Houston Rockets Thread 2024/2025 - NBA DraftTime, Sheppard On Deck

[g-time]

I agree about the Tillman stuff but we're going to act like this organization didn't accommodate his wants and needs, and he isn't at fault? Guy has had threes stars and they've all been the scapegoat. This team has his footprint all over it. Now reports coming out the last two years he's given the front office "mandates to build him a contender or trade him." Common denominator.

 

[JusaVibe]

tilman came through, slashed costs across the board, destroyed a title contender, but it's harden's fault.

i'd want out too.

27 straight missed 3's is what destroyed a title contender AND letting Klay and Steph go off without KD even there as well the next season. Thats on Harden and the rest of the team.

Tillman is still a clown too but he wasn't on the floor shooting or allowing those things to happen. Never forget those two scenarios because if Harden and co at least make it outta 1 of 2 of those situations we probably at least got 1 chip in the "Harden" era. Thats gone for good now and the West is strong as **** now.

Now he wanna strip club hop and not show up to camp. Been saying he's a loser. Just dont trade him for nothing because it def would be franchise crippling for minimum a decade maybe.

 

[barrebaby]

Now that I think about it, poetic justice would probably be sending him to Utah for Donovan Mitchell.

I'd actually like that alot we get Mitchell, and Harden would be stuck in Mormon country. Do they even have strip clubs there?

 

[reformeDWS]

Harden’s fault CP3 got hurt in game 5 and came back worse the next season. Got it.

 

[g-time]

So Harden gets no blame is what your saying?

 

[g-time]

They also had the lead/or kept it close going into the 4th quarter those two games without CP3 if im not mistaken.

 

[reformeDWS]

So Harden gets no blame is what your saying?

no, he’s not without blame. But, if you’re going to try and diagnose the rockets problems for the last 5 years and your takeaway is “harden is the constant so it’s his fault”, then I think you’re grossly oversimplifying things.

 

[g-time]

no, he’s not without blame. But, if you’re going to try and diagnose the rockets problems for the last 5 years and your takeaway is “harden is the constant so it’s his fault”, then I think you’re grossly oversimplifying things.

Oh I know there are other factors, but before Morey left they did everything they could accommodate and keep him happy. Especially with his so called mandates. Now there's a culture change happening where it seems he's actually going to be held accountable for a change, and now wants out (especially with Morey out, who I feel allowed this to happen)? You may feel I'm/we/others are oversimplifying, but I'm not watching this go down with rose colored glasses on either.

 

[barrebaby]

Tilman is deserves A LOT of blame IMO probably for more things than we'll know. The whole coaching (not as much, most of us kind of figured he'd be gone, but on the Rockets terms not D'Antoni's) and GM change materialized so quickly and unexpected something happened behind the scenes we're not hearing yet. Can't wait for a Morey to write a tell all book, how bad it got after the bubble. I'll be willing to bet Tilman was the centerpiece to all the turmoil. As for Harden he's the villain right now, he wanted Westbrook they got him Westbrook. They didn't even play a whole season together (especially under a coach who didn't know how to utilize them together) and then he wanted out, so my guess is Harden wanted out, so Westbrook said well if he's gone I want out too. Harden didn't even give a new coach a chance to make things work, he owes that to us as fans, and an organization who kept finding him a sidekick year in and year out, when each one they found (that he mainly wanted) didn't work out. I hope the Rockets do the right thing and let him rot here, until a trade package that works for us materializes, or he decides to play and at least give this squad a chance first if not so be it. Rockets should be vindictive, and make sure to not send him to a contender, or to somewhere cold and with crappy strip clubs. Its not like we're gonna win a chip this year anyways.

 

[g-time]

Well he's back in Houston now and took his COVID test. Lets see what happens.

 

[reformeDWS]

Oh I know there are other factors, but before Morey left they did everything they could accommodate and keep him happy. Especially with his so called mandates. Now there's a culture change happening where it seems he's actually going to be held accountable for a change, and now wants out (especially with Morey out, who I feel allowed this to happen)? You may feel I'm/we/others are oversimplifying, but I'm not watching this go down with rose colored glasses on either.

no, they didn’t. slashing salary cap after a team goes to the WCF is not a move made to accommodate star players. It’s a move made to save the owner money. I’m struggling to identify what moves were made specifically to accommodate James.

we replaced Ariza and LMAM with Michael Carter Williams, James Ennis, and Melo. We used picks to dump salary instead of improving the roster. There’s a long line of transactions from when Tilman took over where they’ve shed salary.

 

[g-time]

You really don't think any of these moves were made without consulting James? Again, after the reports of these mandates came out. James is/was Morey's guy. That's the reason he's ok with possibly being moved to Philly now.

 

[reformeDWS]

Oh I know there are other factors, but before Morey left they did everything they could accommodate and keep him happy. Especially with his so called mandates.

You really don't think any of these moves were made without consulting James? Again, after the reports of these mandates came out. James is/was Morey's guy. That's the reason he's ok with possibly being moved to Philly now.

You are making the claim that the culture is dictated by James and he makes the decisions. I'm simply asking you to tell me which of the moves James signed off on/approved/mandated.

 

[barrebaby]

Ariza was not even worth what he was offered after that season. People seem to forget also that Ariza was throwing subliminal shots at Harden a CP too.

 

[g-time]

Ariza WANTED out of Houston after that season. That's why when he was traded here this offseason, he wasn't expected to stay.

 

[reformeDWS]

Ariza WANTED out of Houston after that season. That's why when he was traded here this offseason, he wasn't expected to stay.

Even if that is the case, you don't just let a free agent walk. You work with him to try and sign and trade him to give yourself another asset. Like I said, there are multiple instances in which we did not use the assets we had or rules under to CBA to give ourselves multiple options. The only viable reason for why we did what we did how we did it was simply to save costs.

In Harden's years in Houston, his best teammates were post-back surgery dwight howard, 34 year old chris paul, and the version of Russ we just saw.

 

[reformeDWS]

Like I said, Harden has his share of responsibility when we look back at these years, but I don't think he's a top 3-5 reason we haven't won a chip.

 

[Peep Game]

Like I said, Harden has his share of responsibility when we look back at these years, but I don't think he's a top 3-5 reason we haven't won a chip.

It’s mostly been bad luck and unfortunate injuries that kept them from winning titles. He’s def not the main reason, but as of December 2020, him, Morey, MDA, and Tilman all deserve blame for how the team stands right now. That’s why I would not be mad or sad at all if Harden ends up being moved. You have to get rid of all the cancer in the organization. It would be like if Easterby and Crennel were still involved with the Texans next season. Tilman unfortunately will be here longer than he should, but with Harden’s enablers in Philly and Brooklyn, Harden needs to be gone as well. I don’t care in any way that he’s made his way back here today, and I wouldn’t care if he still put up numbers during the season. I am done with the Harden era.

 

[JusaVibe]

Like I said, Harden has his share of responsibility when we look back at these years, but I don't think he's a top 3-5 reason we haven't won a chip.

He is a top 3-5 reason. If's he's so GREAT he shuts **** down for us at the least ONE time... just ONE time have a Dirk like 2011 run and show everyone why your that great or whatever and put the team on ya back and put the dagger in the heart of a team and close it out and bring the chip home or at least make it to the dance and try. Fool didn't even make it to the finals. He folded every...single...time...

...Harden ain't "HIM" and he ain't built like that. Just a stat stuffer who shows out in the regular season.

Im glad this clown and that chapter is about to close with him on the squad.

 

[reformeDWS]

I’d take the “harden era” rockets over anything we’ve had between 1996-2012.

 

[reformeDWS]

He is a top 3-5 reason. If's he's so GREAT he shuts **** down for us at the least ONE time... just ONE time have a Dirk like 2011 run and show everyone why your that great or whatever and put the team on ya back and put the dagger in the heart of a team and close it out and bring the chip home or at least make it to the dance and try. Fool didn't even make it to the finals. He folded every...single...time...

...Harden ain't "HIM" and he ain't built like that. Just a stat stuffer who shows out in the regular season.

Im glad this clown and that chapter is about to close with him on the squad.

this is skip bayless/Colin cowherd level analysis. LeBron the GOAT and couldn’t beat the Warriors but Harden a sucker because he couldn’t with his second best player hurt? Just say you don’t like him and keep it moving.

 

[polosanddunks]

I’d take the “harden era” rockets over anything we’ve had between 1996-2012.

That aint saying much and it'll be easily forgotten just like those seasons . Dude's still a fraud.

 

[aepps20]

Any team and community that gets Jim Harden is a contender for life and has a potential to heal this country from what BLM has done to our police.

 

[second2nonee]

I see both sides of the argument. This franchise isn't really much without the Morey/Harden combo for the last 8 years. Add in the fact that "ringz culture" has been so dominant in today's world and you get what we're seeing now. Harden definitely deserves blame for the Russ trade though and how our roster is now, but Tilman had a hand in that as well as many other garbage, cost-cutting moves.

I think there's too much revisionist hindsight and overreaction because of how poorly Harden has managed the past few days. He really lacks self-awareness In a way though, it makes parting with him that much easier.

Short of dealing him for a preferred set of assets, he should probably just run it back for the time being and give it a shot. I think in some way, he owes it to Wall/Boogie/Wood (if he had some hand or commitment in bringing them in) and the coaching staff (Silas has really caught the short end of the stick here). It's not the worst case scenario, and there's still some upside to improve the roster, especially if they see some early season success.

 

[JusaVibe]

this is skip bayless/Colin cowherd level analysis. LeBron the GOAT and couldn’t beat the Warriors but Harden a sucker because he couldn’t with his second best player hurt? Just say you don’t like him and keep it moving.

you literally wanna glance over everything.

you even bringing up Bron's name when he got 4 chips is a problem and actually won in the finals against GS down 3-1 is dumb. Do you even watch the playoffs/finals?

Has Harden ever took us to the finals? NO

Has he even played all that well in the playoffs? NO

Does he fold under pressure? Yes

Stop capping for him and just be honest. Your acting like Hardens ya brother or cousin. Your not getting a check from him. It's alright to call him out