Hoops Habit
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Three NBA players primed to bounce back from disastrous seasons

By Austin DuBose

WASHINGTON, DC - JANUARY 01: Bradley Beal #3 of the Washington Wizards handles the ball against the Chicago Bulls at Capital One Arena on January 01, 2022 in Washington, DC. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by G Fiume/Getty Images)
WASHINGTON, DC - JANUARY 01: Bradley Beal #3 of the Washington Wizards handles the ball against the Chicago Bulls at Capital One Arena on January 01, 2022 in Washington, DC. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by G Fiume/Getty Images) /
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James Harden, DeAndre Jordan, NBA
James Harden (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) /

NBA Bounce Back Candidate #1: James Harden

James Harden had a tough last season filled with drama in Brooklyn, and he did not perform well in Philadelphia. The label was that not only had he quit on his former team, the Houston Rockets, but he was quitting once more. He was called out as a perpetual quitter for wanting a trade from the Brooklyn Nets, but the drama with that team continued well after he left. Eventually, superstar Kevin Durant would demand a trade as well. That being said, it did not help his case when he had a tough start with his new team, the 76ers.

His efficiency took a big hit, with his shooting beyond the arc going down three percent and his overall shooting going down over five percent. He just couldn’t seem to establish a rhythm consistently while only showing flashes of what he used to be. Everyone expected the exact opposite because he would be paired with MVP candidate Joel Embiid.

He’s now had a full offseason to get acclimated with his new team and figure out how to work within their schemes, and I can see two different scenarios playing out here. Either he is going to turn more into the former MVP James Harden of old or he’s going to adjust his game to be more of a facilitator.

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The idea behind the second option would be to let budding star Tyrese Maxey become more of a scoring option while Harden sets up his teammates. Either option works, and his improvement can set Philadelphia back on course as a contender.