- James Harden has become the subject of criticism amid a holdout with the 76ers
- Harden’s future is in jeopardy with nowhere else to turn
- Speculation grows that this could be the last chapter of Harden’s career
In nine seasons with the Houston Rockets, James Harden blossomed into a true NBA superstar. By the end of the 2018-19 season, he was an MVP, multiple-time All-Star, and one of the greatest players in Rockets history. Over the past few years, we’ve seen Harden destroy this reputation in a rather historic fashion.
In truth, everything beyond the Houston run is where the blemishes start to pile up for the 33-year-old guard. In the summer of 2019, he issued his first trade request and it turned into an ugly affair that included Harden donning a fat suit to stir up as much chaos as possible.
When he was finally traded to Brooklyn that season, James wouldn’t last more than a full season’s worth of games before forcing his way out of there. Without really giving the Nets a chance, he gave up on his dream of a big three with Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving to pursue a new opportunity with the 76ers.
Fast forward to today, and Harden is once again seeking a new team after a broken relationship with Daryl Morey. In this case, the details are still fuzzy on what was promised and who is in the wrong, but James has been going out of his way to make things extra ugly for the City of Brotherly Love…
“Daryl Morey is a liar and I will never be a part of an organization that he’s a part of,” said Harden during a recent visit to China.
The problem for James is not that he’s turning his back on all of these teams, it’s that he’s doing this while no longer being the MVP-caliber player he used to be. His season average of 21 points per game was his lowest since 2012.
Unlike his status in Houston and Brooklyn, Harden is no longer considered a top-10 player, as was proven when he was not elected to the All-Star team last season.
So which teams will take a chance with James now, given he’s already on the wrong side of 30 and has a questionable track record with all of his previous stops? In truth, the Sixers may be the only team left that still needs Harden given they have no means to replace him.
What’s Next For James Harden?
With things at a complete stalemate now, there’s nothing left for the fans to do but sit back and wait to see how it all plays out. On one hand, the 76ers have no obligation to trade Harden now and Morey has already stated that he intends only to accept a premium trade package.
But whether Harden stays or goes to the Clippers like he wants, his reputation has been seriously damaged and it’s going to take a monster effort on the court for him to change the narrative surrounding his career.
“You went and you criticized and you called out a guy, a friend, that values you more than anybody in the league. James Harden has everything to lose and if he’s not careful he could possibly be out of the league after next year,” said NBA analyst Kendrick Perkins. “You can’t trust him, he’s been disgruntled for the last 4 out of 5 years. The NBA don’t need him.”
While Daryl Morey and the 76ers are far from blameless in this ordeal, Harden’s history on and off the court makes it hard for fans to rally behind his latest endeavor.
Clearly, teams across the league must feel something similar as it’s been widely reported that no teams have taken a vested interest in signing the All-NBA level guard.
One has to wonder if that will ever change as Harden grows older as older with each passing year…
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