith Pompey: Former Toronto Raptors coach Nick Nurse is meeting with Sixers ownership and management this week coming up in regards to the vacant head-coaching position, according to league sources. – via Twitter PompeyOnSixers

Noooooo!!!

[Roy H.]

Keith Pompey: Former Toronto Raptors coach Nick Nurse is meeting with Sixers ownership and management this week coming up in regards to the vacant head-coaching position, according to league sources. – via Twitter PompeyOnSixers

Noooooo!!!

I hate it for two reasons: 1) Nurse is a good coach, and 2) Nurse is an annoying coach, and we'd have to see even more of him.

[celticsclay]

Also from Pompey https://basketball.realgm.com/wiretap/271631/Rockets-Expect-To-Sign-James-Harden

I think they are in bad shape if they bring back harden at a max salary for 4 years also, but if Philly loses harden for nothing they are capped out with no avenues to really improve. They can trade Tobias expiring but they have few picks or young players outside of maxey anyone would want.

[Roy H.]

Also from Pompey https://basketball.realgm.com/wiretap/271631/Rockets-Expect-To-Sign-James-Harden

I think they are in bad shape if they bring back harden at a max salary for 4 years also, but if Philly loses harden for nothing they are capped out with no avenues to really improve. They can trade Tobias expiring but they have few picks or young players outside of maxey anyone would want.

I don't really understand why Houston wants to pay up to $52.5 million per year for this guy.  He's the example you want to set for your rebuilding team?

[celticsclay]

Also from Pompey https://basketball.realgm.com/wiretap/271631/Rockets-Expect-To-Sign-James-Harden

I think they are in bad shape if they bring back harden at a max salary for 4 years also, but if Philly loses harden for nothing they are capped out with no avenues to really improve. They can trade Tobias expiring but they have few picks or young players outside of maxey anyone would want.

I don't really understand why Houston wants to pay up to $52.5 million per year for this guy.  He's the example you want to set for your rebuilding team?

I guess ticket and merchandise sales? But yeah doesn’t seem like a good influence on young players (although some have given him credit for working with maxey, not sure if that is accurate at all)

[Roy H.]

Also from Pompey https://basketball.realgm.com/wiretap/271631/Rockets-Expect-To-Sign-James-Harden

I think they are in bad shape if they bring back harden at a max salary for 4 years also, but if Philly loses harden for nothing they are capped out with no avenues to really improve. They can trade Tobias expiring but they have few picks or young players outside of maxey anyone would want.

I don't really understand why Houston wants to pay up to $52.5 million per year for this guy.  He's the example you want to set for your rebuilding team?

I guess ticket and merchandise sales? But yeah doesn’t seem like a good influence on young players (although some have given him credit for working with maxey, not sure if that is accurate at all)

I think I'd just sign Yao Ming and have him play two minutes per night if I wanted revenue, haha.

[Kernewek]

Also from Pompey https://basketball.realgm.com/wiretap/271631/Rockets-Expect-To-Sign-James-Harden

I think they are in bad shape if they bring back harden at a max salary for 4 years also, but if Philly loses harden for nothing they are capped out with no avenues to really improve. They can trade Tobias expiring but they have few picks or young players outside of maxey anyone would want.

I don't really understand why Houston wants to pay up to $52.5 million per year for this guy.  He's the example you want to set for your rebuilding team?

I guess ticket and merchandise sales? But yeah doesn’t seem like a good influence on young players (although some have given him credit for working with maxey, not sure if that is accurate at all)

I think I'd just sign Yao Ming and have him play two minutes per night if I wanted revenue, haha.

This might be a stupid question, but are we sure either Philadelphia or any other team is going to offer Harden the largest contract he's eligible for? Keeping in mind that he's already going to be sacrificing some income if he signs anywhere that's not Philly.

[Who]

Also from Pompey https://basketball.realgm.com/wiretap/271631/Rockets-Expect-To-Sign-James-Harden

I think they are in bad shape if they bring back harden at a max salary for 4 years also, but if Philly loses harden for nothing they are capped out with no avenues to really improve. They can trade Tobias expiring but they have few picks or young players outside of maxey anyone would want.

I don't really understand why Houston wants to pay up to $52.5 million per year for this guy.  He's the example you want to set for your rebuilding team?

Houston does not want to be a rebuilding team. They want to bring back Harden and then trade the youth for vet stars to play alongside him. It's a win-now move. An abdonment of rebuilding.

[BudweiserCeltic]

Also from Pompey https://basketball.realgm.com/wiretap/271631/Rockets-Expect-To-Sign-James-Harden

I think they are in bad shape if they bring back harden at a max salary for 4 years also, but if Philly loses harden for nothing they are capped out with no avenues to really improve. They can trade Tobias expiring but they have few picks or young players outside of maxey anyone would want.

I don't really understand why Houston wants to pay up to $52.5 million per year for this guy.  He's the example you want to set for your rebuilding team?

Houston does not want to be a rebuilding team. They want to bring back Harden and then trade the youth for vet stars to play alongside him. It's a win-now move. An abdonment of rebuilding.

Those better be some very good stars because Harden is not getting any franchise anywhere.

[Roy H.]

Also from Pompey https://basketball.realgm.com/wiretap/271631/Rockets-Expect-To-Sign-James-Harden

I think they are in bad shape if they bring back harden at a max salary for 4 years also, but if Philly loses harden for nothing they are capped out with no avenues to really improve. They can trade Tobias expiring but they have few picks or young players outside of maxey anyone would want.

I don't really understand why Houston wants to pay up to $52.5 million per year for this guy.  He's the example you want to set for your rebuilding team?

Houston does not want to be a rebuilding team. They want to bring back Harden and then trade the youth for vet stars to play alongside him. It's a win-now move. An abdonment of rebuilding.

Those better be some very good stars because Harden is not getting any franchise anywhere.

Yeah, to win now you figure you need teammates at least as good as Embiid and Maxey.  Good luck with that.

[Who]

It doesn't sound like Harden's goal is to win a Championship. His goals appear to be to play for a good team in a role where he is the man. Where the offense is designed around him for him to play to his fullest capacity. I don't think Harden wants to play for a crappy or even average (.500 team) team. A good team (say 47+ wins).

It would be interesting to know what Houston's goals are. I am not sure there goal is to win a title. It may just be to be a playoff team again. To be a 45-55 win team. Their new owner may be sick of 20 win seasons.

Neither side's goal here may be to win a title.

[Phantom255x]

So this Harden reporting during the WCF/ECF of playoffs. I know tampering is rampant anyways behind closed doors, but how is this not considered blatant tampering to the public??

[Who]

If I'm Houston, I am comfortable throwing away my rebuild for a short window run. If I can get Harden in FA and then line up two big trades for stars, I go for it.

I am not convinced by their youth. Jalen Green is their most talented player but is far from complete. Jabari Smith looks more like a 3rd option than a top 2 dude on a title team and that is if he pans out which is no guarantee. Sengun is skilled and smart but lacks athleticism, can't play defense and doesn't shoot the ball well.

It is a good start to a rebuild but it is not overwhelming talent. It is not Durant and Westbrook and dreams of a decade of title contention. It is closer to the Magic with Oladipo, Vucevic, A Gordon and E Payton. Is Houston's rebuild really so promising that you would be worried about walking away from it? Not for me its not.

A trade package built around J Green should net you a very strong veteran player. A 2nd package built around some combination of Jabari Smith, Sengun and maybe picks could be quite attractive also depending on how much you stack the package with Sengun and/or picks.

Houston could build a very good team around James Harden. Compete for 3-4 years. Restart their rebuild then.

I do wonder if they could get to a title contender via big trades. Maybe. Maybe not. But they should be able to build a very good team. A 50-55 win team. Maybe better.

[Who]

So this Harden reporting during the WCF/ECF of playoffs. I know tampering is rampant anyways behind closed doors, but how is this not considered blatant tampering to the public??

It looks like Harden is driving it. Not the team. Not the Rockets.

Harden is the one sending signals. Telling Houston he wants to come home. That the grass wasn't greener elsewhere. That he misses what he once had.

[Phantom255x]

So this Harden reporting during the WCF/ECF of playoffs. I know tampering is rampant anyways behind closed doors, but how is this not considered blatant tampering to the public??

It looks like Harden is driving it. Not the team. Not the Rockets.

Harden is the one sending signals. Telling Houston he wants to come home. That the grass wasn't greener elsewhere. That he misses what he once had.

Got it, TP thanks. I’m guessing also it’s because he has a player option and he hasn’t officially opted out yet so technically he’s not a formal FA either