A James Harden Story.

By “Coach” Fahim Nassar

What happens to a dream derailed?

James Edward Harden, JR was drafted 3^rd overall by the Oklahoma City Thunder back in 2009.

He was drafted to what could have been thought of as a super team back then, even though the youth of the team was unproven at the time. Sam Presti brought in Kevin Durant in 2007, Russell Westbrook 4^th overall in 2008 along with Serge Ibaka 24^th overall.

While many in the industry considered this team to be dangerous contenders in the first two years of this union, it soon became apparent that Harden had the skills and desire to be a starter, and perhaps even a star in this league, and he was tired of coming off the bench.

The 2011-12 season was a perfect reminder of that. Harden was the 6^th man of the Year but really showed his offensive prowess.

Though the Thunder won the Western Conference that season, and lost in five games to the eventual champion, Heat, Harden was not satisfied in his role and refused to sign the contract extension offered.

Angel oh angel-

Enter NBA GM, Daryl Morey, who was currently the Rockets General manager. He saw his chance to revamp the Rockets and turn them into a contender and it started, in his eyes, with James Harden.

On October 27, 2012, the Oklahoma City Thunder traded James Harden and two other players to the Houston Rockets for a package that included Kevin Martin, Jeremy Lamb, and two future first-round picks that became Steven Adams and Mitch McGary.

This new Rockets team, comprised of Harden, Patrick Beverly, Chandler Parsons, Cole Aldrich, Terrence Jones, and Marcus Morris was hard-working but not a showstopper yet, but Morey had a vision, and by the 2014-15 season Morey’s fruits of labor began coming to pass.

His Rockets finished first in the Southwest division with a record of 56-26, eventually losing to the Golden State Warriors in five games in the Western Conference Finals. The following season was one of tumult, as Kevin McKale went 41-41, and the Rockets finished eighth with a first round exit in five games to the Golden State Warriors.

Harden shortly started to gain a reputation of poor defense while being offensively explosive.

In 2016-17, Mike D’Antoni, the king of defense-less basketball, took over and his run-and-gun offense brought the Rockets back. They finished 55-27 and third in the West. They lost in the Conference Semi-finals that year to the San Antonio Spurs in six games. Harden, personally, had to watch his former teammate, Russell Westbrook, win Most Valuable Player that year as well.

Undaunted, James Harden dedicated himself and focused on his goals come 17-18 and he won the MVP that year. Morey brought Nene, Joe Johnson, Clint Capela, and Chris Paul to the franchise and away they went!

This Rockets team won the West with a 65-17 record to go along with Hardens’ MVP campaign. They ran through the ops until they reached their playoff nemesis Golden State Warriors, who defeated the Rockets, in seven games.

The next year was more of the same. Great record (53-29) bounced in six games during the second round by…you guessed it. The Golden State Warriors. Harden was beginning to feel the strain of being a successful star with no rings.

As Kevin Durant earned 2 championships, his former teammate had none. The media was as unrelenting as ever.

Then, the 2019-20 Season went worse than 18-19. They lost Chris Paul, but added former teammate and MVP, Russell Westbrook. The apparent hope was that Russell could get them over the hump Chris Paul could not.

The Rockets still made the playoffs with a 44-28 record but lost in the second round to the Los Angeles Lakers in five games. This began the decline of the Rockets, and Harden’s relationships started waning within the front office.

The 20-21 Season was marked by horrible results. They were 17-55 for the first time in several years. Victor Oladipo replaced Russell Westbrook. Morey added John Wall, P.J Tucker, Eric Gordon, DeMarcus Cousins, and D.J Augustin to their roster but to no avail. There was blame to be had all over, but that summer James Harden decided he did not want to return to Houston.

Morey and the front office stood firm in the media for several weeks. After an embarrassing hold-out period in which it seemed Harden gained weight and was uninterested in team affairs. Morey finally traded Harden the following year to Brooklyn.

Morey eventually left for Philadelphia himself.

While it seemed that James Harden was ecstatic about joining fellow stars, Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, Covid-19 put the kibosh on that. Soon, Harden was at odds again. This time it was with Kyrie. James became adamant about wanting to be traded (again). The Brooklyn brain trust, knowing they had other headaches on the horizon, gave James his request and he was paired once again with general manager, Daryl Morey.

It was an interesting time in Philly. Ben Simmons body and confidence eroded. All media fingers pointed to Doc Rivers and the best solution for all parties was to reunite James with Daryl.

Or so we thought.

Eventually, Ben Simmons was traded to Brooklyn. Harden seemed to have a renewed vigor in Philly and even agreed to take less money to add on players like P.J. Tucker.

Harden, after all, was due an extension at the end of the season. It was believed he would get a long-term contract at that time. Yet after another Sixers failed attempt at a championship Doc Rivers was not retained as the Sixers head coach. The star of the 76ers, Joel Embiid began voicing frustrations at lack of winning in key moments. The Sixers hired new head coach and NBA Champion Nick Nurse, who seemingly struggled his last couple of years in Toronto.

His introductory press conference was not exactly a glowing endorsement of Harden either. As far as Harden was concerned, this became a bad situation.

Today’s speech that was delivered to basketball campers was an impromptu number I’d like to call ‘Daryl is a Liar”. It is shooting up the charts to number one with a bullet!

We are assuming it stems from a conversation James had last year to take less money with a promise of a long-term contract at the end of the rainbow. After a disappointing playoff exit (something Harden has become more than accustomed to) there was no long-term extension offered.

Then the pair come to another agreement- this time a trade. Unfortunately, Harden is not garnering the excitement he once did and trade offers were not substantial, or at least to Daryl Morey’s version of substantial.

Which now leaves a disgruntled and possibly volatile (see Houston) situation in Philly. Assumptions are already abounding about the possibility of Joel Embiid, Philly’s resident MVP and star, looking for greener pastures.

For a young man who had so much promise and potential in the league to not just be a Hall of Fame type of player but to amass championships as well, he is falling a bit far of the ultimate goal. But then again, is winning a championship truly his ultimate goal?

As for his relationship with Daryl Morey, if we are to take James at face value that relationship is over. But this also could be a dramatic farce. How will it end? Your guess is as good as mine. Perhaps it will end with James and Joel finally hoisting the Larry O’Brien trophy. Perhaps not.

While it is true that not every NBA player, even great ones, win championships. It can be said he has already had squads with championship pedigree. If James wants to win, his best opportunity is in Philadelphia.

If he wants a long-term deal, perhaps his best bet is packing his bags and moving on. Only James knows what James wants, but with all the turbulence of the last few years perhaps that is interfering with what team owners and general managers want. It is safe to say James Harden is a generational talent, but his actions leave many a scratched head.

*Photo courtesy of Liberty Ballers