Quote:
Originally Posted by KillerLeft
I feel like Morey would never have wanted the Westbrook trade to happen, and I've heard some suggest that Harden went over his head to the owner to get it done. As a Rockets fan, can you confirm or refute this?
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I think I would be hard pressed to find on Clutchfans more than a handful of people who don't think/know deep down this was not a Morey move.
This was a 100% Tilman Fertitta move - he did not want to pay Chris Paul's monstrous contract. And Westbrook was a flashy and shiny object that attracts the attention span of idiots like Tilman.
This coincidentally was also the moment when I realised I can't defend Harden anymore from some of the hate he gets and I just had to learn to accept the fact that whilst he is a phenomenal and generational talent, he doesn't have that undying and ever burning desire to win at all costs. Since ultimately Tilman floated the idea to Harden about the CP3/Westbrook framework and Harden green lit the decision.
Westbrook is historically bad with regards to his distance shooting... I still to this day cannot fathom why we brought him to the team which sets records year after year for the amount of distance shooting they do.
I was a big Chris Paul fan well before he joined the Rockets. Knowing that the Warriors were not going to be in our way this past season, I was praying we'd give CP3 and Harden one more chance.
I know Chris Paul isn't a favourite (apologies for my Australian spelling) teammate of many in the league, but Harden not being able to make it work was a big red flag to the idea that he wants to win a Championship.
I'm blabbering here so in closing - this was 100% not a Morey move - and this has played a part in his departure regardless of what is said in the media (I am so, SO glad he left on his own terms and didn't wait until the day in the near future Tilman forced him out)
The Westbrook trade was, is and forever will be on the shoulders of Tilman Fertitta and James Harden. And it is a move which has not only destroyed the Rockets team in the short term, but has also torpedoed the franchise for at least the next decade AT BEST.
Quote:
Originally Posted by mac222b
Welcome to the board! Fertitta is an idiot AND he’s cheap. At least Dolan is willing to spend. What a mess Houston is going to be going forward. How long you think before Harden asks out? I think after this season coming season (such as it shall be) he’s gone.
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Yup - Tilman purchasing the team should make so many Mavs fans happy ha. The future looks horrendous for the Rockets and I shudder to think just how bad it will become when Tilman JR is the GM.
Regardless of what I've said above and if it comes across that I don't like Harden anymore - I still love the guy for everything he's done for the Rockets. As a fan since the days of......... losing a Game 7 by 40 points to Dirk Nowitzki (admittedly, that still hurts!) Harden took the Rockets to where no one has before since I've been watching religiously. No matter how much flak he cops from the media and fans of other teams, i'll always respect him forever for the fact he took it to the Warriors and never backed down from them.
Whilst I wouldn't mind seeing him finish his career and retire a Rocket as the clear #2 behind Olajuwon (if he retired today I still think he'd hold that place), a part of me hopes he asks out and chases a ring somewhere so his legacy after retirement can change.
If he were to want out, I agree with you that it will be next offseason after another failed season resulting in another woeful playoff exit. (this also comes back to the point I made earlier where I'm just not sure he cares about a championship, so may be perfectly content playing the next few years with his buddy and doing nothing in the Playoffs)
There's rumours that he has stated he'll ask for a trade if Westbrook is traded away from the Rockets.