James Harden ‘definitely’ wants to retire with Rockets
By Tom West
When James Harden was asked if he wants to spend his entire career with the Houston Rockets, he didn’t even hesitate to say yes.
As one of the top few players in the league with the potential to drop 30+ points on any given night, any team would be wise to try and keep James Harden as long as possible. Unfortunately for the Oklahoma City Thunder, they weren’t able to hold onto The Beard for more than three seasons due to their cap situation and need for Serge Ibaka. As for the Houston Rockets, though, it looks like both parties will want to keep their relationship going until it’s time for Harden to retire.
In an article by Jonathan Feigen for the Houston Chronicle, Harden was asked whether or not he can see himself ending his career with the Rockets.
He made his intentions perfectly clear:
"Signed through the 2017-18 season, when asked if he intends to play the rest of his career in Houston, Harden did not hesitate.“Definitely,” Harden said. “Definitely it’s going to end here.”"
The fact he didn’t hesitate is almost as important as the answer itself. Any player can say they want to continue their career with one team because they want to maintain a bond with their teammates and coaches, while avoiding media speculation as well. Such an answer may not show their true intentions, but it’s understandable.
As for Harden, though, it sounds like there’s no doubt in his mind that he wants to be a Rocket till the day his NBA career ends. And for now, that’s certainly a smart decision.
Despite being dismissed 4-1 in the Western Conference Finals by the eventual champion Golden State Warriors, the Rockets were a formidable team again last season. With 56 wins and earning the 2nd seed in the West, not to mention their remarkable comeback in the second round to embarrass the Los Angeles Clippers and their 3-1 series lead, the Rockets proved their potential.
Their core of talent such as Harden, Dwight Howard, Patrick Beverley and Trevor Ariza showed how far they could go. Now that they’ve added a promising rookie in Sam Dekker and a top playmaking point guard in Ty Lawson, their potential for 2015-16 is even greater.
As always, Harden burned opponents with his scoring ability last season. With his 37.5 three point shooting, step-back jumpers and tireless ability to draw contact and earn easy shots from the foul line, Harden averaged a career high 27.4 points.
Believe it or not, he even improved his heavily criticized defense, too. Not only did he average an impressive 1.9 steals (3rd in the NBA) and 0.7 blocks per game, but he also ranked 10th in defensive win shares (4.2).
Not bad for a player who has always been renowned for hardly even paying attention on defense.
So, as Houston wait for the upcoming season with another shot at making a run towards the Finals, Rockets fans have two things to look forward to: another great season, and James Harden sticking around for years to come.