In his first-ever podcast interview, Clippers celebrity James Harden mentioned his legacy, sneaker offers, multi-million-dollar enterprise recommendation he obtained from the late Kobe Bryant and extra in his look on “Earn Your Leisure.” Some of the fascinating tidbits from the hour-long interview was Harden’s retrospective opinion on his former Thunder squad.
Harden, relating to his time with Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook in OKC, said that the Thunder would have received a pair of championships, at minimal, in the event that they hadn’t disbanded.
“My rookie yr, we have been the eighth seed and performed the Lakers, who have been the primary seed,” Harden said. “We scared them, however they ended up profitable the championship. My second yr, we have been within the Western Convention Finals towards Dallas, and so they went on to win a championship. My third yr, we’re within the [2011 NBA] Finals towards the Warmth and so they received a championship.”
After profitable a gold medal within the 2012 London Olympics alongside his Thunder teammates Durant and Westbrook, Harden then mentioned that he believed the crew was primed to win an NBA championship.
“That summer season, we went to the Olympics and received a gold medal. My fourth yr, it’s on. However, within the summertime, I obtained traded. Simply a few days earlier than the primary recreation.”
Shockingly, Harden revealed that Oklahoma Metropolis’s younger core was break up up over a $4 million dispute.
“[We split up] over $4 million,” Harden expressed disappointment. “It was throughout 4 million {dollars}.”
After profitable Sixth Man of the Yr and serving to lead the Thunder to back-to-back Western Convention Finals appearances, Harden later clarified that he was due for a wage improve. Nonetheless, the crew prolonged standout defender Serge Ibaka as a substitute and traded Harden to the Houston Rockets.
If the generational trio of Durant, Westbrook and Harden had by no means dissolved, the Clippers guard believes Oklahoma Metropolis might have grow to be a dynasty.
“We’d’ve received two chips no less than, on the minimal,” claimed Harden.
Whereas Harden’s imaginative and prescient of the Thunder’s potential is lofty, it isn’t far-fetched. Regardless of not profitable a championship, the Oklahoma Metropolis crew that includes Durant, Westbrook and Harden is considered top-of-the-line within the historical past of the NBA. Within the years following Harden’s departure, every of the budding Thunder stars won the Most Valuable Player Award.
Durant took dwelling the NBA MVP following a 2013-14 season wherein he led the league in points (2,593) per recreation (32.0 PPG) and was chosen to the All-NBA First Group. Westbrook received the 2016-17 MVP just a few years later. That season, Westbrook led the league in factors per recreation (31.6 PPG) whereas averaging a triple-double. The UCLA product additionally broke Oscar Robertson’s document with 42 triple-doubles in a single season.
The next yr, Harden earned his first MVP as a member of the Rockets. That season, the 28-year-old guard averaged 30.4 factors, 8.8 assists and 5.4 rebounds per recreation whereas serving to the Rockets to an NBA-leading 65 wins. Like Durant and Westbrook, Harden led the league in scoring in his MVP season whereas pacing the league in three-pointers and 50-point games. The previous Rocket joined Michael Jordan as the one participant to common no less than 20 factors, eight assists, 5 rebounds and 1.7 steals in a season.
Given the immense success every All-Star loved following their break up, it isn’t unreasonable to imagine that the Thunder might have received two championships, if no more, as Harden said.
Regardless of not but capturing an NBA title, Harden isn’t bitter about being traded from the Thunder. As a substitute, he’s grateful that he was allowed to blossom right into a celebrity in Houston and past following the commerce.
“Most likely not,” Harden stated when requested if he would have developed into an MVP-caliber participant in Oklahoma Metropolis. “It’s exhausting to say. I used to be [a] Sixth Man [of the Year award winner], however I used to be ultimately going to have to start out. I solely [came off the bench] as a sacrifice for the crew. It made us higher. However ultimately, I used to be going to have to start out.
“Like, my talent was getting there to the place, by my fourth yr, I’m not sitting on no bench. I’m not Sixth Man, I already obtained that.”
Regardless of believing that he doubtlessly missed the chance to grow to be a champion with the Thunder, Harden reiterated that his departure might have benefited his profession.
“It was throughout 4 million {dollars},” Harden said of his divorce with Oklahoma City. “It was a blessing, although. Coming off the Finals, which I didn’t play nicely, after which the Olympics… a possibility to be round all these vets, my first yr in Houston, I went loopy.”
Whereas it may be good to ascertain what might have been in Oklahoma Metropolis, Harden said that he’s nonetheless laser-focused on including an NBA championship to his Corridor of Fame-worthy resume.
“I’m nonetheless gonna attempt to get one,” proclaimed Harden. “That’s the aim. I work my [butt] off day by day to win one.”
