2021 NBA regular season thread

[bksballer89]

That isn’t totally true.

The rift with CP3 is an example of Harden being a bad teammate. CP3 is the ultimate competitor and leader. Harden is the better player, but he isn’t a leader.

CP3 tried to hold Harden accountable for things D’Antoni wouldn’t, and Harden didn’t respond well which ultimately led to the Russ trade and the beginning of the end in Houston.

An example of how a positive teammate relationship should work is LeBron and AD. They each hold each other to high standards and they respect one another enough to listen.

I think that's the only example and you can make a case that it didn't happen until their final year together so 1 year (probably more like 1 or two months) of being a bad teammate isn't the end of a world for a player who been in the league 10+ seasons. Disagreeing with his style of play doesn't make him a bad teammate in my book

 

[Shaqdaddy11]

I don’t believe I ever said he was a bad teammate in OKC, didn’t mean to anyway. I said it’s not debateable that he turned into one on Houston though. I stand by that.

"You don’t just become a horrible teammate overnight, there were signs."

 

[thunderc]

Those two quote are literally the opposite. So which is it? Haden didn't do anything wrong, or there were signs he was a horrible teammate?

Those two quote are literally the opposite. So which is it? Haden didn't do anything wrong, or there were signs he was a horrible teammate?

Not in my mind they are not. Warning signs in OKC is all I said. Basically what is being said around OKC is that it was obvious he was not going to fall into the Thunder mindset. As an example, have you seen changes in Durant after he left OKC? He was a different person while in OKC. I’m not saying it was right or wrong, but I’m saying the thunder did not like some of what they saw or they would have maxed him.

 

[thunderc]

"You don’t just become a horrible teammate overnight, there were signs."

Once again, signs Isnt the same as it actually being there yet. Right?

 

[Shaqdaddy11]

Not in my mind they are not. Warning signs in OKC is all I said. Basically what is being said around OKC is that it was obvious he was not going to fall into the Thunder mindset. As an example, have you seen changes in Durant after he left OKC? He was a different person while in OKC. I’m not saying it was right or wrong, but I’m saying the thunder did not like some of what they saw or they would have maxed him.

They would have maxed a 22 year old bench player with 3 years of league experience?

Again, Harden was willing to take the 4 year $50m deal OKC offered him, he just wanted a little extra time to consider. And OKC didn't give him that.

 

[Shaqdaddy11]

Once again, signs Isnt the same as it actually being there yet. Right?

So what signs were there?

 

[tlance]

To refresh everyone’s memory, Presti chose Ibaka over Harden is basically what happened. Ibaka was a decent player but he never developed like they thought he would.

It was the right call honestly. At least the keeping Ibaka part.

What they should have done was traded Russ because they could have gotten a lot more than what they got for Harden.

 

[thunderc]

It was the right call honestly. At least the keeping Ibaka part.

What they should have done was traded Russ because they could have gotten a lot more than what they got for Harden.

Hindsight for sure

 

[tlance]

I think that's the only example and you can make a case that it didn't happen until their final year together so 1 year (probably more like 1 or two months) of being a bad teammate isn't the end of a world for a player who been in the league 10+ seasons. Disagreeing with his style of play doesn't make him a bad teammate in my book

There were also stories upon his departure from Houston that he was allowed to do whatever he wanted. That the organization literally scheduled team flights around Harden’s party events.

That isn’t an example of a good teammate.

 

[thunderc]

They would have maxed a 22 year old bench player with 3 years of league experience?

Again, Harden was willing to take the 4 year $50m deal OKC offered him, he just wanted a little extra time to consider. And OKC didn't give him that.

How many times do you want me to agree with you? I’ll say it again, OKC did not want James Harden. They made an offer to save face and when he blinked they said see ya. Just how it went down.

 

[Shaqdaddy11]

How many times do you want me to agree with you? I’ll say it again, OKC did not want James Harden. They made an offer to save face and when he blinked they said see ya. Just how it went down.

So it was the Thunder that were wrong, not Harden?

 

[thunderc]

So it was the Thunder that were wrong, not Harden?

Who knows, if you can forecast what would have happened I guess we would know. The Thunder obviousky f’d up royally not to win a title with that bunch. My entire opinion of harden is based on his unwatchable game and how I have seen him act. I guess I shouldn’t have brought up the thunder but it is discussed a lot locally that the thunder saw a lot they didn’t like. No I don’t have a link because the Thunder run a very closed type regime, they really do. That’s another story though.

 

[thunderc]

There were also stories upon his departure from Houston that he was allowed to do whatever he wanted. That the organization literally scheduled team flights around Harden’s party events.

That isn’t an example of a good teammate.

The same stories have came out about Westbrook his last year in OKC. I’m assuming it’s common in what is now a player run league

 

[bksballer89]

There were also stories upon his departure from Houston that he was allowed to do whatever he wanted. That the organization literally scheduled team flights around Harden’s party events.

That isn’t an example of a good teammate.

That's more of an organization issue. If you let a player walk all over you then why am i mad at the player for that? The coach and the gm should take all the blame for that

 

[thunderc]

Embiid keeping the Sixers in the game against the Suns. I wonder how long Simmons is out.

 

[tlance]

That's more of an organization issue. If you let a player walk all over you then why am i mad at the player for that? The coach and the gm should take all the blame for that

Yes and no.

Organization is culpable for sure.

But when a player takes that license and uses it the way Harden did, that is putting self interest ahead of team success.

 

[thunderc]

Embiid tweaked his knee again, damn

 

[trojanfan12]

If such a bad teammate why were they willing to even offer as much as they did?

Should be fairly obvious. Can't really make an insulting offer and expect to be taken seriously by future FA's.

 

[trojanfan12]

No disagreement sometimes a local fan might have heard more than we have not being fans...but he's been all over the place in this discussion.

He's a bad teammate......maybe they should have kept him......it had nothing to do with his time in OKC

all over the place.

Not really. He just said that there were signs of it. He also said that maybe they should have kept him, I'd assume to see if they could make it work since they were contenders. He also said that Harden went on to become a bad teammate.

Basically, he said there were signs in OKC re: the type of teammate he'd become.

 

[trojanfan12]

This who conversation started because thurderc was hating on Harden simply because he was a "former Thunder player". He claimed it was because he was a bad teammate amongst other things.

He said there were signs of him being a bad teammate and that he went on to become just that.

I think it's hilarious though that some of you think you know more about what was going on than an actual fan of the team.

Did you learn nothing when we Lakers fans being told our Dwight criticisms were sour grapes, only for him to prove us all right?