This summer, the Philadelphia 76ers fired coach Doc Rivers, replacing him with former Toronto Raptors coach Nick Nurse. Given the team’s playoff collapse in the second round, the decision was understandable. A lot of rumors suggested star James Harden played a part in the team’s decision, with one report even saying Harden played a key role in Rivers’ firing.
Recently, Rivers opened up on his relationship with Harden before he got fired, noting that it was “neutral” and “honest”.
“It wasn’t bad, it wasn’t good. It was pretty much neutral,” Rivers said. “It was an honest relationship at the end of the day. I was very honest. I really believe there’s ways you have to play to win and, obviously, I was never willing to compromise on that. It was a relationship of communication. I can tell you, we talked when we needed to talk all the time.”
Malika Andrews: “At the end of your tenure [with the Sixers], what was your relationship with James Harden?”
Doc Rivers: “It wasn’t bad, it wasn’t good, it was pretty much neutral.” 👀
(via @ESPNNBA)https://t.co/cnCLsiuGaX
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) October 11, 2023
As of right now, Harden is in the middle of a trade request with the 76ers, with his preferred destination being the Los Angeles Clippers. It is definitely interesting that Harden wanted Rivers fired while having no intentions of staying with the 76ers, and perhaps the guard will give his take on the situation at some point going forward.
This past season, Harden averaged 21.0 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 10.7 assists per game while shooting 38.5% from 3PT range. He can still be an impactful player but is perhaps best served in a No. 3 option role on a championship team.
The Houston Rockets Chose To Sign Fred VanVleet Over James Harden This Summer
This past summer, Harden was a free agent. The Houston Rockets had a chance to sign him but ended up acquiring Fred VanVleet instead. Recently, coach Ime Udoka explained why the Rockets chose VanVleet over Harden.
“Nothing against James,” Udoka said, per Zach Lowe of ESPN, “but Fred is just a better fit. I coached James in Brooklyn. He’s one of the smartest players I’ve ever been around. The words ‘Ime doesn’t want James’ never came out of my mouth. It was, ‘Let’s look at the best fit.’ If we want Jalen and the young guys to take the next steps, we need them to have the ball. As for me saying I don’t want James, that was never the case. It was about fit.”
There is no question that Harden is a better overall player than VanVleet. However, the key was getting a player that is comfortable playing and moving without the basketball. The Rockets want players like Jalen Green and Amen Thompson to develop into stars, and for that to happen, they need touches. This decision makes absolute sense, even when considering Harden is a franchise legend for the Rockets.
James Harden Needs To Adjust To Win A Championship
At this point, it is fair to say that the current version of Harden isn’t good enough to be the No. 1 ballhandler on a championship-level team. He needs to be able to play more off-ball so he can fit with other ball-dominant superstars.
With that being said, maybe using Harden as a pass-first No. 3 option is the answer. It is easy to see why he wants to join the Clippers, as with Kawhi Leonard and Paul George present, there would be less overall pressure on him to score.
It will be interesting to see whether Harden will ever be able to win a championship. Of course, if he doesn’t, he is still a legendary player, but a championship would absolutely elevate his legacy.
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