I think he's the breakout star of the series and will continue to have a big impact this season. He's like a combination of Ginobili, Bowen and Vinnie Johnson. He's a bulldog on defense, is an elite creator off the dribble, can shoot 3s, gets to the line, and has the Bowen trait of knowing how to work the refs and get in people's heads.

And this might be the last year he has an impact for OKC because he's due for an extension and they might not want to pay him what he's worth. How willing will he be to come off the bench if they force him to go to restricted free agency? They may have to choose between paying Ibaka or Harden.

Ginobili and Bowen were able to be locked (trapped? ) into smallish contracts during their primes. What is Harden worth, and how much will he demand?

I think Ginobili and Bowen were paid fair to their value. Bowen really didn't have any value to other teams, because not a lot of teams can game plan around a black hole on offense like that - especially at wing.

I am not sure Harden is cut out to be a #1 or #2 guy. I think he is best suited for his role he has with OKC, just like Manu was best suited for his 6th man role.

Yeah I agree that he's perfect in the 6th Man role. So I want to see what HE thinks he's worth? He's so young - does he really want to commit to this role?

This guy games the rules of the NBA more than any player I've ever seen. Travel no calls, drawing "contact", flopping, etc.

I hope he takes top money to go somewhere, I would laugh.

If you can keep Harden-Westbrook-Durant-Thabo-Perkins-Ibaka together, I think so.

All depends on his mindset. Does he want the biggest contract in the NBA and to be the man on a team like Amare or Joe Johnson or does he want to be in a fantastic situation with two of the best players in the NBA and three fantastic role players in key positions where he has a chance to make a team one of the all-time greats and string a run of titles together.

Look at his competition in the West coming up:
Dirk: OLD
Duncan: OLD
Kobe: OLD

Would you rather have Manu Ginobili's career and pay or Joe Johnson's career and pay?

I think a lot of these guys have a hard time adjusting to not being "the man" on the team anymore. They go their whole careers being the best, and most of them have giant egos to go with it.

I don't think he is guy you can count on in Finals or even WC Finals. He gets away with too much crap.

When he's playing a top team, his game drops. He can't drive blindly against team with center. Chandler handled him last year. Bynum or Gasol can eliminate that part of his game.

When the teams are matched up better, Harden doesn't get every call. Westbrook and Harden make a living by driving out of control and hoping that they can bump into somebody.

You will not get all those calls when you're even. And better teams will have guys that can play better defense.

Harden, along with rest of OKC, doesn't run an offense. It's just three quick guys on outside and two big, dumb animals on the inside. They just try to break down opponent one on one.

You can get away with that against decent teams. You will get handled against good teams.

Thank God someone else realizes it.

....is a beast

The NBA is killing its own product with the way that players are marketed nowadays. Harden would be stupid to stick around OKC if he can get a gig as "the man" on some other team. His jersey sales would go up, his endorsements/product marketing would increase, overall, he'd be making bank on all the "extras" even if he's only making a couple more $100K per year contractually.

So he's going to go be Corey Magette or Gilbert Arenas, the best player on a bad team, and make a lot of money doing it. Meanwhile small market teams like OKC that build their roster the right way through smart drafts, player development, and acquiring solid role players, will always be in the hamster wheel trying to play catchup with their talent.

Given his background, the CBA, and his agent's background, I expect Harden to stay in OKC, if they are willing to pay the man, which I think they will.

If not OKC, I could see him staying in the Western Conference, but in a role like Monta Ellis.

I don't think he's capable of being the scorer Ellis is or Arenas was. Harden has a ceiling as the best number two guy on a championship team. He's in the perfect situation right now. If they can keep Harden and Ibaka, man...

Harden is the 6th man of the Year. Ibaka came in second for DPOY. Durant will likely finish second in MVP voting. Westbrook will probably make the All-NBA Third Team. All of this is Oklahoma City. Crazy.

Harden and Anthony Davis were added to the pool of finalists for the Olympic men's basketball roster, replacing Rose and D Howard.


The remaining 16 finalist: Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh, Kevin Durant, Carmelo Anthony, Chris Paul, Deron Williams, Blake Griffin, Russell Westbrook, Tyson Chandler, Kevin Love, Andre Iguodala, Rudy Gay, Eric Gordon and Lamar Odom -- and I think it is safe to say Odom won't be on the team.

OKC just signed westbrook and durant to long term extensions. can they keep both harden and ibaka? somebody will throw money at ibaka for doing what he does, which is block shots like dikembe

OKC is definitely going to run into a $$$ issue soon with Harden and Ibaka. They'll have a year to try to get something done with both, but the bill comes due at the end of 2013. If they both keep playing at the level they're at, I just don't see how they'll be able to pay both of them big $$$.

Harden doesn't strike me as a franchise centerpiece kind of player, although there's some team out there that will likely make him one if that's what Harden wants.

On another note, Harden looks like he could be Grady Wilson's (Sanford and Son) grandson...

I think the Manu comparisons are accurate in terms of playing style, and the Joe Johnson/Iguodala/Ellis/Rudy Gay/Granger comparisons are accurate in terms of role/ceiling.

Harden is in the midst of a historically elite shooting season, with one of the highest true shooting % the league has ever seen for a guard.

LOL at lumping him in with chuckers like monta, iggy, Joe johnson, granger, etc.

wacarnolds how do you see his contract situation playing out next season? Will the Thunder offer an extension and will he accept?

Those comparisons are fair because those players would be badass on a contender like the thunder. See joe Johnson with Phoenix. But alone, harden wouldn't be close to what he is on this team.

quote:

---

wacarnolds how do you see his contract situation playing out next season? Will the Thunder offer an extension and will he accept?

---

I don't see it working out well, unfortunately. OKC cannot offer him and ibaka what they are worth, with KD and russ' max contracts already on the books. If harden hits the market as a restricted FA, he will get priced out of OKC's range, so I hope they can extend him at an amicable #.

I personally do not like the KD-russ-harden trio (i love them as individuals but not all on the court at the same time under brooks), and if given the wheel, would extend harden and try to deal russ for a low post scorer

I like that thinking.

Extend Harden
Trade Westbrook for S&T Nash+Gorat+Dudley
Or Westbrook for Dwight Howard+Jameer Nelson


Nash(or Jameer)/Maynor
Sefalosha/Harden
Durant/Dudley
Ibaka/Collison
Gortat (or Howard)/Perkins

When was the last time a franchise had this many young assets? Has to be the 2005 Suns, and they completely botched it

howard will NEVER play in okc.

second banana to kevin durant and the okc "market"? lolz.

they would be scary together, though.

How much money does the OKC owner have??? I know the sell out every game but there's no way they get the corporate/advertising/tv money that LA, NY, CHI, MIA, or DAL gets every year.

quote:

---

....is a beast

---

quote:

---

How much money does the OKC owner have??? I know the sell out every game but there's no way they get the corporate/advertising/tv money that LA, NY, CHI, MIA, or DAL gets every year.

---

A lot, but of course some of this will depend on what numbnuts does over at Chesapeake. There is a enough civic pride in OKC to continue to support the team, and even if other large local companies aren't involved in ownership of the team, the money is there.

From http://www.bouncex3.com: The evolution of James Harden's beard.