There has been much speculation that James Harden is as good as gone from the Houston Rockets. He’s been linked to the Golden State Warriors, Philadelphia 76ers, Brooklyn Nets and recently the Miami Heat.
None of these teams are a great fit for Harden’s game. The 76ers might be the best bet with the player personal and personal history with new 76ers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey. He could fit in alongside Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid quite nicely. They all play different games and Harden’s perimeter heavy game would open up space around the net for Simmons and Embiid. Simmons still isn’t showing any signs of being a capable perimeter threat and this is a role Harden aptly fills.
Any move would likely see a Harden having modify his role. He dominates the ball and has been in a unique position in Houston where the team has been focused around how he plays.
Another significant impedance to Harden being traded is what would come back in a trade. None of the teams mentioned would be willing to part with the assets that are usually sent the other way when the caliber of player like Harden is traded. With Houston unlikely to get anything of great value in return for Harden they are better off sticking with the Beard.
As far as individual success goes and Harden being the leader of a championship contender he is likely best off staying with Houston. Houston has made some major upgrades. Switching John Wall for Russel Westbrook is a improvement. Westbrook never quite fit in with Houston and is far too ball dominant of a player to be paired with a player that is much the same in Harden. Other big additions for Houston are DeMarcus Cousins and Christian Woods. Both Bigs that have good post games but are also a threat from outside, which Houston didn’t have last year as they went for a small ball focused lineup shipping off Clint Capela and going with PJ Tucker as their main center.
How long will Harden stay? as with my other prediction for Patrik Laine I think he’ll be there for at least this year. There’s a good chance he stays longer since Houston still is largely built around him and it’s a good fit for Harden’s game personally. One thing that could change is if Harden decides to really chase a ring and take a more limited role with a contender. He doesn’t have the type of game you just easily plug into a new system and his usage and stats would take a big hit.
