Houston Rockets: We can’t forget to appreciate James Harden

Projections for Harden and the Rockets’ success

The Rockets went out and got Westbrook from OKC to assist Harden. In fact, they acquired him in a trade that involved Chris Paul. The Rockets brought Paul in several years ago for the same reason. Keeping all three of them could’ve gotten them closer to the championship, but of course, with Harden and Westbrook being good friends, which would increase the team’s chemistry, the team went out of their way to bring in Westbrook. Whether or not this connection has been beneficial is yet to be seen.

The projection for Rockets success isn’t far-fetched. It’s steeper than it was when Harden first got there and it was fresh in their minds, but they still have some life in them. Harden’s multi-year contract tells us this. Harden and Westbrook being teammates tells us this. The Rockets continuing to build their team tells us this. The Rockets continuing to build their team around Harden tells us this.

The Lakers acquired James and Davis and traded away nearly half of the roster to do so. James has remade the Lakers into the type of team he wants. Harden can model this with the Rockets and have a shot at facing the Lakers again. Kawhi Leonard did this with the Raptors and is now doing it with the Clippers along with Paul George, and his growth has been exponential. However, no one single player’s growth has been more impressive and a privilege to watch than James Harden over the last few years.

James Harden’s growth in his beard and in his game is admirable. This is a thank you to James Harden. This is an appreciation for James Harden. One for the money. Two for the show.