The Houston Rockets pulled off a blockbuster trade for Chris Paul this week, but here’s why he and James Harden won’t work well together in the backcourt.
The Houston Rockets went into the 2017 NBA offseason looking to make a major move to get back into championship contention. That move was made by Daryl Morey when the Rockets went out and acquired superstar point guard Chris Paul from the Los Angeles Clippers.
It was a move that shocked the NBA. Paul was expected to enter open free agency, but after making up his mind up on joining the Rockets, he decided to opt into his deal so the Clippers could trade him. Now the question becomes, will James Harden and Paul work well together in Houston?
As much fun as it will be to watch Paul and Harden play together, there are going to be some issues as well. It won’t be easy for either player to make the necessary changes to make this situation a success.
Houston will also have to figure out how to bring more talent in around its two superstars. Trading away as much depth as the Rockets had to in order to acquire Paul will hurt their bench play. If they want to contend with the Golden State Warriors in the Western Conference, finding veterans and bench pieces in free agency is a must.
With all of that being said, what five reasons can be given to support the statement that James Harden and Chris Paul will not work out for the Houston Rockets?