Ken Berger: Harden got McHale fired, tried to force Rockets to trade Howard

[rondohondo]

What a little diva baby this guy turned out to be

   

Multiple league sources told CBS Sports that Harden pushed management to dump McHale, and has since angled for the Rockets to trade Howard. Rockets GM Daryl Morey delivered on the first demand, but was unable to find a suitable deal for Howard at the trade deadline this month.

    “It’s really bad for the locker room dynamic,” a person familiar with the situation told CBS Sports. “If everybody knows that James Harden can fire you or trade you, are you going to pass the ball to Dwight or are you going to pass the ball to James Harden?”

So he is Lebron James now? he is that good to bow down to his every demand?

Really can't stand Harden, plays no d, horrible teammate and leader . He will never lead a team to a title.

[Celtics17]

After hearing reports like these it's really nice to know that Ainge is trying to construct a team of positive personalities. Anyone who has ever played team ball of any sort knows there are always guys like Harden and that in the long run the ruin the teams' chances of doing great things. The Celtics seem to play excellent team and adding a player like Harden or probably Dwight Howard will do more harm then good. A guy like Horford, on the other hand, just adds to this positive flow Ainge is trying to instill.

[SCeltic34]

I'm wondering (although I've assumed this to be true) if Harden's and Howard's personalities were the reason they could never attract that 3rd star to form a true contender.  On paper, adding that 3rd star would have made them a legit threat to make the finals.

My memory isn't serving me well, but two big names they've struck out on since landing Dwight are Bosh (who would have been a great fit on paper) and Melo.  They were interested in LaMarcus Aldridge and Kevin Love as well this past summer, but obviously didn't work out.  Enter Ty Lawson, who I was never convinced would put them over the top, but certainly didn't expect him to fit in this poorly.

Houston will never win a title with Harden and Howard as their 2 best players.  They just don't have what it takes.

[saltlover]

I'm wondering (although I've assumed this to be true) if Harden's and Howard's personalities were the reason they could never attract that 3rd star to form a true contender.  On paper, adding that 3rd star would have made them a legit threat to make the finals.

My memory isn't serving me well, but two big names they've struck out on since landing Dwight are Bosh (who would have been a great fit on paper) and Melo.  They were interested in LaMarcus Aldridge and Kevin Love as well this past summer, but obviously didn't work out.  Enter Ty Lawson, who I was never convinced would put them over the top, but certainly didn't expect him to fit in this poorly.

Houston will never win a title with Harden and Howard as their 2 best players.  They just don't have what it takes.

I think money was why the third star never came.  Bosh signed for the 5-year max contract with max raises.  Houston could only offer him the four-year max at smaller raises.  Given his health issues, that turned out to be a wise move financially.

Carmelo also got a 5-year deal that included a no-trade clause, neither of which Houston could offer.  He didn't get the max he could have gotten from NY, but he's still getting more over four years than the Rockets could offer.  And since he's apparently unwilling to wave his no-trade clause, we could guess that was an important component of the offer.

Now it could be that if Howard and Harden were more likeable, maybe Bosh or Anthony would have turned down the extra dollars, years, and other security they got from their new deals.  We'll never know.  But the Rockets were straight-up outbid in both contracts, so I'm pretty comfortable in saying that was the primary reason.

[SparzWizard]

I'm really liking that Metta World Peace elbowing to James Harden's head much more now.

Don't like that clown.

[86MaxwellSmart]

Man, those Kardashian tramps leave a ton of collateral damage !

[knuckleballer]

Man, those Kardashian tramps leave a ton of collateral damage !

No kidding.  Look at the men in that family.  Robert Kardashian died relatively young, then there is Bruce turned Caitlyn, Rob Jr., Lamar, Kanye, and the other guy who's become an addict.  Men should be very afraid of the "Kardashian tramps".

[86MaxwellSmart]

Man, those Kardashian tramps leave a ton of collateral damage !

No kidding.  Look at the men in that family.  Robert Kardashian died relatively young, then there is Bruce turned Caitlyn, Rob Jr., Lamar, Kanye, and the other guy who's become an addict.  Men should be very afraid of the "Kardashian tramps".

you forgot about Reggie Bush.

[manl_lui]

Man, those Kardashian tramps leave a ton of collateral damage !

No kidding.  Look at the men in that family.  Robert Kardashian died relatively young, then there is Bruce turned Caitlyn, Rob Jr., Lamar, Kanye, and the other guy who's become an addict.  Men should be very afraid of the "Kardashian tramps".

you forgot about Reggie Bush.

Kris Humphries?

[knuckleballer]

Man, those Kardashian tramps leave a ton of collateral damage !

No kidding.  Look at the men in that family.  Robert Kardashian died relatively young, then there is Bruce turned Caitlyn, Rob Jr., Lamar, Kanye, and the other guy who's become an addict.  Men should be very afraid of the "Kardashian tramps".

you forgot about Reggie Bush.

Good point.  He was heading for stardom, but then only had a mediocre career.  Although, he at least had a career, only part of his life force was sucked out of him.  He escaped before it was too late.  I'm mostly kidding, but it's like those women are succubi.

[SHAQATTACK]

Man, those Kardashian tramps leave a ton of collateral damage !

LOL ...great post .  TP !   ....funny stuff right there.

Edit

The Kardashians make the Osborne family look like an All American Family .


Harden marches to a different drummer anyway ......just a way out there guy.

Removed content that violates CB Rules - Faf

[86MaxwellSmart]

They leave a path of destruction.

[SCeltic34]

I'm wondering (although I've assumed this to be true) if Harden's and Howard's personalities were the reason they could never attract that 3rd star to form a true contender.  On paper, adding that 3rd star would have made them a legit threat to make the finals.

My memory isn't serving me well, but two big names they've struck out on since landing Dwight are Bosh (who would have been a great fit on paper) and Melo.  They were interested in LaMarcus Aldridge and Kevin Love as well this past summer, but obviously didn't work out.  Enter Ty Lawson, who I was never convinced would put them over the top, but certainly didn't expect him to fit in this poorly.

Houston will never win a title with Harden and Howard as their 2 best players.  They just don't have what it takes.

I think money was why the third star never came.  Bosh signed for the 5-year max contract with max raises.  Houston could only offer him the four-year max at smaller raises.  Given his health issues, that turned out to be a wise move financially.

Carmelo also got a 5-year deal that included a no-trade clause, neither of which Houston could offer.  He didn't get the max he could have gotten from NY, but he's still getting more over four years than the Rockets could offer.  And since he's apparently unwilling to wave his no-trade clause, we could guess that was an important component of the offer.

Now it could be that if Howard and Harden were more likeable, maybe Bosh or Anthony would have turned down the extra dollars, years, and other security they got from their new deals.  We'll never know.  But the Rockets were straight-up outbid in both contracts, so I'm pretty comfortable in saying that was the primary reason.

Sounds about right then.  I just recall Houston being able to offer max deals to Bosh and Anthony.  It seemed like a golden opportunity to chase a title for both players, but both chose the money/security instead.  That and they might have just been happy playing for the teams they were already on.

[CroCorvus]

What a waste of talent.

I keep saying that Harden&Howard, Westbrook&Durant and Paul&Griffin will never win an NBA Championship as main players of their teams.

Till this day still applicable.

[TheFlex]

How cute, fans are once again falling for perpetually mismanaged front offices' excuse that it is/was their star's fault that the team isn't winning or hasn't won. Read the article. Do any of you really think the Howard fiasco wasn't a culmination of Otis Smith's shortcomings?

Shame on Houston for allowing a player dictate their every move. That's on them, not Harden. Harden has earned a say -- it's a front office's responsibility to decide if his advice is worthy of subsequent action.