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christoph

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Sources: Despite John Wall's addition to Houston Rockets, James Harden still pushing for trade

The arrival of John Wall has left All-NBA guard James Harden unmoved and uninterested in pursuing a new partnership, and the franchise star continues to push the Houston Rockets for a trade, sources told ESPN.

After making his Rockets preseason debut this past weekend, Wall expressed hope that Harden might become excited about playing with him in a backcourt -- a prospect that Harden is rejecting as he prepares to rejoin the team Monday in practice, sources said.

"I think me and James can be a heck of a combination," Wall told reporters after the Rockets' 104-91 loss to the Chicago Bulls on Sunday night. "I just hope we get the opportunity to get into the regular season and see how it goes."

This isn't personal with Wall, and as one source told ESPN, there's "no change" in Harden's desire for a fresh start elsewhere.

After detouring to social engagements in Atlanta and Las Vegas before reporting late for training camp last week, Harden -- a league MVP and three-time NBA scoring champion -- has expressed to Rockets ownership and management his intention to be professional and engaged upon joining the team, sources said.

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For the Rockets, this is necessary for the team to operate under new coach Stephen Silas while also allowing for some leverage in the trade market to get closer to full value for Harden. The appearance of a distressed asset only hinders an organization in making a trade of this magnitude, and Harden has expressed understanding of that concept, as well as the idea that it may take time to find a trade that returns appropriate value to the Rockets, sources said.

The Rockets have talked with the two primary preferred trade destinations for Harden, the Brooklyn Nets and Philadelphia 76ers, sources said. Brooklyn remains Harden's top choice, which would mean a reunion with his former Oklahoma City teammate, Kevin Durant.

For now, the Sixers are unwilling to include All-Stars Joel Embiid or Ben Simmons in trades, and the Rockets are uninterested in a package primarily composed of the Nets' complementary players and draft picks, sources said. The Nets aren't interested in trading Kyrie Irving, nor have the Rockets expressed an interest in acquiring him, sources said. For starters, the Nets and Rockets would need to find a more palatable young player on a third team as part of a broader deal, sources said, and there's no indication that prospect has gained any traction in recent weeks.


Harden is expected to pass his sixth consecutive COVID-19 test on Monday, which would allow him clearance to begin to participate in team practices. Before Sunday's game, coach Stephen Silas told reporters that he expected both Harden and veteran P.J. Tucker to be a part of Monday's practice in Houston. Tucker, unhappy without a contract extension, has been limited in his participation in the preseason and did not join the team on the two-game trip to Chicago.

Teams would be reluctant to give up the assets required to get a player of Harden's caliber without confidence that he would be willing to remain with that franchise when he can opt out of his contract after the 2021-22 season. Few contending teams have the ability to furnish Houston with the combination of assets that it's seeking to consider dealing Harden.

Houston hasn't wavered in what the Rockets consider a fair asking price for Harden: a package that includes a young franchise cornerstone and a bundle of first-round picks and/or talented players on rookie contracts, sources said.

The Rockets traded Russell Westbrook to Washington for Wall, who missed the previous two seasons thanks to injury -- but has returned to average 17 points, 6.5 assists and 3.5 rebounds in Houston's first two preseason games.


To me the Harden trade , wherever he goes, will deplete the team of draft choices and existing players for years to come. Shades of the AD trade to the Lakers
How about KD, the Beard AND Russel Westbrook re-unite with the NETs and Flat-Earth-Kyrie will be traded for Westbrook? :oops:
Like in the good (very) old times :p
 

Steve Williams

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How about KD, the Beard AND Russel Westbrook re-unite with the NETs and Flat-Earth-Kyrie will be traded for Westbrook? :oops:
Like in the good (very) old times :p
That would IMO explode very quickly. I don't see it happen, but you never say never
 
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christoph

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That would IMO explode very quickly. I don't see it happen, but you never say never
I would guess so, too.
It didn't work a decade ago when they were young and liked each other, it would never ever work now that they developed "strong egos" :p
But in this league, anything seems possible :rolleyes:
 
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Gregadd

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watch the Clippers spiral toward mediocrity san Doc Rivers.
As not talking to the press can anyone quote a bon mpt from Ki. Morever we are still waiting for him to lead a team to the promised land without LBJ
Just my opinion.
 

Gregadd

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Steve i would make Butler Athlete of the year. LBJ. He has one goal . Catch Jordan. LBJ performance was expected. Butler was other-wordly.
 
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jadis

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Doc will have his day of reckoning when he gets a point making machine in Harden. :D
He loves veterans who can win now. :)

Rockets want 3 first round picks, Ben Simmons from Sixers in James Harden deal​


Ky Carlin
Tue, December 15, 2020, 12:06 AM GMT+8

 

Steve Williams

Site Founder, Site Owner, Administrator
Doc will have his day of reckoning when he gets a point making machine in Harden. :D
He loves veterans who can win now. :)

Rockets want 3 first round picks, Ben Simmons from Sixers in James Harden deal​


Ky Carlin
Tue, December 15, 2020, 12:06 AM GMT+8

Like I said. Harden doesnt come cheap
 
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MikeHorns

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Doc will have his day of reckoning when he gets a point making machine in Harden. :D
He loves veterans who can win now. :)

Rockets want 3 first round picks, Ben Simmons from Sixers in James Harden deal​


Ky Carlin
Tue, December 15, 2020, 12:06 AM GMT+8

That's quite a bit cheaper than what the Lakers gave up for AD. I'd do it in a heartbeat.
 
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jadis

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I'm suprised that Simmons has a career points average of 16 points. 4 year pro without much of a jumpshot.
 
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jadis

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Zion Williamson, what a guy, what a game. 6'6" and just muscles through the inside for his short stabs and baskets. If he grew to 6'9" (he's only 20) he would be a nuclear bomb. :D And Ingram was fantastic too, with his hairdo he kinda looks like the younger brother of AD, so a Pelicans Lakers playoff can be confusing. :D I hope that happens too.
 

Steve Williams

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That's quite a bit cheaper than what the Lakers gave up for AD. I'd do it in a heartbeat.
Perhaps but I like Simmons and he is younger. Plus Harden would expect it to be his team and hence comes the lack of chemistry issue with the other players. If there is a positive there is no Load Management issues as with KL
 
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Steve Williams

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Zion Williamson, what a guy, what a game. 6'6" and just muscles through the inside for his short stabs and baskets. If he grew to 6'9" (he's only 20) he would be a nuclear bomb. :D And Ingram was fantastic too, with his hairdo he kinda looks like the younger brother of AD, so a Pelicans Lakers playoff can be confusing. :D I hope that happens too.
Ingram was the Laker that I was sorry to see traded as I thought he was an excellent player. Most improved player of the year last year and he will be a super star. He lacks maturity like KL and he need to bulk up but what a wing span.
The Pelicans will be a force to contend with this year
 
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jadis

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I was just telling my son earlier that the Lakers traded away 3 number 2 overall picks. Lonzo, Ingram and D Angelo Russell. Plus number 7 overall Julius Randall. All of them have been doing well. They could have been another Warriors type of team who built and won through the draft. That's another What if scenario.
 

Steve Williams

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Totally agree Phil. That dynamic however changed when they got lebron and Rich Paul threw AD into the mix aNd the rest is history. I really enjoyed all the young Lakers and I even thought Lonzo in his second year looked half decent. LeBron however had other plans
 
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Steve Williams

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So no one has answered my question from a few days ago....... I feel the East has made huge team improvements and I am wondering if the Bucks are still the best team in the East I’m not sure but I do feel they are going to have a lot of competition. In the west the top 8-10 teams on any given day can beat one another. I just have yet to see a team that can beat them in a 7 game series

however Utah, Portland Nuggs and Mavs will have both the Lakers and Clippers looking over their shoulders
 
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jadis

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So no one has answered my question from a few days ago....... I feel the East has made huge team improvements and I am wondering if the Bucks are still the best team in the East I’m not sure but I do feel they are going to have a lot of competition. In the west the top 8-10 teams on any given day can beat one another. I just have yet to see a team that can beat them in a 7 game series

however Utah, Portland Nuggs and Mavs will have both the Lakers and Clippers looking over their shoulders
My bet for the east is the Nets. If both stay healthy.why not, 2 title holders .
 
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JackD201

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As it stands the NETs are IT on paper but I'm looking at the Nets for 2022. I will probably change my mind half way through the season if KD and Kyrie both mesh and return to form. I think their offense will still be elite but I have yet to see anybody comeback from major injury perform on the defensive end with pre-injury abandon. It's just that much harder on the lower body when your movement is dictated by your opponent as opposed to movement of your own orchestration. II guess that is the reason there are so few two way stars.

I'm still thinking Boston, Miami, Milwaukee but leaning towards Boston. Sixers? In my simple way of thinking, Simmons is not a liability jump shot or not for as long as he plays the 3 or 4 like he was supposed to until they ruined poor Fultz. Let him cut from the wings instead of creating from the top of the key then let him decide whether to score or make the extra pass out to curry, harden, harris or a shovel to Howard but let it begin with him off ball so he'll already be headed downhill. Let him be a Scottie instead of trying to make him a Magic in other words. Heck make him a Giannis. While not as good a finisher, he's elite but more importantly he is a better passer. As such, the trade IMO only makes sense for the Sixers if it doesn't include him. Even if I had many, many pages ago chosen Embiid over Wiggins and Parker (who I would have blundered as my second pick), I'd be more scared of a Harden-Simmons combo than a Harden Embiid combo despite what their individual stats say. Transition, Simmons has the keys, half court The Beard. offense: Covered. Defensively, He's at least second team material.

Check this out

PG Seth Curry
SG Harden
SF Harris -
PF Simmons
C Howard

vs

Curry
Harden
Thybulle
Harris
Embiid

as is

Simmons
Green
Thybulle
Harris
Embiid

That first one looks really good to me. As is ain't going nowhere IMO

Boston IMO is another playmaker and a big away. I think they've got their big now. I have no idea what the Bucks need to get over the hump aside from getting Brogdon back. Miami? No fluke. Just keep the culture and they will have a chance against any team in the East.
 

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