James Harden

dtown8 · Post #1 » by **dtown8** » Sat Jul 28, 2012 9:14 am

He could be a good plan "B", if Dwight and CP don't work out. the Hawks will be behind the Suns (if the Thunder choose not to match), but i feel more comfortable in giving Harden a max contract more than Eric Gordon, Hibbert, and Lopez, so for me it is low risk to a very young and talented player.

Post #2 » by **Jamaaliver** » Sat Jul 28, 2012 10:01 am

I agree that James Harden is an intriguiing player. And he is indeed more worthy than Gordon and Hibbert of max money.

But I wonder if his skillset is too similar to Louis Williams who signed for significantly less money but put up similar numbers last year.

I also wonder if Harden, Smoove and Horford could relly be considered amongst the elite in this league. Is that team really better than Joe Johnson, Smoove and Horford?

myrak433 · Post #3 » by **myrak433** » Sat Jul 28, 2012 1:44 pm

Jamaaliver wrote:I agree that James Harden is an intriguiing player. And he is indeed more worthy than Gordon and Hibbert of max money.

But I wonder if his skillset is too similar to Louis Williams who signed for significantly less money but put up similar numbers last year.

I also wonder if Harden, Smoove and Horford could relly be considered amongst the elite in this league. Is that team really better than Joe Johnson, Smoove and Horford?

Harden is not as good as Joe Johnson. so the answer to your question is no. the hawks would not be an elite team with Harden, Smoove, and Horford. now westbrook is a different story.

MaceCase · Post #4 » by **MaceCase** » Sat Jul 28, 2012 3:03 pm

Jamaaliver wrote:I agree that James Harden is an intriguiing player. And he is indeed more worthy than Gordon and Hibbert of max money.

But I wonder if his skillset is too similar to Louis Williams who signed for significantly less money but put up similar numbers last year.

I also wonder if Harden, Smoove and Horford could relly be considered amongst the elite in this league. Is that team really better than Joe Johnson, Smoove and Horford?

Fair points. Main difference I'd draw between Harden and Louis is that Harden has a set position. He can adequately defend 2guards so you don't have to worry finding a backcourt member to offset his weaknesses. I don't know if that alone is worth paying 3 times as much though, would depend on what he does this next season as far as development but even then they'd be a tremendous amount of money to get plus roleplayers if not another lower tier star to supplement them.

Skyhawk1 · Post #5 » by **Skyhawk1** » Sat Jul 28, 2012 6:26 pm

I don't think Harden is worth anything near a max contract. He's probably a 10M/season guy. He needs the ball a lot in his hands, I don't like that. I agree with myrak, he's not as good as JJ, so I think we should try a different route this time.

dtown8 · Post #6 » by **dtown8** » Sat Jul 28, 2012 6:34 pm

well their are alot of numbers here but here i go:

Harden at age 22yr with the OKC - 2 games started, 31mpg, 17ppg, 4reb, 4ast, .491fg

Joe at age 23yr with PHX - 82 games started, 40mpg, 17ppg, 5reb, 4ast, .460fg

dtown8 · Post #7 » by **dtown8** » Sat Jul 28, 2012 6:38 pm

myrak433 wrote:
Jamaaliver wrote:I agree that James Harden is an intriguiing player. And he is indeed more worthy than Gordon and Hibbert of max money.

But I wonder if his skillset is too similar to Louis Williams who signed for significantly less money but put up similar numbers last year.

I also wonder if Harden, Smoove and Horford could relly be considered amongst the elite in this league. Is that team really better than Joe Johnson, Smoove and Horford?

Harden is not as good as Joe Johnson. so the answer to your question is no. the hawks would not be an elite team with Harden, Smoove, and Horford. now westbrook is a different story.

everybody wants to get a top 10 player like Dwight or Westbrok, but we are talking about plan "B" here.

to get Westbrook, the Hawks would need to trade Horford, and that would just be a stupid move, if anybody is implying that, because.....

Horford/Harden >>> Westbrook/TBA

MaceCase · Post #8 » by **MaceCase** » Sat Jul 28, 2012 8:02 pm

Skyhawk1 wrote:I don't think Harden is worth anything near a max contract. He's probably a 10M/season guy. He needs the ball a lot in his hands, I don't like that. I agree with myrak, he's not as good as JJ, so I think we should try a different route this time.

Are we talking about the same Harden here? He plays with Westbrook and Durant, I'm not sure how that indicates he needs the ball a lot. If anything he needs the ball in his hands more for people to really know his ceiling.

Skyhawk1 · Post #9 » by **Skyhawk1** » Sat Jul 28, 2012 9:20 pm

He actually plays mostly when Durant and Westbrook go to the bench and in the 4th qt. You can't compare a guy like JJ who draws double team and plays great D to Harden. My point is though, I don't think he's a good fit for his style of play and also the kinda money he's going to require.

myrak433 · Post #10 » by **myrak433** » Sat Jul 28, 2012 11:45 pm

dtown8 wrote:
myrak433 wrote:
Jamaaliver wrote:I agree that James Harden is an intriguiing player. And he is indeed more worthy than Gordon and Hibbert of max money.

But I wonder if his skillset is too similar to Louis Williams who signed for significantly less money but put up similar numbers last year.

I also wonder if Harden, Smoove and Horford could relly be considered amongst the elite in this league. Is that team really better than Joe Johnson, Smoove and Horford?

Harden is not as good as Joe Johnson. so the answer to your question is no. the hawks would not be an elite team with Harden, Smoove, and Horford. now westbrook is a different story.

everybody wants to get a top 10 player like Dwight or Westbrok, but we are talking about plan "B" here.

to get Westbrook, the Hawks would need to trade Horford, and that would just be a stupid move, if anybody is implying that, because.....

Horford/Harden >>> Westbrook/TBA

Harden and Horford <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< Westbrook and Smoove

dtown8 · Post #11 » by **dtown8** » Sun Jul 29, 2012 5:02 am

myrak433 wrote:
dtown8 wrote:
myrak433 wrote:
Harden is not as good as Joe Johnson. so the answer to your question is no. the hawks would not be an elite team with Harden, Smoove, and Horford. now westbrook is a different story.

everybody wants to get a top 10 player like Dwight or Westbrok, but we are talking about plan "B" here.

to get Westbrook, the Hawks would need to trade Horford, and that would just be a stupid move, if anybody is implying that, because.....

Horford/Harden >>> Westbrook/TBA

Harden and Horford <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< Westbrook and Smoove

your math is wrong

Horford/Smoove/Harden/Teague >>> Smoove/Westbrook/Teague

i don't think you have a clue how teams acquire players in the NBA

myrak433 · Post #12 » by **myrak433** » Sun Jul 29, 2012 6:05 am

dtown8 wrote""
your math is wrong

Horford/Smoove/Harden/Teague >>> Smoove/Westbrook/Teague

i don't think you have a clue how teams acquire players in the NBA

I was basing my post off of yours that Horford and Harden would be better than Westbrook and ????
If the Hawks traded Horford for Westbrook they would most definitely bring back Smoove( they are bring him back regardless and I know that some don't like that...... but get over it) and Smoove and Westbrook are better than Horford and Harden and anyone else that is currently on this team.

Do really believe that the same team we have had for the last three years minus JJ and Marvin and add Harden is better? if you do then you don't have a clue in evaluating talent. Harden is a good player, really good, and I would love him on this team. but he isn't even the best player on his team, or second best player. so you simply can not give this guy a max contract. but some one will, so I would pass on him as a free agent target. Westbrook on the other hand would hands down be the best player on this team, I can even argue that he could be the best player on his current team ( he is not) but he is not far from it. so I would not have a problem paying him like a star player, because he is.

Moreover if we did trade for Westbrook ( Horford would not be enough by the way) and had Westbrook and Smoove as part of our core we could easily sign one more big time free agent. we could actually sign two more if we traded Horford for westbrook. do you know the other free agents that we could take next summer? here is a short list
Andrew Bynum
Dwight Howard
Chris Paul
Al Jefferson
Tyreke Evans

anyone of those added to Westbrook and Smoove would hands down be better than Horford/Smoove/Harden/Teague .

myrak433 · Post #13 » by **myrak433** » Sun Jul 29, 2012 7:31 am

who needs Harden when we already have

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&feature=fvwp&v=1CD32O1R-q8[/youtube]

Post #14 » by **Jamaaliver** » Sun Jul 29, 2012 11:52 am

myrak433 wrote:who needs Harden when we already have

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&feature=fvwp&v=1CD32O1R-q8[/youtube]

Did you seriously just link to a 'highlight' of Lou Williams missing the shot? YIKES!!!

Geaux_Hawks · Post #15 » by **Geaux_Hawks** » Sun Jul 29, 2012 1:02 pm

Westbrook is so overrated. If it wasn't for Durant and HARDEN, RW would exposed even more as a PG. RW is basically another Marbury.

azuresou1 · Post #16 » by **azuresou1** » Sun Jul 29, 2012 3:57 pm

ROFL Westbrook is a complete stud, he's better than Durant on a good 30% of the nights.

dtown8 · Post #17 » by **dtown8** » Sun Jul 29, 2012 4:22 pm

Westbrook is totally off topic, their is no way the Hawks will ever be able to get Westbrook. talking about Westbrook on the Hawks is just so stupid

myrak433 · Post #18 » by **myrak433** » Sun Jul 29, 2012 6:10 pm

dtown8 wrote:Westbrook is totally off topic, their is no way the Hawks will ever be able to get Westbrook. talking about Westbrook on the Hawks is just so stupid

why must you resort to name calling when people don't agree with you surperblogman............ I mean dtwon8? I thought you liked Hasheem Thabeet and Donatas. what happen with everyone being stupid who did agree with you about Thabeet? now anyone who do not agree with you about Harden is stupid..... maybe it is you who are stupid?

Post #19 » by **Jamaaliver** » Mon Jul 30, 2012 1:21 pm

dtown8 wrote:Westbrook is totally off topic, their is no way the Hawks will ever be able to get Westbrook. talking about Westbrook on the Hawks is just so stupid

Here's the thing.

I'm not a Westbrook fan, but I don't think he's untouchable.

He'd just be very expensive.

Imagine our front court of AL and Josh runnning next to Harden and Durant in OKC.

That team would be just as athletic and defensive oriented, but would be more diverse since Josh and AL combine for 30+ points a game.

We get a franchise player in Westbrook to sell tickets and attract free agents next season. He'd also get all the shots he wants without the criticism of deferring to Durant.

And I tell you what: we get Russell Westbrook, we suddenly have the leverage to acquire Dwight from Orlando.

Not suggesting it, but it's not unheard of. We offer AL & JOSH (and Teague?) for Westbrook, Ibaka, Perkins and Perry Jones III...OkC would at least consider it. Especially if it gets them free of perkins.

parson · Post #20 » by **parson** » Mon Jul 30, 2012 2:59 pm

Surely, we're not thinking about maxing out an SG who cannot dominate games. Of course Harden's a good player but our money has to be spent on impact players who can change games in the 4th qtr. Let me put it this way: Joe is better than Harden and his max contract handcuffed us. It might be different if we knew that we already had the Center and PG we wanted.