L.A. series the tipping point for Harden
Star insists he meant no disrespect, but ‘we didn’t have a chance’
In end, James Harden wanted out for the very reason he cited on the way out the door. He didn’t think the Rockets were “good enough.”
The breakup of what had been such a successful marriage began with a decision after last season’s playoff loss to the Los Angeles Lakers and then a declaration — it’s not me, it’s you.
“After the bubble, after that loss, I wanted to re-evaluate my career, the team, where the organization was going,” Harden said Friday in his introductory news conference as a member of the Brooklyn Nets’ new Big Three. “You look from top to bottom, the general manager (Daryl Morey) leaving, Mike D’Antoni leaving, to re-evaluating our personnel and seeing if we had enough to compete with the best teams in this league. As time went on, as free agency and things like that started to go on, I felt like we didn’t have a chance.
“As much as I love the city of Houston, love being there, at that point in my career, it’s not about money, it’s not about anything else but having a chance of reaching that ultimate goal — that’s winning at the highest level.”
His first full day with the Nets brought his first admission that he wanted to leave the Rockets. He offered praise for the Rockets organization and appreciation for honoring his trade request.
Harden, however, disputed the notion that he showed “disrespect” to his teammates with his comments Tuesday after the Rockets’ second consecutive blowout loss to the Lakers, even questioning whether the newcomers had a right to make that accusation.
“I wasn’t disrespectful to anyone,” Harden said. “Those guys, they just got there, to Houston. I’ve been there a very long time.
I’ve been through all the ups and downs with that organization. And I wasn’t disrespectful to anyone.
“I just made a comment that the team as a whole wasn’t good enough to compete for a title. The stage of my career, where I am now, that’s what I would love. So I wasn’t trying to be disrespectful to anybody, especially the organization. I’m excited to be here in Brooklyn, excited for a new start.”
He did say “I regret” without specifying what he regrets, though he acknowledged that his statements and actions in his final weeks with the Rockets were designed to get traded to a team he considers a championship contender.
“I’m the type of guy, I don’t need the attention, especially negative energy, negative attention,” Harden said. “There were some things I feel like were out of my character. But the ultimate goal was to get somewhere I could compete, and here I am in Brooklyn. I have nothing but love and respect for (the Rokets) organization, that city and everything they’ve done for me and my family. Much respect.”
The Nets were his first choice when he went to Rockets management asking for a trade, but soon he added other destinations that he preferred to remaining in Houston. The Rockets sent him to the Nets when they completed the deal to get four unprotected first-round picks and four pick swaps along with guard Caris LeVert, who will go to the Pacers to bring guard Victor Oladipo to the Rockets.
For Harden, the beginning of the end was when the Rockets lost four straight, largely uncompetitive second-round games to the Lakers before D’Antoni and Morey left, with D’Antoni ultimately becoming a Nets assistant and Morey the 76ers’ president of basketball operations.
“When Daryl and Mike left, I kind of sat back and re-evaluated everything,” Harden said. “Those are two guys I was very comfortable with in the decision-making for the organization. Once they left, I had to figure out, was this organization going into a rebuild stage or were they still trying to compete at the highest level. That was my whole thought process.
“Credit to the Houston Rockets, who are an unbelievable organization and worked with me. As bad as it might look from the outside, internally they worked with me and they made sure I ended up here. Much credit to them and very, very appreciative.”
An eight-time All-Star and MVP finalist in five of the past six years, including his 2017-18 MVP season, Harden said he is an “elite player, elite teammate, an elite leader. And just a guy that’s willing to do whatever it takes to rack up as many wins as we can, sacrifice.”
The Nets are counting on that from him, and from the superstars Harden is joining, Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant.
“It is going to be an adjustment for him,” Nets coach Steve Nash said. “He’s played the same role for many years now, same way, same style. So we hope to emulate that in some ways, but in other ways, he’s going to have to adapt to playing with other guys. He realizes he’s in a fortunate opportunity to play with those guys, and those guys feel the same way about him.”
When asked why he believes he can win a title with his latest superstar partners when he did not with Dwight Howard, Chris Paul or Russell Westbrook, Harden said, “You’ve got Kevin Durant, and Kyrie Irving on the team. We have really good pieces in DeAndre (Jordan), Jeff (Green), shooters Joe (Harris,) Landry (Shamet.) That’s a legit chance right there. It was a nobrainer for me.”
Before the Rockets hired Stephen Silas as coach and promoted Rafael Stone to general manager, before they acquired Christian Wood and Cousins and traded for John Wall, Harden decided the Rockets could not match what the Nets offered and continued plotting his exit.
“It didn’t go as smooth as I would have loved it to go,” Harden said, “but I think both sides are happy.”