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He's going to go the route of Carmelo Anthony. By the time he makes changes, he'll be a shell of himself and nobody will want him.Flagrant Fowl wrote: ↑Tue Aug 15, 2023 1:47 pmHe wants to play James Harden ball, and combining that with his contract expiring and habit of being unfit or unhealthy for long stretches is making most teams leery of acquiring him.
He's at the point of his career where he needs to change to maintain longevity, but we've seen many examples of guys who never figure that out.
These players have a hard time adapting their game. He could be a starter on a successful team if he got fit and became a third option. I hope suns stay away.AmareIsGod wrote: ↑Tue Aug 15, 2023 1:56 pmHe's going to go the route of Carmelo Anthony. By the time he makes changes, he'll be a shell of himself and nobody will want him.Flagrant Fowl wrote: ↑Tue Aug 15, 2023 1:47 pmHe wants to play James Harden ball, and combining that with his contract expiring and habit of being unfit or unhealthy for long stretches is making most teams leery of acquiring him.
He's at the point of his career where he needs to change to maintain longevity, but we've seen many examples of guys who never figure that out.
Could we get a Sprewell situation where nobody will offer him a contract he will take?AmareIsGod wrote: ↑Tue Aug 15, 2023 1:56 pmHe's going to go the route of Carmelo Anthony. By the time he makes changes, he'll be a shell of himself and nobody will want him.Flagrant Fowl wrote: ↑Tue Aug 15, 2023 1:47 pmHe wants to play James Harden ball, and combining that with his contract expiring and habit of being unfit or unhealthy for long stretches is making most teams leery of acquiring him.
He's at the point of his career where he needs to change to maintain longevity, but we've seen many examples of guys who never figure that out.
I feel like I’m in the middle on this one. Harden is a good ball handler and excellent passer, but he’s not actually that good of a shooter. His lower %s have been tolerated because he is the engine that drives the other players who can be highly specialized and focus on defense and catch and shoot, but if the rest of the team is actually well rounded then it comes down to whether Harden is able to adapt his game accordingly, and he has shown an consistent unwillingness to do so.ShelC wrote: ↑Wed Aug 16, 2023 7:53 amI don't think his game will age poorly, but it will be more about whether or not he can stay in shape and accept a lesser role without being a headache. He's still a ballhandler and playmaker with size who can shoot whereas Melo was really just a scorer who still had a star mentality. Iverson was similar in that once he lost his first step, he couldn't adjust/accept coming off the bench and being a 6th man or playmaker. Vince Carter adjusted his game to take a back seat and be more of a roleplaying mentor.
Harden's biggest problem right now his is rep and burning bridges. Execs could hold that against him in the future.
This is also how I see it. He's still a top 25-30 player in the league and was certainly on the fringe of All-NBA last season.pickle wrote: ↑Wed Aug 16, 2023 10:29 amI feel like I’m in the middle on this one. Harden is a good ball handler and excellent passer, but he’s not actually that good of a shooter. His lower %s have been tolerated because he is the engine that drives the other players who can be highly specialized and focus on defense and catch and shoot, but if the rest of the team is actually well rounded then it comes down to whether Harden is able to adapt his game accordingly, and he has shown an consistent unwillingness to do so.ShelC wrote: ↑Wed Aug 16, 2023 7:53 amI don't think his game will age poorly, but it will be more about whether or not he can stay in shape and accept a lesser role without being a headache. He's still a ballhandler and playmaker with size who can shoot whereas Melo was really just a scorer who still had a star mentality. Iverson was similar in that once he lost his first step, he couldn't adjust/accept coming off the bench and being a 6th man or playmaker. Vince Carter adjusted his game to take a back seat and be more of a roleplaying mentor.
Harden's biggest problem right now his is rep and burning bridges. Execs could hold that against him in the future.
So on paper I feel that Harden will absolutely have utility but it probably doesn’t match his real life willingness to provide such utility if he weren’t just handed the reigns and be given total freedom.
I've seen him change his body. He's the only guy in the league I've seen with a beer belly.Flagrant Fowl wrote: ↑Wed Aug 16, 2023 1:59 pmThis is also how I see it. He's still a top 25-30 player in the league and was certainly on the fringe of All-NBA last season.pickle wrote: ↑Wed Aug 16, 2023 10:29 amI feel like I’m in the middle on this one. Harden is a good ball handler and excellent passer, but he’s not actually that good of a shooter. His lower %s have been tolerated because he is the engine that drives the other players who can be highly specialized and focus on defense and catch and shoot, but if the rest of the team is actually well rounded then it comes down to whether Harden is able to adapt his game accordingly, and he has shown an consistent unwillingness to do so.ShelC wrote: ↑Wed Aug 16, 2023 7:53 amI don't think his game will age poorly, but it will be more about whether or not he can stay in shape and accept a lesser role without being a headache. He's still a ballhandler and playmaker with size who can shoot whereas Melo was really just a scorer who still had a star mentality. Iverson was similar in that once he lost his first step, he couldn't adjust/accept coming off the bench and being a 6th man or playmaker. Vince Carter adjusted his game to take a back seat and be more of a roleplaying mentor.
Harden's biggest problem right now his is rep and burning bridges. Execs could hold that against him in the future.
So on paper I feel that Harden will absolutely have utility but it probably doesn’t match his real life willingness to provide such utility if he weren’t just handed the reigns and be given total freedom.
The problem is projecting him forward into the twilight of his career when his athleticism will inevitably decline. He hasn't shown a willingness to change his body, and he's already one of the slowest (laziest) off ball players in the league. It sure seems like there aren't any teams interested in building around his style, but I suppose playing for the Clippers under Lue could flip that perspective.