James Harden is going to be a free agent this summer, but which team should he join? We break down the 5 best destinations that would make sense for him.
James Harden is a basketball player that has been playing for the Houston Rockets. This summer, he will be teaming up with Joel Embiid and the Philadelphia 76ers or going to play with Chris Paul on the Los Angeles Clippers. Read more in detail here: who does james harden play for.
Over the last three years, James Harden has been one of the most divisive players in the NBA. Harden constantly seems to generate headlines, both good and bad, whether it’s for his playing style or trade demands. Whatever anybody says about him, there’s no denying he’s an excellent offensive player. The Beard, a three-time scoring champion and previous MVP, elevates every team he plays on. With the Houston Rockets, he built a contender, and with the Nets last year, he produced a powerful Big Three.
However, there are reports that Harden may depart the Nets this summer due to the team’s many changes. With Kevin Durant out for at least the next two months, Kyrie Irving’s availability is a major concern. Even with Durant returning in the lineup, Harden hasn’t been at his best in Brooklyn. He could be yearning for a fresh challenge, one that would improve his playing style and provide him with a new path to something greater. Here are the five greatest places for The Beard to go if he decides to leave Brooklyn in the offseason.
The New York Knicks are ranked No. 5 in the NBA.
The New York Knicks will be a major component whenever a great player becomes a free agency. Because they deliver a showtime aspect to Madison Square Garden every night, the Knicks are one of the most legendary teams in NBA history. The New York Knicks may be the most well-known NBA team outside of the Los Angeles Lakers and Boston Celtics. For a player of James Harden’s quality, joining the Knicks would completely shock the media since they would finally have a powerful scorer since Carmelo Anthony’s days.
James Harden would have a shot to lead the Knicks to an NBA championship, or at the very least make them significantly more competitive than they are now. With Tom Thibodeau as coach and Julius Randle playing All-Star basketball, the team has the necessary components in place, as well as some young superstars in R.J. Barrett and Cam Reddish. In New York, Harden would round out a strong starting group that might reach the Eastern Conference Finals. Harden’s desire to be the main option would play a big role in his choice to join the Knicks, as he has demonstrated in previous years that he prefers to take a backseat.
Harden pushed his way to the Knicks’ Brooklyn neighbors because he felt he wouldn’t have to be the starter every night. With the Knicks, Harden is thrown into the position of MVP candidate, with the possibility of winning the NBA championship for the first time since 1973. New York is the place to be if The Beard is up for the task.
4. The Celtics of Boston
Stop wasting time and go for a third superstar player for the Boston Celtics. Jayson Tatum is one of the league’s most skilled players, averaging 25.5 points, 8.6 rebounds, and 3.8 assists per game for Boston this season, while Jaylen Brown is an All-Star candidate. Brown has developed into a reliable number two option, averaging 24.2 points per game, 6.5 rebounds per game, and 2.9 assists per game. Tatum and Brown, as good as they are, will not be enough to take Boston all the way to the Eastern Conference Finals. They are right in the mix for a title with a huge name like James Harden.
As we just witnessed when Kevin Durant joined Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson in Golden State, an offensive Big Three has shown to be successful in the past. It would be hard to prepare for Tatum, Brown, and Harden, particularly considering the first two players are physically at their peak. Under head coach Ime Udoka, Boston can build the finest offense in the league with James running the offense and creating for Tatum and Brown.
The Celtics will not prosper as they are now, therefore it’s time to get rid of the deadweight (Marcus Smart, Al Horford, Josh Richardson, and Dennis Schroder) and make a huge free-agent splash. Over the last several years, Boston has been linked to a slew of superstars (Anthony Davis, Paul George, Jimmy Butler), but has struggled to make the proper move. Tatum and Brown have done well for the organization, but Harden would be a perfect fit. A title for the Celtics would do wonders for Harden’s reputation in Boston, which is a sports city that adores winners.
Miami Heat, No. 3
Former NBA champions Kyle Lowry and PJ Tucker were added to the Miami Heat’s roster this summer, joining Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo. The Heat are a very good squad on both sides of the court, thanks to shooting guards like Tyler Herro and Duncan Robinson. However, if they get James Harden, their chances of winning the championship skyrocket. Miami has to go all-in on the 2018 MVP to win a title. Superteams are the norm for winning championships.
Despite his shooting difficulties this season, Harden is averaging 22.7 points per game, 8.0 rebounds per game, and 10.0 assists per game for the Brooklyn Nets. Harden, a triple-double danger every night and a player capable of carrying an offense on his own, can effectively serve as the main offensive option, allowing Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo to concentrate on defense. If Miami can trade Robinson and perhaps Herro, they would have the greatest starting lineup in the NBA, which will scare the rest of the league.
Imagine what Miami might accomplish with Harden on the team if they reached the NBA Finals in 2020 with just two stars. Miami might have a powerful starting five that can effectively open the floor thanks to Kyle Lowry’s ability to play off-the-ball to accommodate another ball-handler. The Heat haven’t won a game since 2013, and Harden has a chance to end that drought next season.
2. Clippers of Los Angeles
With Kawhi Leonard and Paul George, the Los Angeles Clippers already have two superstars on their roster, but both players have battled to stay healthy together. Not to add, after blowing a 3-1 lead in the “Bubble,” they shown that they need another component to flourish together. With Kawhi and George always dealing with injuries, Los Angeles needs a superstar of James Harden’s quality to push the team to the next level. Last year, Paul George did an incredible job guiding the Clippers to the Western Conference Finals, but that is unlikely to happen again.
Kawhi Leonard has previously noted that the club needs a talented point guard who can create for others, something James Harden excels at better than 99 percent of the league’s point guards. The Clippers are right back in the discussion as the most skilled team in the NBA, thanks to a Big Three of Leonard, George, and Harden. No club, with the exception of the Bucks and Suns, will have the firepower of the Clippers’ Big Three. Harden, a great player who has proved he appreciates the perks of stardom, has a large market in Los Angeles.
Most importantly, Harden has a chance to win an NBA championship with the Clippers, which would go down in history and have a favorable impact on The Beard’s legacy. The Clippers have always been seen as “noisy neighbors” to the Lakers, and that perception persists even with Leonard and George on the roster. Harden has the potential to change that perception and build one of the most entertaining Big Threes in NBA history.
1. The 76ers of Philadelphia
With Ben Simmons refusing to be the franchise’s point guard, the Philadelphia 76ers have a major dilemma on their hands. To be honest, the two never clicked as a basketball team. Embiid is a great big player who shoots 48.4% from the field, 38.0 percent from three, and 81.4 percent from the line. Simmons, on the other hand, has a career shooting percentage of 14.7 percent from three and 59.7 percent from the free-throw line. Simmons’ shooting range is likely to be confined to a few feet around the hoop, since he will never be a marksman from anyplace on the floor. Simmons’ perimeter liability will always be an issue with a big player like Embiid in the post.
If James Harden moves to Philadelphia, the 76ers will become the most dangerous team in the Eastern Conference. They have more combined skill than anybody else and will very probably participate in the Finals together. It will be a sight to see since the pair has just too much scoring and intangibles to not be dominating. This will be made much more thrilling if Harden reunites with his general manager, Daryl Morey, whom he is said to like.
Harden has the greatest opportunity to win a ring since Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal created the best little-man, big-man tandem since Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal. It’s no secret that Morey is hoping for Harden to become available, which is why he’s been hanging on to Ben Simmons for so long. If the Nets realize they’ll be without Harden, they’ll almost certainly participate in a sign-and-trade for Simmons and other assets. The 76ers have a chance to win their first NBA championship since 1983 if Morey’s grand plan comes to reality.
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