They gave this dude an hour??? Just one hour??

Higher Tech

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James Harden disappointed Thunder didn't give him more time to consider offer - Yahoo! Sports



HOUSTON – Even with the rapid embrace of life as the franchise player for the Houston Rockets, something still troubles All-Star guard James Harden about the way his departure unfolded with the Oklahoma City Thunder: Why didn't officials give him longer than an hour to consider a final four-year, $54 million offer before trading him?
"After everything we established – everything we had done – you give me an hour?" Harden told Yahoo! Sports on Monday afternoon. "This was one of the biggest decisions of my life. I wanted to go home and pray about it. It hurt me. It hurt."

Asked if additional time might have caused him to accept a deal several million dollars short of the $60 million maximum contract Harden had long sought, he responded: "Who knows? Another day, who knows what another day would've done?"
Looking back a week later, Harden believes he likely had to leave his sixth-man role in Oklahoma City and become what Houston general manager Daryl Morey calls the Rockets' "foundational player" for the public to truly understand the depth of Harden's abilities.
"I was there with talented guys in Oklahoma City, some All-Star guys, and I would've been in the back seat there – which I was fine with – but I wouldn't have gotten the chance to show how talented I really am," Harden said. "It's a different opportunity for me here."
Thunder and Rockets executives give the same explanation for the timing of the trade four days prior to the Oct. 31 deadline for contract extensions: Houston needed a deal done on that Saturday, because Rockets officials felt that was the bare minimum to assure they could get their eventual five-year, $80 million deal with Harden into place.
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Houston had been pressing hard to complete the trade on that Friday, but Thunder GM Sam Presti waited until Saturday to present his final offer with a 60-minute deadline to accept. Presti believed the Thunder would've lost leverage in potential trade packages if rivals weren't sure they could keep Harden off the restricted free-agent market next summer.
Oklahoma City traded Harden, Cole Aldrich, Daequan Cook and Lazar Hayward to the Rockets for Kevin Martin, Jeremy Lamb and two first-round draft picks. For the Thunder, the trading of Harden was a financial decision.
The organization wasn't willing to deal with the punishing luxury-tax consequences and restricted roster flexibility that would come with paying a third player beyond Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook a maximum contract. Oklahoma City had drafted Harden with the third overall pick in the 2009 NBA draft, and he rapidly developed into a 2012 All-Star and gold-medal-winning player for Team USA in the London Olympics.
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"I think they valued my talent there," Harden said. "They built me there: my work ethic, my body. They changed my life. I think they know how good I can be."

Rockets general manager Daryl Morey considers Harden the franchise's foundation. (AP)
Harden has made an immense impact on the Rockets: Back-to-back games of 37 and 45 points in victories earned him Western Conference Player of the Week honors. Most of all, the performances affirmed his readiness to be a leading man. Harden insists he's embraced the role of franchise player, of team builder, of the star responsible for setting the tone.
[Related: James Harden determined to make Houston Rockets a playoff contender]
"That's why they brought me here for: to embrace the leadership, to embrace building the camaraderie," Harden said.
On the way out of Oklahoma City, Harden has been naturally aware of the public debate his contract talks and eventual trade inspired.
"I heard a lot of those things," Harden said. "I heard that I was greedy; that I didn't care about winning; heard the questioning of my loyalty. And I'm thinking: 'Of course I want to win. I've been winning my entire life.'
"Everybody has their own opinion about me [as a role player and focus of a team]. I can do both: I'm versatile. Growing up in college, in high school, I was the focal point. I was the leader. I was the go-to guy. I was the third overall pick. I took a back seat and did whatever it took for the team to win. Some nights I scored, some nights I passed. Whatever was needed to win.
"Now, I'm back to my old ways: Needing to be the leader, needing to score. In any situation, I'm going to be good."
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Sorry if it's been posted. But damn... an hour?
 
NV-ME

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should leave him w/ even more resolve that he got all his money. all that "family atmosphere" shyt they trieda paint okc w/ last year. its a business and they dont give a fukk about shyt but the bottom line
 
Goatpoacher

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NBA players can do whatever the fukk they want. If a player is good and makes a personally beneficial decision, he gets vilified. IF a player is good and his team screws him over and sends him packing, the player gets vilified. The sports media is obsessed with always vilifying players, there's no need for us to play along with their nonsense.
 
jadillac

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It obviously means they didnt want to pay him.

If pressed, the Thunder can say, "well we gave him a chance to think about it" Spin control.

But in reality, as Harden says, "they only gave me an hour"
 
NV-ME

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jadillac said:
It obviously means they didnt want to pay him.

If pressed, the Thunder can say, "well we gave him a chance to think about it" Spin control.

But in reality, as Harden says, "they only gave me an hour"
Click to expand...

look, remove all the padded bullshyt from the equation. harden is an allstar. can shoot, handle, pass, board and play decent defense to boot. he's an olympian and overall regarded as one of the best players in the L. joe johnson has a max contract. amare has a max contract...you get b) what the market dictates, a) what you negotiate. after all that no one cares. mofos shyt on him after the finals and rightfully so. whose to say he'd ever have the chance to get a max deal...from the bench. that dude is a starter and a max deal player according to this market pool. and he gets to play in h-town w/ them thick ass youngins. he did the right thing.
 
Black Ball

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NV-ME said:
look, remove all the padded bullshyt from the equation. harden is an allstar. can shoot, handle, pass, board and play decent defense to boot. he's an olympian and overall regarded as one of the best players in the L. joe johnson has a max contract. amare has a max contract...you get b) what the market dictates, a) what you negotiate. after all that no one cares. mofos shyt on him after the finals and rightfully so. whose to say he'd ever have the chance to get a max deal...from the bench. that dude is a starter and a max deal player according to this market pool. and he gets to play in h-town w/ them thick ass youngins. he did the right thing.
Click to expand...

:whoa:You talking about women or players? Never can be too sure around these parts.
 
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