King Saladeen’s Artist Series remix of SLAM 243 was inspired by the flash of James Harden. Saladeen has seen Harden catch fire so many times, drilling stepback after stepback, that he emblazoned the former MVP’s name in front of his hometown, the city of Philly.

This exclusive cover, which is available now, features King Saladeen’s signature, as well as aspects of his iconic style, including the money signs.

For the cover of SLAM 243, we caught up with the Beard to talk about his influence on a cultural level, what he thinks about the All-Star snub and most notably, how he wants to be remembered after his legendary career.

The post Artist King Saladeen Reimagines James Harden SLAM 243 Cover appeared first on SLAM.

February 2, 2023. Evening.     

James Harden is in his hotel room hanging out with his newly appointed agent and longtime business confidant Troy Payne. The Sixers are playing the Spurs tomorrow, and the two Cali natives find themselves in deep conversation when the news breaks. Payne looks over at Harden. He notices the NBA superstar’s body language. That’s all he needs to see to know how Harden truly feels at this very moment. Natural human emotions and passion take over. Expletives may or may not be flying around. Payne steps in and offers some words of encouragement, and a new conversation ensues. One that’s very different from the one the two were having just a couple minutes ago. This one is about the next four months, about maintaining the tunnel vision strategy for the ultimate goal at hand, and about how to use the news that just broke as ammunition for it all. 

The aforementioned news? The 2023 NBA All-Star Game reserves were just announced, and Harden, after 10 consecutive All-Star selections, was not chosen for this year’s festivities. And while other stars try to play it off cool and pretend not being selected doesn’t bother them, Harden isn’t holding back how he feels. 

A few minutes later, he pulls out his phone, taps the Instagram icon and writes on his IG Story “The disrespect.” in white text on an all-black backdrop.

“I said it already, disrespectful!” Harden tells us of the All-Star snub. “Most of the people that understand basketball get my value, but some just get bored with my numbers.”

“[We were] hanging out, talking about some stuff, and then [the news] just came out,” recalls Payne of the night in San Antonio. “And I was like, Oh shoot, here we go. He didn’t get selected…But from a brother perspective, and as his agent, I [wanted to] encourage him to use it as fuel, to go out there and just prove everybody wrong. Let’s go out there and get All-NBA. And that’s the goal—play at a high level, finish top two in the East, push for All-NBA. I think he’s playing at an All-NBA level. 

“I saw his emotion [that night], but it was more hunger than anything. He wasn’t happy about it. He felt like he should have been in the game; he felt like he did enough to play, to be selected. I think it’s more of a perspective based on the years of his success. And it kind of hurt him. We were used to seeing James score at a high clip in terms of production in the basket, but he still was contributing in a different way at the same high level, it just wasn’t talked about enough.”

SLAM 243 featuring James Harden is available now. Shop here.

When ASW came around a couple weeks later, Harden decided to spend some time in Tempe, where he got a chance to watch his alma mater Arizona State play, before returning to the home he built in Houston for a few days. There, Payne says, he watched Harden schedule out workouts…twice a day.  

Lil Baby tunes are blaring out from a nearby speaker on this Thursday afternoon in early March. We’re at the 76ers’ practice facility in Camden, NJ, for our cover shoot with The Beard. He rhythmically nods his head to the music while reciting lyrics in between shots. At one point, he takes the lead on creative direction and starts freestyling new poses, without our photographer even having to prompt him. He’s feeling it—the shoot, life, all of it.

And it’s easy to see why. This is Harden’s 14th year in the League. And yet, here he is, still putting up some of the best shooting numbers he’s ever had—yes, almost a decade and a half into his NBA career.

On the day of the shoot, Harden is shooting the best percentage he ever has from behind the arc. Last season, he had the second-best free-throw percentage of his career. And the season before that, he put up the second-best overall shooting percentage of his career. And this is despite having to deal with mid-season trades to Brooklyn and Philadelphia the previous two years. He leads the League in assists with an average of 10.8 dimes a night, as of late March. The only time he’s finished with a higher assists average was six years ago (2016-17), when he posted 11.2 assists and was second in MVP voting (and eventually won MVP the following year). 

“I’m a master of this game. This is year 14 for me—I adjust to how teams are guarding us and I pick and choose where to facilitate,” Harden tells SLAM. “My role on the Sixers is different from 2017. So yes, the approach is different, but I’m still the same player as 2017, my role just changed slightly.

“It’s a combination of the work I put in each summer, getting healthy and trusting the work when I am on the court. I have been a student of the game and have been coachable throughout my career. This season, I have been tasked to be a leader on the court and to get everyone involved and still maintain my aggression. If I said it was easy, I’d be lying, but I am committed to do whatever I need to do in order to help my team win.”  

The shooting efficiency and assist numbers are just a couple of metrics that one can utilize to measure Harden’s impressive career longevity and consistency at this stage. Even the sneakers he’s rocking on set, a blue colorway from his super well-received Harden Volume 7 collection (which, at the time, wasn’t set to debut for another month), are indicative of how good he’s been for so long. This is his signature line’s seventh model, and there have only been two other adidas athletes to ever reach that many signature sneakers in the history of the brand: Derrick Rose and Damian Lillard. That’s it. That’s the list.

I’m a master of this game.

– James Harden

“First off, I am thankful to have a signature shoe. Having a signature line is a nod to the work that I’ve put into my craft, and having 7 volumes and counting is a blessing and I don’t [take] it for granted,” says Harden. “HV7 is my favorite model to date and the response from my fans speaks volumes to me, so I am grateful for the support. I like to express myself through my fashion, so hopefully I did that with the colorways for Volume 7. This seventh shoe is up there on the milestones for sure!”

But as he says so himself, he’s been doing it for so long that people may indeed have just become “bored” with his output these days. He’s spoiled basketball fans for over a decade. The casuals only notice that he’s no longer averaging the 36 points per game he once did. (Fun fact: Only Wilt Chamberlain and Michael Jordan have averaged more points in a single season than James Harden. Yup, that’s the list.) 

Numbers aside, though, his influence on a cultural level is just as impactful. It transcends statistics. His signature step-back move has been a hot topic on the internet for years. A quick Google search and you’ll find articles and message boards doing deep dives on the move and whether or not it should be allowed. One thing is for sure, Harden’s creativity has paved the way to a Hall of Fame career and introduced a move that seemed unimaginable prior to his arrival.   

“Biggest innovator to play the game!” says Harden, when asked what he wants to be remembered for the most when it’s all said and done. 

While some have tried to push a particular narrative regarding Harden’s work ethic in the past, Payne says that those who are really around know what it is. Harden has built a routine around postgame workouts, something that’s always done away from the cameras and fans. Home or away, with his game uniform still on, Harden has a list of exercises he likes to check off the list, explains Payne.

“Postgame workouts have been something that’s been prevalent in the past. I know in Houston he was doing that a little bit, working out postgame, where he’s running the stairs in the arena or lifting weights with a trainer—we’ve done a lot of that. And I’ve seen James do that a lot now,” says Payne, a former hooper at Santa Clara and overseas who’s known Harden since middle school. “So, when he has time, he’s there for three hours. He will sit there and work out with the training staff and get a workout in…I started seeing him do it during his MVP run when he was in Houston. And then I didn’t see it as much in Brooklyn.

“When the game is over, they’re in the back, they’re working out—squats, working on shoulders and RDLs. They’re getting after it, like, at least 20 minutes. That’s the quick twitch muscles when your body is fatigued, just trying to make the body stronger. So that’s something that he’s implemented with [this] team. And if you go and you look at the weight room postgame, you’ll see about six to eight guys in there getting after it. So I think that’s a testament to his leadership and just trying to keep the younger guys motivated and hungry.”

“Throughout my career, I’ve been coachable on every team I’ve been a part of,” adds Harden. “Whatever is needed of me for the team to win is what I will deliver.”  

Coachable is a term that Payne also emphasizes, pointing to the time Harden was asked to take over the PG position when playing for Mike D’Antoni in Houston. On the fly adjustments, wherever, whenever. 

“Credit to D’Antoni for putting the ball in his hands when he was in Houston. He came back home one day and was like, Man, Coach wants me to run point guard. He’s like, Point guard? I ain’t about to run no point guard, man. What is he trying to do? And after two practices, he’s like, Oh my God, this is about to work!” recalls Payne. “So it’s a credit to him being coachable. And then when he gets in that situation, [he’s] figuring it out, how to make his team successful, how to make himself successful. And the rest is history.”

With so much to highlight in his long, illustrious career, we asked Harden which accomplishment or milestone he’s proud of the most. But it’s a question he doesn’t have an answer for…yet.

“The one I want,” says Harden, “hasn’t happened yet, so let’s revisit when I win a championship.”

SLAM 243 is also available in this exclusive Cover Tee and Gold Metal Edition. Tap in.

Portraits by Alex Subers.

The post James Harden Opens Up About His Legacy and Being the ‘Biggest Innovator’ of the Game appeared first on SLAM.

The ox and turtle remnants that were converted to archives featured the now-known-as Shang numerals. The Shang dynasty, dating back to the 14th century BC, made their own number system. 

Hundreds of years later, in the 9th century AD, Muḥammad ibn Mūsā al-Khwārizmī worked at the House of Wisdom in Baghdad. The immaculately-carved fossil-colored entry ways of the House, which was also called the Grand Library of Baghdad, held local poetry, both contemporary to the time and from the past. The space was primarily dedicated to translating the globe’s most respected works of literature and academia from Persian, Greek and Latin to Arabic.

In those sacred halls, al-Khwārizmī was influenced by the work of the Shang dynasty. Their number system, founded so many ages before, helped him to introduce the entire world to the Hindu-Arabic numerals, the number system still used today in so many places across the planet. History recognizes him as the Father of Algebra.  

The momentum of the centuries caught up to those numbers al-Khwārizmī popularized. Each gained their own meaning. The number seven is particularly special. 

Numerology became a universal language because of how many people recognized the characters that al-Khwārizmī favored. Music is another universal language. Rather than the one of absolutes that numerology can be counted as, music is a language of emotions. Whether or not the lyrics of song were translated at the House of Wisdom doesn’t matter. The feelings of a well-constructed song can be experienced by any human. The scales that make up these global methods of communication contain seven notes.  

High above both the Yellow River and Baghdad, the Sun, the Moon, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn had Claudius Ptolemy completely enthralled. Ptolemy, a Roman, spent his days working as a mathematician, geographer, music theorist, astronomer and astrologer. He lived in Alexandria, Egypt during the 2nd century AD. He looked up in the star-filled desert skies, spellbound by what he saw without the aid of any telescope. The planets went from eyes and straight up to his imagination, which bounced between the sand and the mysteries overhead. Ptolemy’s analyzation of these luminous bodies in the sky ultimately led to them being referred to as the seven classical planets. They are the reason that we measure weeks by seven day intervals. 

When those skies got stormy and rain pounded down across the deserts of Alexandria, the House of Wisdom and the Yellow River, and when clouds turned from puffy white to dense grey, humankind didn’t get a say in another phenomenon rooted in the number seven. The storms passed and breaking clouds brought with them the rainbow. 

The arced spectrum of light contains seven colors. In the 17th century AD, Isaac Newton identified the seven colors of the rainbow as the hues most distinguishable by the human eye. 

Seven’s history spans back thousands of years and depending on the specific belief system, it can be defined as “spirituality.”

Thousands of years have brought us to 2023, to the time of James Harden. His seventh signature sneaker is the best silhouette of the 2022-23 NBA season. It’s the best pair of his Hall of Fame career. 

Aesthetically unique, Three Stripes lead designer Jalal Enayah meant to make a sneaker that nobody had seen before. He wanted to make an extension of Harden, a ballplayer that nobody has seen before. The quilted panel on the upper can be traced back to puffer jackets that the former MVP likes to rock. And materials on the toebox vary from colorway to colorway. There have been flooded versions of red, purple, black, silver, white, yellow, orange, pink and green. A tribute to his college has been seen, while white marble and gold-heeled versions have also popped up. Every color of the rainbow has shown up at least once during the HV7’s run. 

Functionally proficient, Enayah went hard with the tech inside the 7. There’s cushioning that combines BOOST in the heel and LIGHTSTRIKE in the forefoot and it sits on top of a podular rubber outsole with dual herringbone and radial patterns. The X-shaped torsional support plate underfoot is joined by the TPU heel counter that houses the internal bootie.

Harden has gotten busy with the 7 on his foot. His 10.7 assists per game led the entire League and he still averaged 21 points a night on 44 percent shooting. After some injury-hit and drama-filled couple of years, he returned to form as one of the game’s most exceptional talents. No rush in his pace, unmovable, entirely confident in scoring whenever he chose to, the 2022-23 campaign was a reminder of who James Harden really is—a rule-breaking offensive machine. He’s one of the 2010s’ authors of change, right next to the other point guards in Golden State and Portland. Basketball wouldn’t be where it is today without his contributions to the art form. 

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Now he and Enayah have submitted another piece of art to the game. The 7 is work of science and beauty. With all these years of natural wonder and human knowledge surrounding the silhouette, the incredible performances it’s been part of, the adidas Harden Vol. 7 is the best sneaker of 2022-23. 

Sketches via Jalal Enayah

The post Here’s Why The adidas Harden Vol. 7 is the Best Basketball Sneaker of 2022-23 appeared first on SLAM.

the minivan is revving up! pic.twitter.com/uc5ozuO1Qp

— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) January 3, 2023

The Beard has continuously encouraged the former Iowa State Cyclone to shoot the leather off the ball whenever he plays. When the Sixers hosted the New Orleans Pelicans on Monday, Niang took that advice to heart and scored a bench-high 15 points on 5-9 shooting from deep after 26 minutes of action. Niang’s effort earned praise from Harden, who called Niang the 76ers’ “sharpshooter.”

“If he’s not shooting the ball, he shouldn’t be in the game,” Harden said per Sports Illustrated. “I said, ‘Shoot the ball.’ Tonight, he did a really good job of that. He’s our sharpshooter.”

.@GeorgesNiang20 is now 4-5 from 3…

pic.twitter.com/Z8oDTI22BR

— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) January 3, 2023

Niang is in the middle of his second season with the 76ers after signing as a free agent in 2021. Last year, Niang shot 5.1 threes per game and hit them at a 40.3 percent rate off the bench. He’s reprised that role this season, and he’s been shooting 40.7 percent from beyond the arc on a career-high 5.7 attempts per game. He’s also scoring a career-best 9.4 points, 2.4 rebounds, and 1.1 assists per game.

The post James Harden: Georges Niang is Philadelphia’s ‘Sharpshooter’ appeared first on SLAM.

Here’s what happened across the L over the weekend. Let’s get it.

James Harden is Reportedly “Seriously Considering” Returning to Houston:

According to NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski at ESPN, Harden is reportedly considering a reunion with the Rockets if he doesn’t re-sign with Philadelphia as a free agent in July.

However, after the Sixers’ win over the Knicks on Christmas Day, Harden addressed the media and let them know how he really feels about being in Philly.

“I’m here, we’re playing very well, and I don’t know where that report came from,” Harden said, per NBC Sports Philadelphia. “But I’m excited to be here, and we’re playing well. We’re continuing to get better.”

Meanwhile, Harden caught everyone’s attention with this colorful holiday fit. Hide y’all presents.

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Joel Embiid and Harden Combine to Score 64 Points against the Knicks:

The Beard (29 points and 13 dimes) and Joel Embiid (35 points) put up a combined 64 points, 12 rebounds, and 14 assists to help the 76ers extend their win streak to eight games with a 119-112 dub over the Knicks on Sunday.

The Sixers outscored the Knicks 24-9 to open the fourth and turned a one-point deficit into a 116-102 lead late in the fourth quarter.

“It was one of those games where you’ve just got to stick around,” Harden said per ESPN. “Like, stick around, stick around, and then fourth quarter, you give yourself a chance.

64 PTS | 12 REB | 14 AST @JHarden13 & @JoelEmbiid‘s combined Christmas Day stat line. vote both for NBA All-Star: https://t.co/kNf5hhEIQx.

presented by @palottery pic.twitter.com/Lu2cQROE6c

— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) December 25, 2022

Jayson Tatum Torches the Bucks For 41 Points while Jaylen Brown Takes Over:

Jayson Tatum posted 41 points, including a ferocious first-half yam over Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Jaylen Brown scored 29 points to help Boston (24-10) reclaim the top record in the League with a 139-118 win over the Bucks (22-11).

Boston grabbed a 100-86 lead after Tatum scored 20 points in the third quarter, and Brown brought the Celtics home with 13 points in the final frame; he also refused to back down after posting a screen that sent the Greek Freak to the ground. Brown and Antetokounmpo had a back-and-forth, but y’all know it’s only basketball. The players don’t take it seriously, and neither should basketball fans.

Boston gave Milwaukee their first three-game losing streak, while the Celtics have now won back-to-back contests after losing five out of six recent games.

HE CAUGHT ONE @jaytatum0 hammered it home in tonight’s @JetBlue Play of the Game pic.twitter.com/ZU6oCbvRB0

— Boston Celtics (@celtics) December 26, 2022

Jordan Poole Put Up a Dominate 32 Points to Lead Golden State Past Memphis:

Jordan Poole did what he had to do to play Grinch and ruin the Grizzlies’ Christmas after he dropped a team-high 32 points to lead the Warriors past Memphis on Sunday. Draymond Green (13 rebounds, 13 assists, two blocks) and Klay Thompson (24 points on 8-25 shooting) also put up some solid performances. They played up the burgeoning rivalry they have with Memphis with some sublime shi*t talking toward Dillon Brooks as well.

“He knows that he can’t get a second one. He’s still a young player,” head coach Steve Kerr said per ESPN. “Jordan was fantastic tonight, and we needed his offensive firepower.”

Dray Jordan

» https://t.co/ocDF2EGGU9 pic.twitter.com/HL0YggMOBa

— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) December 26, 2022

Nikola Jokic Drops a Christmas Day Triple-Double Against the Suns:

Nikola Jokic (41 points, 15 boards, and 15 dimes) dropped his 83rd career triple-double and led the Nuggets to a 128-125 win over the Phoenix Suns. The two-time MVP recorded a 40-point, 27-rebound, 10-assist performance a week ago. It was the fourth 40-point, 15-rebound, 15-assist game in League history. Oscar Robertson (1961, 1962) accomplished it twice, and James Harden did it in 2016.

“Sick,” Aaron Gordon said of Jokic’s outing, per ESPN. “Those are video game numbers.”

Another MVP performance

41/15/15. Triple-Double 8⃣3⃣ pic.twitter.com/W5PNYlDFar

— Denver Nuggets (@nuggets) December 26, 2022

Jamal Murray (26 points, five rebounds, and five assists) forced overtime with a game-tying dunk, and Aaron Gordon put the exclamation point on the win with a poster over Landry Shamet.

“Yeah,” Gordon said. “Because of the time and score.”

Nuggets Nation BROUGHT THE ENERGY tonight. For that, we leave you with this

Goodnight, Wuggets Wation pic.twitter.com/WOYUm1twk7

— Denver Nuggets (@nuggets) December 26, 2022

The post NBA Weekend Recap: Elite Christmas Day Matchups and James Harden Addresses Reports of His Return to Houston appeared first on SLAM.

However, the two threes that Thompson hit moved him into some very elite NBA company. Coming off a recent game where he had just moved up to 13th in the NBA’s all-time made three-pointers list, Thompson is also the 13th NBA player ever to make 2,000 career three-pointers.

Thompson now joins Stephen Curry, Ray Allen, Reggie Miller, James Harden, Kyle Korver, Vince Carter, Jason Terry, Jamal Crawford, Damian Lillard, LeBron James, Kyle Lowry, and Paul Pierce as the only NBA players ever to accomplish such a milestone.

Becoming a part of such an elite group of sharpshooters must feel great to Thompson after battling his way back to form after suffering an Achilles injury in 2020 after just returning from an ACL injury in 2019.

This 2023 season has been sort of a “revenge tour” for Thompson, as he has trying to block out the noise and prove to the doubters that he’s still got it. Admittedly Thompson has come out and said that comments about his game “slipping” have hurt, but he knows that he can’t please everybody.

While it is a great career moment for Thompson, he and the Warriors look to get back on the winning track Thursday against the Indiana Pacers.

The post Klay Thompson Becomes the 13th NBA Player to Knock Down 2K Threes appeared first on SLAM.

Part of Harden’s disappointment comes from the fact that he’s on a minutes restriction, per head coach Doc Rivers. Yeah, Harden did play 39 minutes, but The Beard said having a monitored workload led him to be “all over the place.”

“I was all over the place,” Harden said, per ESPN. “I’m not used to it. But I’m not making any excuses. I have to do better.”

The 10-time All-Star added that he had to make his case to play in OT because Rivers didn’t want to play him.

“I had to fight to stay on the court just because there was a certain plan in place before the game started,” Harden said. “But once you go out there as a competitor, you want to try to win.”

For the time being, Harden will be looking to find his rhythm and swag after missing the last 14 games due to a tendon strain he suffered in November. The one thing we know about the former MVP is that he can find that mode again quickly as he attacks the rim to get to the free-throw line, and the more he shoots, the better it will be for him long-term.

“I didn’t play well, but I’ve got to be better, and I will,” he said.

Harden and the Sixers will look to take a step forward on Friday when they host the Lakers.

The post James Harden ‘Not Making Any Excuses’ After Disappointing Return appeared first on SLAM.

Doncic was in his bag last night, scorching the visiting Golden State Warriors with his hot hand and impressive playmaking abilities. Doncic sealed the 116-113 victory with 41 points shooting 14-27 (51.9 percent) from the field, 12 rebounds, and 12 assists.

Unreal performance from Luka.

41 PTS, 12 REB, 12 AST, 4 STL.

(via @nba) pic.twitter.com/2YBzHUSDVB

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) November 30, 2022

This is Doncic’s third 40+ point triple-double this season, and every other player in the League currently has zero. Performances like what we witnessed last night on national television are why many would agree that Doncic is a front-runner for MVP this year. I mean, with the way he has been playing at such a high level, how could you argue against him right now?

“It’s getting boring,” Mavericks coach Jason Kidd jokingly told ESPN postgame. “I mean, let’s see something different. Maybe do it with his left hand. I’m just joking. Look, he’s one of the best in the world, and that’s what he does. Some of us can take him for granted. The man is special.”

Warriors Superstar Stephen Curry also chimed in postgame with some high praise for Doncic as well;

“His size and his ball-handling skills keep you on edge the entire game, that plus him being a three-level scorer, you’ve got to worry about everything,” Curry said. “Then obviously, his court vision is unreal. It’s an offensive package of being a playmaker and scorer, and when he’s knocking down shots like he did tonight, it’s tough. You want to take something away from him, but he can make play after play.”

Tuesday’s game just continues to add to what has been a spectacular season for Doncic, whose performance yesterday also landed him in the history books. Doncic is now the sixth player in NBA history to record five or more 40-point triple-doubles. The five other big names he joins on that list are Oscar Robertson, James Harden, Russell Westbrook, Wilt Chamberlain, and LeBron James.

In addition to his new piece of NBA history, Doncic made franchise history after tying Dirk Nowitzki’s franchise record for most 40-point games as a Maverick.

There just doesn’t seem to be anything anyone in the League can do to stop Doncic. With the All-Star break quietly approaching, we will just have to wait to see if Doncic and the Mavericks can continue to sustain their current level of play.

The post Jason Kidd On Taking Luka Doncic ‘for Granted’ After His 40-Point Triple-Double appeared first on SLAM.

Following a Tuesday morning shootaround, Simmons said it “feels good to be back” at Wells Fargo Center and that he’s “locked-in” and “ready to play” against the 76ers.

Ben Simmons following this morning’s #BrooklynNets shootaround at the Wells Fargo Center: “It feels good to be back. It does feel good to be back. I’m ready to go, locked-in. So I’m ready to play.”

— Keith Pompey (@PompeyOnSixers) November 22, 2022

The Nets (8-9) head to Philly carrying a consecutive win streak after beating the Trail Blazers and Grizzlies. Simmons goes into the game carrying significant baggage from his last year, where he sat out the season due to mental health on top of public concerns about his lack of aggression. After he was traded to the Nets, Simmons sat out the rest of the regular-season and playoffs due to a back injury that ultimately required surgery in May.

When asked about the prospect of his return being anti-climatic due to Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, and James Harden not playing, Simmons said that “the fans will make up for it” and that he knows his first game in Wells Fargo Center out of a Philly uniform will be filled with a lot of boos

“Yeah, so I’m looking forward to it. It’s going to be fun.”

Ben Simmons on if his return to Philly is anti-climatic with Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and James Harden not playing for the #Sixers: “I mean the fans will make up for it. Yeah, so I’m looking forward to it. It’s going to be fun.”
Simmons knows he’ll hear a lot of boos.

— Keith Pompey (@PompeyOnSixers) November 22, 2022

Philly-Brooklyn takes place at 7:30, with TNT showcasing the game.

The post Ben Simmons: 76ers Reunion Game Is ‘Going to be Fun’ appeared first on SLAM.

The Sixers are now left to look elsewhere for more offensive production, and there’s no replacing the Beard. As the team’s primary playmaker, he put up solid numbers of 22.0 points, 10.0 assists, and 7.0 rebounds per contest. 

Joel Embiid will likely take on most of the load with Harden out, although he is still dealing with an illness. Last season, before Ben Simmons was traded, Embiid was putting up MVP numbers and kept the Sixers as contenders in the East before acquiring Harden.

The young and emerging Tyrese Maxey is also a player that will have a more significant role in the absence of Harden, particularly in the playmaking department. He’s averaging a career-best 24.2 points on 51.6 percent shooting. There’s no question he will take care of the playmaking responsibilities for now because he did just that last year when the Sixers still had Simmons.

If one thing is for sure, these next few games are really going to show what this team is made of. 

Philadelphia is currently the sixth seed in the Eastern Conference with a record of 4-5. Their next game will be against the New York Knicks on Friday.

The post REPORT: James Harden Expected to Miss a Month with Foot Injury appeared first on SLAM.

The injury happened in Charlotte and started a wild string of injuries for the Nets.

Before Dinwiddie was injured, numerous trade rumors were swirling around involving Dinwiddie and eventual-now-former Net James Harden. If Dinwiddie had not gotten hurt, then there is a huge chance he might have been involved in a trade deal for Harden. Had Dinwiddie stayed in Brooklyn, he would have played a significant role as the primary point guard because of the vaccination rules situation with Kyrie Irving.

Due to the injury, Dinwiddie was traded as part of a 5-team sign-and-trade that dealt him to the Washington Wizards.

Let it fly pic.twitter.com/W3U2W50lL6

— Dallas Mavericks (@dallasmavs) October 26, 2022

Dinwiddie was always a media favorite during his time as a Net. After the Maverick’s win against the Nets Thursday night, Dinwiddie was asked if he ever thought about how his career would look if his time in Brooklyn never ended on an ACL tear.

“I don’t know if the trade still happens or not or if I’m in it,” Dinwiddie said per The Athletic. “Regardless of whether it happens or not, I believe the Nets are a championship team. Just because if you look how close that team was, we were steamrolling people before I got hurt. Even if they make the trade and I’m in it, that means they probably get to keep one of Caris (LeVert) or Jarrett (Allen), which obviously really would have been needed. Or I’m not in it; it means I’m still here, and I’m with Harden. So either way you slice it, all three of those scenarios, the team probably wins the championship.”

The Nets would definitely benefit from an energetic rim protector like Jarrett Allen right now, who has emerged as an All-Star center since signing a five-year deal worth $100 million with the Cleveland Cavaliers. Though Nets coach Steve Nash said a while ago, he wasn’t sure the team would have been able to offer Allen the five-year, $100 million contract he got from the Cavs. Ironically since all this, Allen and Caris LeVert have reunited and are once again on this year’s Cavs squad.

One thing is for sure; both guys are currently making huge differences for their respective teams. It is still early in the season, so there is still a ton of optimism for Net’s fans that the team will be able to turn things around. The team, without question, has enough talent to make a deep playoff run with a lineup headlined by Irving, Kevin Durant, Patty Mills, and Ben Simmons.

Just need to give them some time and let the chemistry develop because they still have a long season ahead.

The post Spencer Dinwiddie Opens Up About Getting Traded After His Knee Injury appeared first on SLAM.

The 76ers picked up their first win of the season after beating the Pacers 120-106 on Monday due to a herculean effort from Harden. The ten-time All-Star dropped 29 points, dished out 11 assists, and grabbed nine rebounds in the game. Joel Embiid was left praising Harden upon the final buzzer.

“He’s been doing great,” said Embiid. “I’m happy for him, and we’re gonna need it. We’re gonna need him to be confident and really feel himself, and he’s been doing it. So now we just got to get everybody playing at the same level so we can win games.”  

29 PTS | 11 AST | 9 REB

Alexa, play Jimmy Cooks

presented by @PALottery pic.twitter.com/5X7o8Pd3BY

— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) October 25, 2022

With the performances Harden has been putting on, The Beards showing shades of his MVP form. In four games so far, the Beard is averaging 26.8 points, 9.8 assists, and 8.5 rebounds. 

Embiid understands how much work the 33-year-old put in during the summer to reach this point. In fact, it was the Sixers’ big man who told reporters that the Philly version of Harden wasn’t the Houston version after the 76ers got eliminated by the Miami Heat in the playoffs last year.

“I am sure since we got him, everybody expected the Houston James Harden,” said Embiid following a loss to the Miami Heat in Game 6. “But that’s not who he is anymore. He is more of a playmaker.”

Game Highlights vs. Pacers | 10.24.22

pres. by @cryptocom pic.twitter.com/wJc8If2hHb

— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) October 25, 2022

With Harden’s scoring numbers up, it’s going to be interesting to see if the team shifts scoring options between him and Embiid as the go-to scorer moving forward. Philadelphia will play the Toronto Raptors on Wednesday.

The post Joel Embiid ‘Happy’ for James Harden Amidst His Hot Scoring Start appeared first on SLAM.

Harden reflected on his last two years in the League, per USA Today,. “These last two years, it was a lot of drama, a lot of negative energy, which I don’t really like too much,” Harden said. “Whether it’s me getting out of Houston or what happened last year going into the season from last year, it was just a lot. Here, it’s just fresh; it’s a relief; it’s like, let’s just go hoop.”

And boy, is Harden hoopin’. The Beard opened the season with two stellar performances. On Tuesday night, he posted 35 points, eight rebounds, and seven assists against the defending Eastern Conference Champs, the Boston Celtics, and on Thursday, he scored 31 points, ripped down eight rebounds, and dished out nine assists against the Milwaukee Bucks.

While critics attacked the guard for his ability to stay healthy last season, Harden “can move now,” and he credits his hot start in Philly to his health and work ethic.

“I’m a workaholic, so not being able to put the work in like I normally do was frustrating,” Harden said about last season, per ESPN. “This summer, I had that opportunity to, and then even up to this point, I feel really good. So, just continue to put the work in and living with the results, and that’s what I live by — A lot of people don’t see the work that I put in. This scoring ability and all of this other stuff doesn’t come without work. So as much as people want to talk about all of this other stuff, that doesn’t really matter, I’m a workaholic, and I love to be in the gym and play basketball. So I’ll continue to do that.”

Not only has a healthy Harden returned to form with step-back threes and forceful drives that draw fouls, but he has evolved his game. The eight-time All-Star hit seven mid-range shots – a career-high and a third of his total mid-range jumpers all of last season.

“I’ve been working on my game this summer, so I just took what the defense gave me,” Harden said. “I had a couple threes that I missed, but you can’t control it. You put the work in, and you live with the results. Tonight, they gave me midrange shots, and I lived with the results.”

With back-to-back 30+ point nights, Harden joined Hall of Famers Wilt Chamberlain and Allen Iverson as the third player in Sixers history to score at least 30 points in his first two games of a season. Unfortunately, Harden’s phenomenal play has not been enough for the Sixers, and they fell to 0-2 after an 88-90 loss to the Bucks. 

“For me, it’s not even about the individual. Individual [play] is great, and I’ll do whatever it takes for the betterment of this team, but all of us need to be playing at a high level, and that’s a part of my job”, said Harden. The Sixers host the Spurs tomorrow and look to bounce back and secure their first win of the season.

The post ‘Let’s Just Go Hoop’: James Harden Capitalizing on a Fresh Start in Philadelphia appeared first on SLAM.

We’ll have to wait and see what happens, but for now, here are seven takeaways from last night’s action.

Revenge SZN: Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown are looking even better

Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown have been a nightmare for teams on both sides of the ball for a few years now. They have three ECF trips under their belt and a recent appearance in the NBA Finals — they’re not supposed to still be getting better. After showing up to opening night rockin’ some pretty eye-catching fits, Brown and Tatum dropped a combined 70 points (dropping 35 points apiece) and solidified the dub over Philly.

Both were attacking from every part of the floor. Having two dynamic players like Brown and Tatum gives the Celtics a good chance to get back to the Finals and maybe even win it this time. 

Ring Night: The Warriors may be poised to make another championship run

On ring night, the Warriors look good. Damn good. Stephen Curry is still just as good as he’s always been, and the Warriors’ weapons all kept them afloat and out of reach. The Dubs had their trademark explosive third quarter, and signature contributions from Klay Thompson, Jordan Poole, Curry, and Andrew Wiggins on offense guided them to a win. Draymond Green and Kevon Looney anchored a strong defensive performance. Their young core (Moses Moody, James Wiseman, Jonathan Kuminga) came in off the bench and provided valuable minutes. Sheesh, the Warriors are deep. 

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The Beard drops a 30-piece on Opening Night

James Harden has been a picture of perfect health for the majority of his NBA career, but during his tenure with the Nets, and leading into his tenure with the Sixers, Harden was dealing with a nagging hamstring injury that sapped away a lot of his explosiveness and his ability to change speeds that made him so difficult to contain during his days in Houston. Houston Harden showed up in Boston last night for Philadelphia.

He finished the game with 35 points, eight rebounds, and seven assists on 64.2 percent shooting from the field and 12/12 shooting from the line. Some may say vintage Harden; we say he’s back. 

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LeBron James speaks on Lakers’ Shooting Troubles:

The Los Angeles Lakers Big 3 finished with 77 of 109 points as the remainder of the team struggled to score all game with their limited spacing. Russell Westbrook, LeBron James, and Anthony Davis also shot a combined 4-16 from three, while the Lakers as a whole shot 10-40. After the game, The King was quick to recognize this deficiency in the Lakers’ offense, citing a lack of “lasers.”

Moving forward, the Lakers need better shooting performances if they do not want to repeat their fate from last season. 

Honoring No. 7: Jaylen Brown Speaks on Bill Russell’s Legacy

The legendary Bill Russell, and 11-time NBA Champion (twice as a head coach of the Celtics), passed away this past summer. The Boston Celtics legend had his No. 6 retired around the League, and every team is wearing a “6” patch on their jersey to honor him. The Celtics took each step, however, intent on honoring their greatest player. Jaylen Brown took a few moments to commemorate Bill Russell before the game, honoring him as a player, a father, a leader, and a man. 

Coaching Debuts of Mazzulla and Ham:

Darvin Ham and Joe Mazzulla both made their head coaching debuts on opening night. Mazzulla won his first game, and Ham lost his. Mazzulla is an interim head coach, for now, following Ime Udoka’s season-long suspension by the Boston Celtics.

Near the end of their contest against the Celtics, Stan Van Gundy joked that Mazzulla now has the best winning percentage in NBA history. This is true and looks to remain true, at least through his next game. Ham, on the other hand, has the tall task of coaching a veteran Lakers team back to promise. There are some positive takeaways to be had from the team’s performance but look for tweaks in the next few games as they look to find their footing. 

FREE BG 

October 18th marked the beginning of the NBA season, but it was also Britney Griner’s 32nd birthday. Stephen Curry took some time to bring awareness to her wrongful incarceration in Russia during his direct address to the fans in attendance as well as the fans watching on TV at home. The fight for Griner’s freedom continues to be a major point of emphasis as the season begins. 

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The post 7 Takeaways From Opening Night appeared first on SLAM.

If things go the way he hopes, Harden and the Philadelphia 76ers have a chance to do something special this season as a significant threat to play in the Eastern Conference Finals and maybe even the NBA Finals. Their first test will come against the Boston Celtics, a fellow Eastern Conference powerhouse looking to repeat their run to the NBA Finals.

Harden’s priority is taking the marathon NBA season “game by game.”

“Like I said, we gotta hit singles. We are just looking game by game. Obviously, we start off at Boston, which is going to be a tough challenge for sure. But it’s about the long run.”

“I think the more we continue to head in the right direction and build really good habits. You know, it will help us in the long run.”

— Keith Pompey (@PompeyOnSixers) October 18, 2022

Furthermore, Harden believes that the 76ers’ long-term success hinges on their ability to “build good habits.”

“I think the more we continue to head in the right direction and build really good habits. You know, it will help us in the long run.”

The 76ers are looking to improve from their fourth-place finish in the Eastern Conference and a second-round loss to the Miami Heat in six games. Harden took a pay cut to help the 76ers get deeper and has spent the offseason improving his body to the point that he believes he’s back to MVP form.

Photos via Getty Images.

The post James Harden is Looking to ‘Build Really Good Habits’ as 2022-23 Season Begins appeared first on SLAM.

As the starting point guard of a 76ers team looking to feed MVP candidate Joel Embiid and as the mentor of a rising star in Tyrese Maxey, Harden will have a chance to dispel those misconceptions while looking to make Philly a championship contender. On Monday, Harden told The Athletic that he hadn’t been given the proper credit for taking a $14 million pay cut so that the 76ers could build a title-threat roster around him and Embiid.

“Nope, but guess what? I don’t care,” Harden said when asked, shaking his head for emphasis. “There’s like a stereotype (of Harden) where people always want to talk. People don’t really know me, so they feel like they can just say anything. One thing I won’t do is give them any attention. I won’t say anything, media-wise, publicly. I don’t care because I’m comfortable, and I’m confident in the things I do on and off the court.”

what’s @JHarden13 listening to?

wrong answers only! | @SociosUSA pic.twitter.com/jOhQZVr3fj

— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) October 10, 2022

what’s @JHarden13 listening to?

wrong answers only! | @SociosUSA pic.twitter.com/jOhQZVr3fj

— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) October 10, 2022

Harden called his new contract “the right decision not only for myself but our organization, giving us a really good chance of putting the right pieces together.” The 2018 MVP can opt out next summer and look for a bigger payday with the Sixers or leave.

Last season, Harden averaged 22.0 points (lowest since his third year in the League), 7.7 rebounds, and 10.3 assists per game on 41.0 percent shooting from the field and 33.0 percent from deep, the worse of his career. His dip in scoring led to Embiid saying that this current version of Harden is “more of a playmaker.”

“You do things, handle business on the court and off the court, and the money will always come back,” Harden said. “So, I’m fortunate and blessed to be in the position I am, and I’ll just continue to be me.”

top of the three. pic.twitter.com/UHQKSIqv75

— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) October 11, 2022

Coming off a rough regular-season and postseason, Harden’s choice to take a pay cut helped Philly acquire P.J. Tucker and Danuel House Jr. to their bench. The 76ers are now a deep team with a dangerous lineup headlined by Harden, Embiid, Maxey, and Tobias Harris. Embiid will be looking to exercise his MVP demons this season and could make a compelling case after losing the reward to back-to-back MVP winner Nikola Jokic.

“That’s what we’re going through right now,” said Harden, who finished with 11 points, six rebounds and four assists in 24 minutes against Cleveland. “The world knows how dominant Joel is, how versatile Joel is, and I’m playing with a sense of not even scoring but making guys better, making guys’ jobs a lot easier. That’s what I’m here for, whether it’s Joel or Tyrese or Tobias or anybody on our team.”

The 76ers will open the season with a road game against the Boston Celtics.

The post James Harden Believes Signing Pay Cut Was ‘the Right Decision’ appeared first on SLAM.

Despite all that Harden has been able to accomplish over the first thirteen seasons of his career, critics often call his conditioning into question. This has been amplified by lingering hamstring injuries that affected his mobility during his short stint with Brooklyn and the beginning of his time in Philadelphia.  

When asked about his “terrific shape” as he entered this year’s training camp in a Media Day interview with SiriusXM NBA Radio, the Beard said, “I’ve always said that if my conditioning can be level with my skill set, my IQ, and the work I put in, it’s MVP.” 

Harden believes that he will return to MVP form for this upcoming season because of his lack of severe injuries in years past.

“A hamstring is nothing to play with; you know what I mean?” Harden said. “Fortunately for me, I’ve never had a serious injury throughout my time, in life in general. The last two summers with the pandemic, it was all recovery. All rehabbing and doing those other things. Now I get a full summer where I can actually play pickup. Working out individually and actually playing pickup and playing basketball are two totally different things.” 

Although Harden has only won one MVP, he was the first runner-up on three different occasions and finished third in MVP voting as recently as 2020. During Harden’s nine seasons as a member of the Houston Rockets, he averaged 29.6 points per game, 7.7 assists per game, and 6.0 rebounds per game.

If Harden can integrate that production into Philly’s mix of talent, including fellow MVP runner-up Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey, Tobias Harris, and PJ Tucker, Philadelphia will be a formidable contender during the 2022-2023 campaign.

The post James Harden is in ‘Terrific Shape’ and Believes He’s Back In MVP Form appeared first on SLAM.

Sixers star Joel Embiid had an MVP-worthy campaign. Tyrese Maxey had his breakout season. James Harden was brought into the mix on the trade deadline, giving the team a much-needed go-to scoring option to pair alongside Embiid, which can also facilitate. Although this seemed promising enough to go all the way, some pieces of the puzzle had to be filled.

A busy offseason for the organization led to Philadelphia bringing in players like former Sixth Man of the Year winner Montrezl Harrell, sharpshooter Danuel House, and veteran PJ Tucker. The acquisition of Tucker reunites him with Harden. The two had a lethal on-court connection back on the Houston Rockets, where they played four seasons together.

The grit that Tucker provides is something that every team needs. He will harass you on defense. He can stretch the floor. He will even trash-talk you the whole game. Since leaving the Rockets, the veteran played a crucial role for the Milwaukee Bucks on their way to winning a championship in 2021 and the Miami Heat last season when they made it to the Eastern Conference Finals as the first seed. 

On Media Day, Embiid declared Tucker as one of the X-Factors for the Heat in their series against Philadelphia in last year’s playoffs. 

“Obviously, playing against PJ, I thought if you don’t wanna mention Jimmy (Butler), I thought PJ was one of the X-Factors that really had a big impact for them against us. Obviously, Daryl (Morey) went out and did his job.”

As for Tucker’s former teammate and, of course, current teammate, Harden, believes having the veteran on the team this year is significant.

“I feel like we got the right pieces we need on both ends of the ball to make us a legit contender and be the last team standing,” said Harden during Media Day.

The post James Harden and Joel Embiid Fans of Newly Acquired PJ Tucker appeared first on SLAM.

However, Coach Doc Rivers insists the team committed no sort of infraction. Rivers spoke with Vince Carter on ESPN’s “The VC Show” and addressed how he’s handling the allegations.

“You handle it because it’s not true,” Rivers said. “Honestly, when James [Harden] did this and said this — first of all, we didn’t know what we were going to do with the money we were getting. And listen, James won, too, because James could’ve opted into a one-year deal. Instead, we gave him three years. And so both parties won in a lot of ways. Listen, it worked out for us; it worked out for James.”

The League began investigating the Sixers after Harden took a pay cut to seemingly create salary cap space for Tucker and House Jr. Harden opted out of his $47.4 million player option and re-signed with Philadelphia on a two-year $68.6 million deal.

By re-structuring Harden’s deal, Sixers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey was able to bring in Tucker and House Jr., both of whom played with Harden when Morey held the same position with the small-ball Houston Rockets.

Rivers claims Morey did not know what Harden’s status was regarding a new contract and never engaged in illegal talks with the 10-time All-Star.

“I guarantee you Daryl Morey had no idea what James was going to do,” Rivers said. “I remember talking to him on the eve of when James could opt in or out, and he was like, ‘We’ve got five hours left.’ I mean, that was Daryl Morey, so that tells you he had no idea — I really believed that James was not going to opt-in, that he was going to try to do a longer-term deal. But I didn’t know; I can tell you that. That’s for sure.”  

The League seems to be cracking down on tampering, as it is also investigating the New York Knicks for the same violation in the signing of former Mavericks guard Jalen Brunson.

The NBA’s investigation of the 76ers will likely conclude in the coming weeks, so only time will tell if Philadelphia will be penalized or not.

Photos via Getty Images.

The post Doc Rivers Dismisses Tampering Allegation Against 76ers: ‘It’s Not True’ appeared first on SLAM.

Harden was traded to the Sixers last year after he found the situation in Brooklyn not as ideal as he would have liked it to be. The transition to Philly has started well despite the team’s early exit into the playoffs. A full year as a 1-2 punch with Joel Embiid will be an interesting test to see how far the Harden-Embiid combo can take the 76ers.

“This is where I want to be. This is where I want to win, and I think we have the pieces to accomplish that goal,” said Harden via team statement. “From my first day with the 76ers organization, the team and the fans have helped me feel at home here in Philadelphia. I’m excited to build off of last season, and I can’t wait to get out on the court with the guys and start this journey.”

Following his trade from Brooklyn, James Harden spent the final 21 games of the 2021-22 season in Philadelphia, where he averaged 21.0 points and 10.5 assists on 40.2 percent shooting from the field. The Sixers would go 13-8 in the 21 games that Harden played with the team last year and went down in six games in the Eastern Conference Semifinals to the Miami Heat.

The organization has mutual feelings with bringing Harden back, especially Sixers head coach Doc Rivers.

“I couldn’t be happier with James’ decision to commit to our organization,” Coach Doc Rivers said of Harden’s new deal via CBS. “Over the last two years, we have taken significant steps toward our ultimate goal of becoming champions.

The Sixers believe that Harden is the missing piece that can get them past the second round of the playoffs, something the team hasn’t done in 20 seasons. The Harden-Embiid pairing will now get an entire season together, and the Sixers hope that those two can one day deliver a championship to the organization.

The post James Harden On Re-Signing With the 76ers: ‘This Is Where I Want to Win’ appeared first on SLAM.

Harden will make $33M for the 2022-2023 season, and has the player option for $35.6M in 2023-2024, sources tell ESPN. He can move right back into free agency next summer and negotiate another new deal. https://t.co/9UM0LArYzH

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 20, 2022

Harden opted out of his player option in June to facilitate a better deal that would give Daryl Morey the flexibility to build a more robust and deeper roster around Harden and Joel Embiid. Harden ended up taking a $15 million pay cut for next season and signed the two-year deal with a player option that Morey and the 76ers offered to him.

Harden declining the $47.4M player option for the 2022-2023 season allowed the Sixers to use the full mid-level exception on free agent PJ Tucker and the bi-annual exception to sign Danuel House.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 20, 2022

Harden is coming off his 10th All-Star selection in 13 seasons. He averaged 22.0 points, 10.3 assists, and 7.7 rebounds per game during the 2021-22 campaign. Those numbers dipped to 18.6 points, 5.7 boards, and 8.6 dimes per game during the playoffs.

The 76ers and Harden believe that the 2018 MVP will bounce back and be better than ever after a complete offseason training program,

The post REPORT: James Harden Returning to 76ers on Two-Year Deal appeared first on SLAM.

Harden taking less money allowed 76ers president Daryl Morey to answer the teams’ depth problems by signing two-way powerhouse PJ Tucker, sharpshooter Danuel House, 2022 G League MVP Trevelin Queen, and acquiring combo guard De’Anthony Melton via trade this summer.

Now with some more pieces surrounding Harden and Joel Embiid, the 76ers will need Harden to come back healthy and with a vengeance not seen since Oklahoma City traded him to Houston and he established as the most dangerous lefty playmaker in the League today.

“I had conversations with Daryl, and it was explained how we could get better and what the market value was for certain players. I told Daryl to improve the roster, sign who we needed to sign and give me whatever is left over,” Harden said per Yahoo Sports. “This is how bad I want to win. I want to compete for a championship. That’s all that matters to me at this stage. I’m willing to take less to put us in position to accomplish that.”

“I told Daryl to improve the roster, sign who we needed to sign and give me whatever is left over…This is how bad I want to win. I want to compete for a championship…I’m willing to take less to put us in position to accomplish that.”

– James Harden to @ChrisBHaynes pic.twitter.com/qMJSCP2oSm

— NBACentral (@TheNBACentral) July 18, 2022

That starts with Harden being able to produce more than 21.0 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 10.5 assists per game on 40.2 percent shooting from the field and 32.6 percent from deep he averaged in 21 games with Philly last year.

While many around the League may not even expect to see “Houston” James Harden reemerge next year, Harden says that part of the reason he struggled was because of numerous injuries, including a persistenly balky hamstring. To those unsure of what Harden to expect, Harden only has the following to say.

“I don’t really listen to what people are saying. I wasn’t right last season and I still almost averaged a triple-double,” Harden said. “If anybody else had those numbers, we’d be talking about them getting the max. People were used to seeing me averaging 40, 30 points, and so they viewed it as a down year. I was in Philadelphia for a couple of months and I had to learn on the fly. That’s just what it was. I’m in a good space physically and mentally right now, and I’m just looking forward to next season.”

The post James Harden ‘Willing to Take Less’ to Win First NBA Championship appeared first on SLAM.

Everyone around Harden has understood the focus on his workout regimen this offseason and a championship goal for 2022-23. His close relationships with those around the organization, including Michael Rubin and Daryl Morey, played a major role in trust between the two sides. https://t.co/q1eDY9xrDy

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 8, 2022

Harden was set to make $47 million if he signed his player option. Shams reported that Harden plans to sign a two-year deal with a player option for the last season of the contract.

Harden averaged 21.0 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 10.5 assists per game on 40.2 percent shooting from the field and 32.6 from beyond the arc.

The post REPORT: James Harden Set to Take Paycut Next Season appeared first on SLAM.

Sources: Two weeks before free agency begins, James Harden is expected to re-sign with Philadelphia on a shorter-term deal.

More notes on the Sixers, and from around the league @BR_NBA:https://t.co/k8Wt3Jt3AH

— Jake Fischer (@JakeLFischer) June 16, 2022

According to Fischer, the Sixers and Harden are aligned on the belief that the team’s best chance to win a title comes with Harden playing with Philly for the foreseeable future. However, the Sixers are reportedly hesitant to re-sign the 2018 MVP to a full four-year extension beyond his current 2022-23 option season or a five-year deal that Harden would be eligible for should he decide to decline his player option for next season.

Fischer reports that the best option for the Sixers and Harden would be for The Beard to opt into his player option and then sign a two-year extension that could give Harden better opportunities for the rest of his career.

Harden was traded to the 76ers as the trade deadline was closing in February. During his brief tenure with Philly, Harden has averaged 21.0 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 10.1 assists per game and has made it clear he would like to stay long-term and build a championship-level squad with the Sixers.

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While it helps, you don’t have to win a championship to be on this list. There were some pretty incredible NBA teams that fell short of championships but were still so far ahead of the rest of the League (besides the champion) that they deserve to leapfrog some actual champions. 

This week, we’re unveiling who we think deserves to be included on this list, which is featured in our SLAM Presents TOP 75 NBA Teams of All Time special issue. Here’s our top 65-55:

65. 1983-84 Los Angeles Lakers

Coach: Pat Riley

Record: 54-28

Roster: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Michael Cooper, Calvin Garrett, Magic Johnson, Eddie Jordan, Mitch Kupchak, Bob McAdoo, Mike McGee, Swen Nater, Kurt Rambis, Byron Scott, Larry Spriggs, Jamaal Wilkes, James Worthy

The Lakers would have to wait one more year to finally beat the Celtics when it mattered most. Led by Kareem’s 26.6 ppg and 8.1 rpg in the series, the Lakers forced a Game 7 on the road. But whether it was the mystique of Boston Garden, that famously tricky parquet floor or simply a deep and talented Celtics team that had the benefit of homecourt advantage and League MVP Larry Bird, L.A. couldn’t quite vanquish its franchise kryptonite.

64. 1976-77 Philadephia 76ers

Coach: Gene Shue

Record: 50-32

Roster: Jim Barnett, Henry Bibby, Joe Bryant, Fred Carter, Harvey Catchings, Doug Collins, Darryl Dawkins, Mike Dunleavy, Julius Erving, World B. Free, Terry Furlow, Caldwell Jones, George McGinnis, Steve Mix

This Sixers squad might be best remembered for a roster that included future coaches (Doug Collins, Mike Dunleavy) and the fathers of future All-Stars (Joe Bryant, Harvey Catchings, Henry Bibby). Of course, Philly also had Dr. J in his first NBA season after a legendary five-year ABA run, and second-year big man Darryl Dawkins, a few years shy of his Chocolate Thunder prime. A fascinating roster, but no match for Bill Walton and the Blazers in the Finals.

63. 1967-68 Philadelphia 76ers

Coach: Alex Hannum

Record: 62-20

Roster: Wilt Chamberlain, Larry Costello, Billy Cunningham, Ron Filipek, Johnny Green, Hal Greer, Matt Guokas, Luke Jackson, Wali Jones, Bill Melchionni, Jim Reid, Chet Walker

Philly finished with the League’s best record, eight games clear of the Celtics in the East, thanks to balanced production from future Hall of Famers Hal Greer (24.1 ppg), Billy Cunningham (18.9 ppg), Chet Walker (17.9 ppg) and of course, Wilt Chamberlain, who put up 24.3 points and pulled down 23.8 boards per. The Sixers didn’t lose more than two straight all season…until the East Finals, when they blew a 3-1 lead against Russell, Havlicek and the eventual champs from Boston.

62. 2001-02 Sacramento Kings

Coach: Rick Adelman

Record: 61-21

Roster: Mike Bibby, Chucky Brown, Doug Christie, Mateen Cleaves, Vlade Divac, Lawrence Funderburke, Bobby Jackson, Scot Pollard, Brent Price, Jabari Smith, Peja Stojakovic, Hedo Turkoglu, Gerald Wallace, Chris Webber

For Kings fans, it is still a crime, the grandest larceny ever. Game 6 of the Western Finals against the Lakers was flat stolen from Sacramento. Missed calls. Allegations of referees fixing the proceedings. It was ugly, nasty business. And it robbed the team with the NBA’s best record, the one with Chris Webber in charge down low, Peja Stojakovic shooting from everywhere and a deep supporting cast of a title. It’s that simple. And that outrageous.

61. 1995-96 Seattle Supersonics

Coach: George Karl

Record: 64-18

Roster: Vincent Askew, Frank Brickowski, Sherell Ford, Hersey Hawkins, Ervin Johnson, Shawn Kemp, Nate McMillan, Gary Payton, Sam Perkins, Steve Scheffler, Detlef Schrempf, Eric Snow, David Wingate

What happens when one of the greatest teams in franchise history meets the greatest team in NBA history? Well, you can figure it out. The Sonics won the Pacific by 11 games and had a star-studded lineup with ferocious Shawn Kemp, Gary Payton on the perimeter, talking junk and stealing everything, smooth Detlef Schrempf all over the place and Hersey Hawkins shooting the lights out. Seattle was great. Really great. Unfortunately, the Bulls were greater.

60. 1956-57 Boston Celtics

Coach: Red Auerbach

Record: 44-28

Roster: Bob Cousy, Tom Heinsohn, Dick Hemric, Jim Loscutoff, Jack Nichols, Togo Palazzi, Andy Phillip, Frank Ramsey, Arnie Risen, Bill Russell, Bill Sharman, Lou Tsioropoulos

The birth of a dynasty. Led by the in-their-prime backcourt of Bob Cousy and Bill Sharman, and the frontcourt pairing of rookies Tom Heinsohn and Bill Russell, the Celtics made the franchise’s first Finals appearance in the spring of ’57. St. Louis took Boston to double OT in Game 7, but Heinsohn (37 points, 23 boards) matched Bob Pettit (39 and 19), and Russell went for 19 and 32 to help the Celtics claim the first of their 17 banners.

59. 2017-18 Houston Rockets

Coach: Mike D’Antoni

Record: 65-17

Roster: Ryan Anderson, Trevor Ariza, Tarik Black, Bobby Brown, Markel Brown, Isaiah Canaan, Clint Capela, Eric Gordon, Gerald Green, James Harden, Nene, RJ Hunter, Aaron Jackson, Demetrius Jackson,  Joe Johnson, Luc Mbah a Moute, Chinanu Onuaku, Chris Paul, Zhou Qi, Tim Quarterman, PJ Tucker, Briante Weber, Troy Williams, Brandan Wright

Unfortunately, these Rockets, which featured the dynamic backcourt of James Harden, Chris Paul and Eric Gordon, won’t be remembered for their NBA-best record or high-scoring ways. They will be remembered for that 25-point second half in Game 6 of the Western Finals against Golden State and then a homecourt loss two days later that ended the series. Houston played fast, used Clint Capela to handle the rough stuff inside and still wonders what might have been.

58. 2004-05 Phoenix Suns

Coach: Mike D’Antoni

Record: 62-20

Roster: Leandro Barbosa, Zarko Cabarkapa, Steven Hunter, Jim Jackson, Casey Jacobsen, Joe Johnson, Maciej Lampe, Shawn Marion, Walter McCarty, Steve Nash, Bo Outlaw, Smush Parker, Quentin Richardson, Paul Shirley, Amar’e Stoudemire, Yuta Tabuse, Jake Voskuhl, Jackson Vroman

These Suns didn’t care much about defense, and they flamed out in the Western Finals against San Antonio, despite having the NBA’s best record. But what a fun team to watch. Led by League MVP Steve Nash, Phoenix pushed the tempo feverishly and featured a talented collection of scorers. Nobody could dunk like Shawn Marion, unless it was Amar’e Stoudemire. Joe Johnson was deadly from three, and Quentin Richardson shot from everywhere. Good times.

57. 2019-20 Los Angeles Lakers

Coach: Frank Vogel

Record: 52-19

Roster: Kostas Antetokounmpo, Avery Bradley, Devontae Cacok, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Alex Caruso, Quinn Cook, Troy Daniels, Anthony Davis, Jared Dudley, Danny Green, Talen Horton-Tucker, Dwight Howard, LeBron James, Kyle Kuzma, JaVale McGee, Markieff Morris, Zach Norvell, Rajon Rondo, JR Smith, Dion Waiters

One year after failing to make the playoffs, the Lakers won it all in the COVID-19 bubble. Anthony Davis joined LeBron James in a formidable pairing, and the duo combined for 51.4 ppg. The Lakers lost only five games in their four playoff series. James led the NBA in assists, the supporting cast handled its roles without complaint and the Lakers won it all in a season they dedicated to the late Kobe Bryant.

56. 2009-10 Boston Celtics

Coach: Doc Rivers

Record: 50-32

Roster: Ray Allen, Tony Allen, Marquis Daniels, Glen Davis, Michael Finley, Kevin Garnett, JR Giddens, Eddie House, Lester Hudson, Oliver Lafayette, Marcus Landry, Kendrick Perkins, Paul Pierce, Nate Robinson, Rajon Rondo, Brian Scalabrine, Henry Walker, Rasheed Wallace, Shelden Williams

The Celtics’ Big Three led the squad on another trek to the Finals that included an Atlantic Division title. Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen were again the engine on an Eastern Conference title team, with help from point man Rajon Rondo and center Kendrick Perkins, while Rasheed Wallace provided support up front. Boston led the Lakers, 3-2, in the Finals, but ultimately lost a seven-game decision.

55. 1996-97 Utah Jazz

Coach: Jerry Sloan

Record: 64-18

Roster: Shandon Anderson, Antoine Carr, Howard Eisley, Greg Foster, Jeff Hornacek, Stephen Howard, Adam Keefe, Karl Malone, Chris Morris, Ruben Nembhard, Greg Ostertag, Bryon Russell, John Stockton, Brooks Thompson, Jamie Watson

The Jazz had plenty of great seasons during the Karl Malone-John Stockton years, but this might have been the best. Malone was League MVP, and Utah set a franchise record for wins that still stands. Stockton once again ran the show and set up everyone, while Jeff Hornacek and Bryon Russell were valuable on the perimeter. The Jazz looked good, but as usual, the Bulls looked better, taking the Finals in six.

Read here to find out who made the No. 75-66 spot on the list.

Get your copy of SLAM Presents TOP 75 NBA Teams Of All Time

Photos via Getty Images.

The post SLAM’s TOP 75 NBA Teams of All Time: No. 65-55 appeared first on SLAM.

After James Harden finished the season-ending loss with 11 points, four rebounds, and nine assists, easily one of the worse performances of his playoff career, the talk amongst Philly fans will gravitate toward Harden and if the front office made the right decision in trading for him at the trade deadline.

When Joel Embiid was asked about Harden’s performance by reporters, he pointed out that this version of Harden isn’t The Beard at the peak of his powers.

“Obviously, I’m sure since we got him, everybody expected the Houston James Harden, Embiid said. “But that’s not who he is anymore. He’s more of a playmaker. I thought, at times, as with all of us, could’ve been more aggressive.”

Joel Embiid on James Harden: "Obviously, I'm sure since we got him, everybody expected the Houston James Harden, but that's not who he is anymore. He's more of a playmaker. I thought, at times, as with all of us, could've been more aggressive." pic.twitter.com/DGf7cXqfoH

— Michael Scotto (@MikeAScotto) May 13, 2022

When Harden was at his best with the Rockets, Harden averaged 36.1 points per game at his peak, averaging 31.6 points per game during the 2019 playoffs. As a 76er, Harden averaged a playoff career-low 19.3 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 8.5 assists per game.

During his press conference, the 2018 MVP indicated that he wanted to stay with the 76ers and plans on being with the team next year.

The post Joel Embiid On Playing With Current Version of James Harden: ‘He’s More of a Playmaker’ appeared first on SLAM.

In the aftermath of Philly’s season-ending loss, James Harden (11 points, four rebounds, and nine assists) who had one of his worst playoff performances in his career in Game 6 was asked about his intentions to sign his player option and stay with the 76ers beyond the season, Harden revealed he wants to stay with the team.

“I’ll be here,” Harden said. “Yeah, I’ll be here. Whatever allows this team to continue to grow and get better and do the things necessary to win and compete at the highest level.”

James Harden when asked about opting in: “I’ll be here.”

— Paul Hudrick (@PaulHudrick) May 13, 2022

The latest rumors coming out of Philly indicate that The Beard could negotiate an extension that will be worth less than the max contract he’s eligible for should he decide to opt into the final year of his current contract.

Furthermore, Harden said he’s just starting to feel like himself after dealing with persistent injuries. Harden also said he was excited to initiate his offseason training program.

Further, Harden said the past two years of dealing with hamstring issues have been long and he’s excited to initiate his offseason training program.

swish. pic.twitter.com/c3n6KbRffu

— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) May 13, 2022

The post James Harden On Signing Player Option: ‘I’ll Be Here’ appeared first on SLAM.

James Harden finished with 31 points in Sundays win against the Heat.

It snapped a streak of 15 straight games with fewer than 25 points (reg. season & playoffs).

That was his longest such streak since 2011-12. pic.twitter.com/OwueutbiGk

— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) May 9, 2022

The eight-time All-Star’s 16-point fourth quarter propelled the Sixers to a tied series in which he’s averaged 21.0 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 7.2 dimes per game. His 31-point performance marked his 45th playoff game with 30+ points, becoming just the 12th player in the League’s history to record that many games.

James Harden was a floor general in Game 4, operating as a facilitator for the first 3 quarters and taking over with his scoring late! @JHarden13: 31 PTS, 7 REB, 9 AST, 6 3PM

Game 5: Tue. 7:30pm/et on TNT pic.twitter.com/mB3kiFThs6

— NBA (@NBA) May 9, 2022

With Joel Embiid making steady progress back out on the court since Game 3, the Sixers will be riding their momentum into Game Five in Miami on Tuesday.

The post James Harden Snaps Streak of 15 Games with Fewer Than 25 Points with 31 in Game 4 Win appeared first on SLAM.

It was either sink or swim for a Philly team down 0-2 to the No. 1 seeded Heat. To this point, Miami has been able to do everything they wanted, finding ways to dismantle the 76ers whenever they flipped that switch to do so. However, a 99-79 defensive masterpiece from the 76ers has now left Miami stunned and searching for answers after Philly answered the bell and seemed to be energized by the return of MVP candidate Joel Embiid.

“You’ve merely adopted the dark. I was born in it, molded by it.” pic.twitter.com/S9XcttaMIm

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) May 7, 2022

Embiid missed the first two games of the Eastern Conference semifinal series after suffering a concussion and broken face during Game 6 of the 76ers-Raptors first-round series. This Friday afternoon, the Process was finally cleared for action but was reportedly still not set to go until he was given the green light about two hours before gametime.

Donning his Phantom of the Process black mask, Embiid wasn’t the two-way bully he typically is, but in 36 minutes of action, the former Kansas Jayhawks finished with 18 points and 11 rebounds. According to James Harden, Embiid didn’t need to be superman to help the 76ers close their series deficit to 2-1; his physical presence and leadership were the missing ingredient for Philly.

“It’s not about him scoring 30 or 40 points—His presence alone gives us energy—His communication, his dominance is very important to this team,” Harden said.

EMBIID GOT PHILLY LIVE.
(via @NBATV) pic.twitter.com/GP29ZIdYi5

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) May 7, 2022

Although Embiid admittedly wasn’t happy with his conditioning but could walk away happy with how much his presence dissuaded the Heat from attacking the rim like they did in Games 1 and 2 while simultaneously galvanizing his teammates into forcing Miami into scoring 79 points on 35.1 percent shooting from the field and 23.3 percent from beyond the arc.

“But it was game time. It was winning time. It’s the playoffs.” Harden elaborated, per ESPN. “Joel knew how much we needed him, and he delivered. His dominance on both ends of the ball is very important to this team; it’s very valuable to this team. That’s why he’s the MVP, and we fed off that, and we got to just continue to keep pushing.”

You are watching a master at work. (via @NBA) pic.twitter.com/qMlwCFfcw4

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) May 7, 2022

Now down 2-1, the 76ers will look to tie their second-round series with Miami on Sunday.

The post James Harden on the Joel Embiid Effect: ‘His Presence Alone Gives Us Energy’ appeared first on SLAM.

On First Take on Thursday, Brian Windhorst reported that it is highly likely that Harden will opt-in to his player option.

In the event that Harden signs a super-max contract with the Sixers in the 2023 offseason, Philly would be paying the former MVP $61 million in his final year at the age of 37.

Trailing 0-2 in the Eastern Conference semi-finals to the Miami Heat, Harden has averaged 18.8 points, 9.4 dimes, and 5.4 boards on 40.2 percent shooting from the field. With Joel Embiid remaining out for tonight’s Game 3 despite clearing concussion protocols, the Sixers will rely on Harden’s playmaking and increased shot production to climb back from their series deficit.

The post REPORT: James Harden Highly Likely to Opt Into $47.4M Player-Option appeared first on SLAM.

The 76ers were reeling coming into a pivotal Game 6 after losing two straight games, allowing the Raptors to take all the momentum going into Jurassic Park while they were down 3-2. All the pressure was on the 76ers; outside voices were ready to fuss and complain about Harden being unable to close out games. They were prepared to eviscerate Coach Doc Rivers for becoming the first coach to lose a 3-0 series lead.

In response, Harden set the tone with his 22 points, six rebounds, and 15 assists. Joel Embiid followed suit with a 33-point and 10 rebounds double-double.

“We had opportunities last few games to put them away and we just didn’t,” Harden said. “So I wanted to come out and be aggressive. Not just scoring (the) basketball, but making the right plays, and getting into the paint. I knew good things would happen.”

The 76ers put the game away in the third quarter after scoring on their first eight trips down the court, opening up a 13-point lead. Philly eventually stretched their run out to 30-9, capped off by a Harden step-back triple that gave the Sixers a 92-70 lead.

“We weren’t going back to Philly for a Game 7,”  Harden said.

When it was all said and done, Philly left Toronto with a 132-97 win and a date with Miami in the second round. Game 1 will be on Monday.

The post James Harden on Game 6 Win to Closeout First-Round: ‘We Weren’t Going Back to Philly For a Game 7’ appeared first on SLAM.

With Joel Embiid somewhat hampered by a torn thumb on his shooting hand, his former MVP teammate, James Harden, had a chance to carry the Sixers to a Game 5 win to close out the series.

It looked that Harden had every intention to do so, scoring the first four points and giving the Sixers their only lead of the day when he sank a midrange jumper 18 seconds into the game and slammed home a fast-break dunk. Harden went 2-for-9 over the final 46 minutes, finishing Game 6 with 15 points (4-11 shooting, 2-6 from three-point territory), seven assists against five turnovers on 36 percent shooting from the field.

Freshly minted Rookie of the Year Scottie Barnes led a stingy defensive effort as he stepped in at point guard while Fred VanVleet sat Game 5 out due to a strained hip flexor. Against the Raptors’ athletic, lengthy defense headlined by Barnes, Philly shot just 38 percent shooting from the field and shot 10-37 from long distance. Toronto also forced the 76ers into 16 turnovers; the Raptors scored 20 points off those turnovers.

Postgame, Embiid put the onus on Harden and Coach Doc Rivers to create a game plan where Harden can be more aggressive with the ball in his hands.

“I’ve been saying all season since he got here, he needs to be aggressive, and he needs to be himself,” Embiid said. “That’s not really my job. That’s probably on Coach to talk to him and tell him to take more shots, especially if they’re going to guard me the way they’ve been guarding. But that’s really not my job.”

Embiid also took accountability for the tough loss to the Raptors as the Sixers faced mounting pressure to close out their first-round matchup. Whoever wins the 76ers-Raptors series will take on the winner of the Heat-Hawks series in the second round.

“But we all need to be better offensively. We missed a bunch of wide-open shots. At times, I just felt like we just invited; when I was getting doubled, we were not aggressive attacking the ball. We just kept moving the ball around the perimeter, and that gave them time to recover, and that’s why we’re not able to get anything out of it.”

“So if that’s what they want to keep doing, we’ve got to take advantage of it.”

The post Joel Embiid on James Harden: ‘He Needs to Be Aggressive and He Needs to Be Himself’ appeared first on SLAM.

Harden finished the game with 13 points shooting 3-for-12 from the floor. In the fourth quarter, he only had four points on 1-for-4 shooting. In addition, he added 15 assists and four rebounds.

This is the second straight game where the Sixers’ offense has not been efficient in the second half. Harden told the Sixers reporter Ky Carlin that the lack of spacing hurts his ability to attack the basket.

“Our spacing, It’s been like that the last few days. We just gotta watch film and just talk about it and make sure we’re in our spots.” Harden said. “I think our spacing helps us with not turning the basketball over and getting quality shots, possession by possession, that’s very, very important in the postseason.”

The Sixers will close out the season at home this weekend and will host the Indiana Pacers and Detroit Pistons. On April 16, they will begin their championship quest in the first round of the playoffs and will most likely meet the Raptors again.

The post James Harden On Reason He’s Not Attacking the Rim: ‘Our Spacing, We Gotta Watch Film and Talk’ appeared first on SLAM.

We have never seen a basketball player like Joel Embiid. Like it or not, it's just a fact.

(: @goodlooksfamily) pic.twitter.com/F5UWkiHsAG

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) March 24, 2022

After a dramatic offseason and even messier divorce surrounding Ben Simmons, Embiid has emerged as the leader of a 76ers squad that has relied heavily on 29.9 points and 11.4 rebounds per game production. At 46-28, the Sixers are in second place and just one game behind the Eastern Conference-leading Miami Heat (48-28). Since the 76ers added James Harden via trade, Embiid has averaged 31.0 points and 12.4 rebounds per game.

“Last year, I got hurt. That was the knock on me with not being healthy,” Embiid said per NBA.com. “This year, I’ve gone to a different level. I’m healthy. I don’t know what else I have to do to be able to [win MVP]. I feel like it is my time. But I have a lot of respect for the other guys, and I think they’re great players.”

“It’s nice to be recognized as the MVP,” Embiid said. “That’s the biggest thing you can win. I would love that. But then again, I want to win a championship. The championship trumps everything.”

Embiid was just inches away from winning his first MVP award last season, getting injured late into the season, and losing the MVP to Nikola Jokic. The perceived slight and falling to the Hawks in the second round inspired, Embiid to enter the offseason hungrier and more determined than ever. Over the summer, Embiid worked on his game with vaunted NBA trainer Drew Hanlen.

Instead of worrying about what Simmons would do, the former Kansas Jayhawk just went to work and trusted the process.

“Joel paid no attention to it,” Drew Hanlen, Embiid’s trainer, said. “Joel was more focused on how he can improve as a player and what he needed to do to make up for the talent that they lost in Ben. Why waste energy on things that don’t deserve energy? There was nothing Joel could do about it.”

Embiid was also entrusted with leading the 76ers on his own, implementing an offseason training regimen that helped include studying Kobe Bryant’s game film, Kevin Durant, Shaquille O’Neal, Hakeem Olajuwon, and Dirk Nowitzki to breakdown how to get buckets in various ways. Embiid also addressed his conditioning, nutrition and improved his handle and ability to pass out of double-teams.

“We’ve always talked about, ‘Can you carry a team. Can you do it, not by yourself, but can you do it without another All-Star?'” Embiid said. “I just wanted to go on and prove that. To win a championship, I can’t win alone. I need great teammates. But I just wanted to set the foundation.”

“The game has started to slow down for him. The countless hours of film, plus the countless hours of decision-making in workouts, has allowed him to really grasp what is coming next and seeing the play before it unfolds.” Hanlen added.

With eight games remaining in the regular season, Embiid ranks ahead of fellow frontrunner Jokic in points and defensive rating, while Joker has the edge in rebounding and assists. Jokic also leads the League in triple-doubles (18), but Embiid has a 50-point game and six 40-point outings, while Jokic has scored at least 40 just two times this season.

The post Joel Embiid on MVP Chances: ‘I Feel Like It Is My Time’ appeared first on SLAM.

At the seven-minute mark of the first quarter, he hit that shot using his signature stepback move to pass Reggie Miller for third place on the all-time made three-pointers list.

Sitting courtside announcing the game for TNT, Miller was there to see it happen.

Harden now has 2561 career threes, with more likely to come from tonight’s game. Ray Allen is second on the list with 2973 made three-pointers, 412 more than Harden. While getting past all-time three-pointer king Stephen Curry is unlikely, the dual the two former MVPs will have could be a joy to watch as the two are playing in an era where the triple has become the most weapon in the game today.

.@ReggieMillerTNT @JHarden13 pic.twitter.com/vB9QkWnhcn

— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) March 11, 2022

The post James Harden Passes Reggie Miller for Third in All-Time Three-Pointers Made appeared first on SLAM.

Kevin Durant on James Harden, and whether the #Nets could’ve convinced him to stay: pic.twitter.com/ilFFSnug9d

— Brian Lewis (@NYPost_Lewis) March 9, 2022

When asked if there was any way he could’ve convinced Harden to stay in Brooklyn, Durant saw the circumstances surrounding his knee, Kyrie Irving’s status as a part-time player, and Harden’s age as the primary factors why his former teammate decided to move on.

“I mean, when you look at it, try to look at it from his perspective. You look up, Kai’s not playing, and then I’m injured, he hasn’t won a championship before. So he’s looking at it he’s 32-years-old — looking at himself, wanted to make a decision to get on a team that can get him that: contending, being one of the last teams standing. So you look at from his perspective from his perspective, you just say it is what it is.”

The Nets’ Big 3 only played 16 games in the season and a half they played together, going 13-3 during that time. The only thing that truly held them back was unavailability, whether that was from an injury or city-wide mandate. The superteam experiment in Brooklyn will go down as one of the biggest “What Ifs” in NBA history.

When Lewis asked Irving a similar question, the enigmatic point guard kept it cordial about Harden.

“If that’s what James wanted then I respect his decision. That’s just what it is,” Irving said after the Nets’ 132-121 over the Hornets, per the New York Post. “I wish him nothing but peace and love.

We have a great friendship, but it didn’t work out. Wish things could have been communicated better for all of us as men, but hey, no hard feelings here with me or anything else.”

The Nets (33-33) are eighth in the Eastern Conference playoff picture and are only two games back from the seventh-place Raptors (34-30). The 76ers (40-24) have lost once since acquiring Harden at the trade deadline as they look to take over the No.1 seed in the East from the Heat (44-22).

The post Kevin Durant Candidly Speaks on Convincing James Harden to Stay appeared first on SLAM.

While it was expected that Simmons would take some time to ramp up mentally and physically before making his Nets debut, it appears he won’t be on the court as soon as many would like. On Mar. 10, the Nets and Sixers face off, which would be highly anticipated for Simmons. 

ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski recently reported that Simmons likely will not be available to play in this upcoming contest. 

“There’s tremendous urgency around the Nets to get Ben Simmons on the court, get him incorporated and playing with his team,” said Wojnarowski. “Simmons is going to join them at some point. The Nets hope is when Brooklyn gets back after Thursday’s game in Philly. Simmons at that point will be ready to start getting on the floor with his teammates, increasing his workload and getting closer to returning.”

Last season, Simmons averaged 14.3 points, 7.2 rebounds and 6.9 assists per contest. Following a disappointing playoff exit and tension between himself and the team, Simmons’ future with the team was in jeopardy, which ultimately led to this trade going down at the following deadline. 

The post REPORT: ‘No Chance’ Ben Simmons Plays Against Sixers This Week appeared first on SLAM.

Harden, along with Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey, hosted a packed house party in his Philadelphia home debut, putting up a stat line of 26 points, nine assists, and nine rebounds to lead the 76ers to a 123-108 win over the struggling New York Knicks on Wednesday night.

Beard debut tonight in Philly. How many he dropping? (via @NBCSPhilly) pic.twitter.com/d3qxRyCMEC

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) March 3, 2022

The Beard displayed the entire repertoire of what he has to offer to the Sixers.

First, he got his superstar center involved early in the post to start the game off.

James Joel pic.twitter.com/J9HTlCeyEg

— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) March 3, 2022

Then after finding his rhythm midway through the first quarter, Harden dropped his first points came with 5:32 mark with a step-through drive to the basket to draw the foul and a free throw.

First bucket of many at the crib. (via @espn) pic.twitter.com/1Xtq0IylIj

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) March 3, 2022

Then the next time down, the Beard showcased his step-back 3 point shot that NBA fans have grown to love for five fast points at the drop of a hat.

knew it was good the second the ball left his hands. pic.twitter.com/C649T63d2q

— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) March 3, 2022

The Sixers have now moved to 3-0 with Harden in the lineup. His partnership with Embiid (27 points and 12 rebounds) and surprisingly seamless transition with Maxey (25 points, four boards, three dimes) have helped the Sixers emerge as the favorites to come out of the Eastern Conference.

The Sixers (38-23) take on the Cleveland Cavaliers (36-26) at home on Friday night.

The post James Harden Picks Apart the Knicks in 76ers Home Debut appeared first on SLAM.

One of those players is forward Tobias Harris, who has seen his production take a slight dip since the addition of Harden. In Harden’s first two games as a 76ers, Harris scored a total of 18 points, six in the first game and 12 in the second, both well below his current season average of 18.3 points per game.

Harris recently spoke to NBC Sports Philadelphia’s Noah Levick about this change in his role and how he was more concerned with winning games than the total number of points he has at the end of the game.

“It’s been two games,” Harris said. “I’m not worried about my offensive points and production. I think everybody has this notion of, ‘Oh, you’ve got to score this many points.’ Yeah, I get it, but at the end of the day I’m a winner and I incorporate into winning basketball. If that’s me taking 15 shots or if that’s me taking eight shots, it is what it is.

“As long as we’re winning basketball games, that’s what the name of the game is about. A lot of people may not like to hear that, but that’s the predicament we’re in right now. We have a lot of firepower, especially with James and Joel on this team. So my goal is to be out here, be ready, and when shots are available and the opportunity is there, take advantage of it and do whatever I can for our group.”

While Harris has had to take a backseat to Harden, the first signs for the team have been encouraging, albeit in just two appearances thus far, the 76ers are 2-0 with Harden so far, winning both games over the New York Knicks and Minnesota Timberwolves by double-digits.

In his first outing as a 76er, Harden put up 27 points and 12 assists and followed that up with a 29 point, 16 dimes, and 10 rebound triple-double.

The 76ers acquired Harden as part of the blockbuster trade deadline deal that sent Ben Simmons, Seth Curry, and Andre Drummond to the Brooklyn Nets in exchange for Harden and Paul Millsap. Simmons has yet to suit up for the Nets, but Curry and Drummond have played six times thus far, with Curry averaging 17.8 points per game over those appearances and Drummond averaging 9.8 points per game.

The 76ers and Nets are scheduled to face off next Thursday, March 10, in Philadelphia.

The post Tobias Harris on New Role: ‘At the End of the Day I’m a Winner’ appeared first on SLAM.

This move sends the former All-NBA center on the hunt to join his third team in two seasons. According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, the Philadelphia 76ers have emerged as a favorite to pick up Jordan.

Ever since the 76ers traded backup center Andre Drummond to the Brooklyn Nets in the James Harden trade, the 76ers have been looking for a suitable player to fill the backup center role that Drummond left vacant. Most recently, they signed Willie Cauley-Stein to a 10-day contract last Wednesday. Cauley-Stein has appeared in only one game since signing on the dotted line.

The 76ers have an open roster spot to sign Jordan outright but may opt to wait out the deal before signing Jordan; per ESPN’s Bobby Marks, doing so would save Philly money.

In late December, Jordan started in 19 games this season before falling out of the Lakers’ rotation. He’s averaging 4.1 points and 5.4 rebounds per game while shooting 67.4 percent from the field this year.

The post REPORT: 76ers Favorite to Sign DeAndre Jordan After Lakers Release appeared first on SLAM.

Joel Embiid, one of the primary benefactors of the trade for the 2018 MVP, has called the fit between the two “unstoppable” after Embiid posted 37 points, nine rebounds, and four blocks in a 125-109 victory over the Knicks. Harden dropped his first triple-double as a 76er with 29 points, 10 rebounds, 16 assists.

James Harden's second game as a member of the Philadelphia 76ers:

29 PTS
16 ASTS
10 REBS
5 STLS

(via @sixers)pic.twitter.com/Lu4PuQRxzD

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) February 28, 2022

“What are you really going to do?” Embiid said per ESPN. “He’s a great passer, and obviously, I’ve got someone [next to me] that attracts a lot of attention to him, so you’ve got to make a decision. Do you stay on me, or do you stay on him? And if you want to guard both of us with the other guys, now you’ve got Matisse [Thybulle] diving to the rim or wide-open shooters that have got one job to do, and that’s make shots. That’s all we got to keep doing.

“Like I was saying in the locker room, I’m happy I don’t have to post up every single possession, so it’s great.”

So far, Embiid and Harden have combined for 59 free throws against the Timberwolves and the Knicks. Harden went 10/10, while Embiid went 23/27 from the line. Embiid’s 27 freebies are the most a player has taken since Anthony Davis shot 27 himself in an October 2019 game against the Grizzlies.

Although Embiid hasn’t traditionally been a pick-and-roll threat, preferring to dominate out of the low-post and facing up. Playing with Harden has made Troel Embiid make sure he’s made a concerted effort to mix up rolling to the rim and popping to the three-point line since they started playing together.

Harden-Embiid pick and roll is too deadly… Best duo in the league??

(va @nba) pic.twitter.com/zMNyqgPsmI

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) February 27, 2022

“I thought I mixed it up pretty well the last two games. Tonight I obviously didn’t make any shots from the outside like I usually do,” said Embiid, who went 0-for-4 from behind the arc. “Against Minnesota, I had a couple rolls, half rolls and pops where I made shots, so it’s all about really figuring out by the feel, and tonight I felt like their bigs, they were either too high or too aggressive, so it gave me a free lane to attack the basket, which caused them to foul a lot.

“But it’s all about mixing. Sometimes it depends on how they’re guarding, sometimes I’m gonna pop, sometimes I’m gonna roll, but like I said, he attracts so much attention, so you can’t go wrong with both choices. If that night I’m making a lot of outside shots, I’m probably going to pop a lot, and then tonight I just saw I could get to the free-throw line really whenever I wanted. That’s why I was so aggressive.”

37 PTS | 9 REB | 4 BLK@JoelEmbiid had some fun out there today.

presented by @PALottery pic.twitter.com/wgaSD5R6Ku

— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) February 27, 2022

The 76ers (37-23) play the Knicks (25-36) again on Wednesday at the Well Fargo Arena.

The post Joel Embiid on Partnership With James Harden: ‘Unstoppable’ appeared first on SLAM.

With that in mind, it might be a while longer before he makes his debut in Brooklyn. 

As first reported by The Athletic’s Shams Charana, Simmons is dealing with back soreness in reconditioning process that requires further strengthening of the area over a period of time before return to action.

Nets coach Steve Nash was asked about this following the report, giving a transparent answer about Simmons’ situation. 

“I just saw the reports. It’s been the same process. It’s just a little soreness in his back,” said Nash on Saturday evening. “It’s not like an injury, it’s just as he’s returning to play, his back has flared up a little bit. He hasn’t played a game since June so that’s just part of his process of returning to play is as you ramp up, he’s a little sub septic to certain things as you would be with muscle soreness or tightness. He’s got a little tightness.”

While Nash considers this more of a normal occurrence after not playing for the entire season rather than an injury, it’s still something to monitor. Currently sitting at eighth in the Eastern Conference with a record of 32-29, they’re projected to be part of the play-in tournament despite having such a talented roster. 

Last season, which was the last time Simmons played, he averaged 14.3 points, 7.2 rebounds and 6.9 assists per contest.

The post Steve Nash Opens Up About Ben Simmons’ Setback appeared first on SLAM.

“I mean, it’s funny, you see all the stories that are out there, and all that stuff, and obviously we all see it,” Embiid said when asked playing Harden before a shooting per ESPN. “It’s completely different than what you see out there. He’s a great person, a great personality, always smiling, fun to be around. Everything, really.”

“His presence on the team and on the floor has really changed a lot since he got here. So I’m just excited for that to continue on the court, and I think that’s going to help us a lot.”

James Hardens 76ers debut went off seamlessly. The Beard led Philly to a 133-102 win over the Timberwolves.

Harden posted 27 points, 12 assists, and eight rebounds on 58 percent shooting in 35 minutes. This is the 6ers first game since the All-Star break concluded, and Harden’s first time back on the hardwood after a hamstring injury sidelined him for eight games, half of which came before the blockbuster tradeline deal between Philly and Brooklyn.

James Harden is set for his @sixers debut!

PHI @ MIN
8pm/et • League Passhttps://t.co/CgrjmCx2iJ pic.twitter.com/nAdeO1Ecut

— NBA (@NBA) February 25, 2022

The opening quarter couldn’t have gone any better for Philly after the 76ers started the game on a 15-0 run.

During that run, Harden also got the first bucket of his 76ers career after razzling and dazzling his way to the rim off a baseline drive. The Beard not only showed that his burst is back, but he also highlighted his physical play shrugging off Anthony Edwards to complete the hoop and the harm for the three points.

Harden with the godly stutter step crossover into the AND1. Who’s excited for Harden’s new chapter in Philly?

(via @sixers) pic.twitter.com/3izzkmbAan

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) February 26, 2022

Next to Embiid, the two featured weapons of the 76ers offense combined for 31 points, 10 rebounds, and seven assists in the first half. The two All-Stars also dominated at the free-throw line going 16/19 from the line. Harden himself scored 17 points, five dimes, and grabbed three assists.

Harden couldn’t escape the first half without hitting his signature side step-back three either, adding insult to injury after drawing a foul on Jared Vanderbilt.

.@JHarden13‘s signature move. pic.twitter.com/hwwJ7ByJty

— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) February 26, 2022

With a 65-49 lead going into the half, the 76ers experiment with the former MVP seemed to have energized the team. The third quarter is when Philly created full separation, building a lead as large as 27 after a reverse layup from Embiid.

they don’t call it the Target Center for nothin’ pic.twitter.com/HCDioRPUMU

— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) February 26, 2022

When it was all said, the 76ers ended the night not having to sweat the details after dominating the Timberwolves by as much as 35 points. Harden’s debut couldn’t have gone better as he finished the night with his first double-double as a 76er and ended the night with a +/- score of +35.

back to back. pic.twitter.com/IEV0Zufh3I

— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) February 26, 2022

The 10-time All-Star and Embiid combined for 61 points. Tyrese Maxey was also a huge benefactor of the attention Harden draws, scoring 28 points and tallying four steals.

Joel Embiid and James Harden combined for 61 points tonight. pic.twitter.com/O4I7vR7F8d

— theScore (@theScore) February 26, 2022

The next time the 76ers and Harden plays will be against the Knicks on Monday. Between now and Sunday, the good feelings will persist as Philly looks to be an even bigger threat to come out of the Eastern Conference and play in the Finals. At 36-23, the 76ers are third in the East.

The post James Harden Makes His 76ers Debut Against Minnesota appeared first on SLAM.

“I’m sure it’s possible, but for me, it’s probably again in the next three games more likely than Saturday,” said Nash on Durant’s timetable to return. He elaborated on the return process:

“In general terms, to return to play, you have to have a number of high-intensity workouts. So playing at full capacity typically three times before you can return without an incident,” said Nash. “He’s [Durant] playing. I would say he’s had one [high-intensity workout]. We’ll see. He seems like he’s getting there. We’ll see how he responds tomorrow, and then we’ll try to get him subsequent workouts.”

As for Nash’s former teammate on the Phoenix Suns and new signee, veteran point guard Goran Dragić, Nash gave a similarly optimistic answer.

“I suppose it’s not out of the question,” said Nash on Dragić playing Saturday. “We have to assess how he comes through today, tomorrow and see where he’s at Saturday. It’s probably less likely he’ll play Saturday, but I think in the next three games, he’s out there.”

Nash also spoke about Ben Simmons, the main piece required in the Harden trade.

“Conditioning,” said Nash on what’s keeping Simmons out. “It’s been a long layoff. He hasn’t played NBA basketball for a long time, so we’re just trying to work through that.”

He also added that it’s ‘unfair’ for him to talk about Simmons’ headspace but was adamant about how ‘excited’ he is for both parties to be together.

The post Nets Announce Kevin Durant Could Return in ‘the Next Three Games’ appeared first on SLAM.

Harden did not appear on the official injury report Friday morning after nursing a hamstring injury that kept him out of four games in Philly and his last four games in Brooklyn. After forcing his way out of Brooklyn, Harden will have one goal in mind tonight when lacing up his sneakers to play for his new team for the first time: a championship.

“(Winning a title is) the goal, man. That’s the goal. Like Daryl (Morey) said: The opportunity to win is now. Joel is playing the best he’s ever played. So my job is to come out there and help him and help the entire team win a championship this year and in years going forward.”

Philadelphia is now at full strength, and their newly acquired superstar guard is looking to guide them to their first NBA Championship since 1983 when Dr. J was in town.

The post James Harden to Make 76er Debut Against the Timberwolves appeared first on SLAM.

Based on the comments from Daryl Morey and Joel Embiid, it looks as if “the plan” will be Friday night’s game against the Minnesota Timberwolves. Morey added fuel to the fire when he sent out this Tweet on Sunday night with a cryptic message to the Sixers’ upcoming opponents.

Find out Friday @Timberwolves https://t.co/T4HteGUN38

— Daryl MorΞy (@dmorey) February 21, 2022

Harden had been sidelined with hamstring tightness that kept him out of the final four games of his Brooklyn tenure before he was traded. Despite the ongoing reports from Harden’s frustration to Steve Nash’s attempt to squash rumors of a trade, James made it clear that now that he’s a Sixer, he will do “whatever it takes” to win a championship, according to ABC News.

“It’s a time where I needed to be around guys that I know want to win and know that they are willing to do whatever it takes to win, and the structure here is unbelievable.

“[Winning a title is] the goal, man. That’s the goal. Like Daryl [Morey] said: The opportunity to win is now. Joel is playing the best he’s ever played. So my job is to come out there and help him and help the entire team win a championship this year and in years going forward.”

James Harden on his motivation as he joins the @sixers:

“I’m turnt, man. I’m excited… I’m a competitor. I’m willing to do whatever it takes to bring a championship to the 76ers and Philly. That’s the main reason I’m here honestly. We’ve got a great opportunity ahead of us.”

— Lauren Rosen (@LaurenMRosen) February 23, 2022

Now all eyes will be on Harden to deliver on his promise of winning the first 76ers championship since 1983. After a combination of injuries and other issues derailing his championship plans in Brooklyn, it looks as if the Harden era officially begins on Friday.

The post James Harden on Winning a Title in Philly: ‘The Opportunity to Win is Now’ appeared first on SLAM.

Joel Embiid finished with 42 points, 14 rebounds, three triples, and 11 free throws while shooting over 65 percent from the field. After getting his 23-game streak of scoring 25+ broken on Tuesday, Embiid came back with a vengeance.

Thursday’s performance now brings Embiid to nine total games scoring 40+ — the most in the League. Embiid now leads the NBA in points per game, barely edging Giannis Antetokounmpo by 0.2 points with 29.6. Embiid also broke the tie with the Greek Freak for the most games this season with 35+ points and 12+ rebounds with 10 total.

This win comes without Philadelphia’s newly acquired superstar guard James Harden, but Embiid remains optimistic on what the 76ers will look like when the 2018 MVP takes the floor.

“I mean, he used to say Scary Hours. I say scary minutes,” said Embiid after the Bucks game per Yardbarker. “For all the 48 minutes, we’re going to be on the floor all together. I’m just excited for us to be healthy. I got to keep doing what I’ve been doing, and I’m sure my teammates are gonna follow. We’re pretty excited about what we can accomplish.”

There’s now a three-way tie between the 76ers, Bucks, and Cleveland Cavaliers for the third seed in the Eastern Conference heading into the All-Star break. With the way Embiid has been playing recently, it’s not out of the realm of possibility the 76ers take that place — and maybe more.

That’s certainly true when Scary Minutes takes the floor.

The post Joel Embiid Wills 76ers Past Bucks, Furthering His MVP Case appeared first on SLAM.

James Harden practiced with the Sixers today. Coming soon to Broad Street. (via @NBCSPhilly) pic.twitter.com/4InocWnxEa

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) February 14, 2022

“I just knew for a very long time this was a perfect fit,” Harden said. “Obviously, you have the best big man in the league in Joel, and then obviously the coaching. Just from top to bottom, it made sense. I’m just happy and blessed that I’m here. As Doc [Rivers] and everybody wants … it’s [about] being the last team standing. I’m excited for the opportunity.”

Harden also stated that he wanted to go to Philadelphia when Houston was looking to move him.

“Originally, when I was going through everything I was going through in Houston, Philly was my first choice,” Harden said. “It just didn’t happen.”

He said he wished it ‘worked like that’ but understood Houston had to do what was best for them ‘present and future.’

Harden elaborated on his fit with the 76ers and praised his new teammate, Joel Embiid.

“I think we complement each other,” Harden said. “Obviously, the whole world knows how great Joel has been playing — not just scoring with the basketball but rebounding. He had a triple-double last game. His presence alone is unbelievable — I feel like I’m the same way as far as making my teammates better and doing different things that impact the game at the highest level. And then we have a great core of guys that can also help with that.”

Harden also spoke on his left hamstring, an injury that will keep him out through the All-Star break.

“Hamstring feels really good. Just doing a lot of strengthening work right now. It definitely was a collaborative decision on making sure that after the break, we were full go. Uphill is the only way we can go,” Harden said. “To my conditioning, it’s great. I’ve been doing a lot of running, a lot of sprints, a lot of treadmill work, strength, and conditioning. But it’s nothing like basketball conditioning, playing 5-on-5 and pick-and-rolls and getting hit and things like that. So that’s something I’ve got to incorporate. But overall, my body feels great.”

As for what Harden wants out of his time in Philadelphia? He put it simply, stating,

“I just wanted to get here and take my time, and most importantly focus on the end game, and that’s winning a championship.”

The post James Harden Says He’s ‘Perfect Fit’ for Philadelphia 76ers appeared first on SLAM.

Bembry was clearly a hot target in free agency, as reports indicate he may already be prepared to sign with a new team.

According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, Bembry is “closing in” on signing a deal to join the Milwaukee Bucks in the coming days.

Following the Nets blockbuster trade deadline deal that sent James Harden to Philadelphia in exchange for Ben Simmons, Andre Drummond, and Seth Curry, Brooklyn had to waive someone to create roster space for the incoming players; that player turned out to be Bembry.

Before being cut, Bembry was a pivotal contributor to the Nets, starting in 20 of the 48 games he played in, averaging 19.8 minutes, 5.8 points, and 3.2 rebounds per game.

Bembry’s addition will be a big help to a Bucks team dealing with a shortage of back-court players at the moment. Pat Connaughton, George Hill, and Wesley Matthews are currently out with injuries, and Donte DiVincenzo was traded to the Sacramento Kings.

The Bucks will need Bembry at his best, as Milwaukee is heading to the second half of the season in a tight playoff race in the Eastern Conference. The Bucks (36-23) are currently third in the East, just 1.5 games back of the first-place Miami Heat, and only 2.0 games up on the sixth place Boston Celtics.

The post REPORT: DeAndre’ Bembry Close to Signing With Bucks appeared first on SLAM.

The Sixers say James Harden is out through the All-Star break as he continues to rehabilitate his left hamstring, and that he won’t play in the All-Star Game.

— Tim Bontemps (@TimBontemps) February 14, 2022

Harden was traded last week to the 76ers in a blockbuster trade for Ben Simmons. The Nets received Seth Curry, Andre Drummond, and two future first-round picks for Harden and Paul Millsap.

Philly. : @sixers pic.twitter.com/msEe0qokz3

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) February 14, 2022

The next chance Harden will get to make his 76ers debut will be when Philly plays the Minnesota Timberwolves (30-27) on Feb. 25. Harden has averaged 22.5 points, 8.0 rebounds, and 10.2 assists per game on 41.4 percent shooting from the field but a career-low 33.2 percent shooting from deep.

On Tuesday, the 76ers (34-22) play the Celtics (33-25).

The post James Harden Out Through All-Star Break appeared first on SLAM.

The reason for the deal boiled down to a shared frustration that the superstar trio of Harden, Kyrie Irving, and Kevin Durant couldn’t get on the court for a consistent stretch of their time together in Brooklyn.

“These decisions to move on from a player like that, of that caliber, are never easy ones,” Marks said per The Athletic. “I think it’s just a feeling; it’s a feeling when, you know, look, this is not working, whether it’s on the court, off the court, for a variety of different circumstances. I give James credit for being open, upfront, and honest.”

After several days of will they-won’t they speculation, they ultimately decided to part ways because it was clear to the Nets it was time for a change. Marks said the Nets were willing to keep Harden and make it work if a trade didn’t materialize on Thursday.

“This was something that James and myself talked about over the last few days”

Nets GM Sean Marks talks about how the James Harden trade came about: pic.twitter.com/HsW3X36yzX

— Nets Videos (@SNYNets) February 11, 2022

According to Marks, Harden didn’t give any other reason for wanting to leave Brooklyn after less than two seasons and playing just 16 games with Irving and Durant. Most of which were due to injuries, and for right now, Irving’s decision to not get vaccinated against COVID-19 violates New York’s vaccine mandate.

“I probably wouldn’t be honest with myself if I thought we weren’t all frustrated that they couldn’t be together on the court at one time, and that being one of the reasons (Irving’s vaccine status), sure,” Marks said. “One is another is obviously injuries. We’ve seen Kevin have injuries, we’ve seen James have injuries, you know, there’s a lot of factors going in there.”

The Nets are looking to end their 10-game win streak but won’t be playing Ben Simmons for the foreseeable future as he climbs his way back into shape. Meanwhile, Irving has reportedly grown frustrated with his limited availability. Brooklyn looks to get back on track against the Heat on Saturday.

Sean Marks speaks on Kyrie’s limited availability pic.twitter.com/Qx7cEoZuCR

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) February 11, 2022

The post Sean Marks On James Harden Trade: ‘It’s A Feeling When, You Know, This Is Not Working’ appeared first on SLAM.

On Thursday night, LeBron James and Kevin Durant – the two captains for the All-Star game – selected their teams for the All-Star Game taking place in just under two weeks.

Each captain had to select their starting lineups first and then select their reserves. Because Durant is injured and will not be playing in the game, nine players were available to be drafted instead of eight, with Jayson Tatum replacing Durant as a starter.

James opened the draft up by selecting Giannis Antetokounmpo first overall, with Durant using his first pick to draft Joel Embiid.

James rounded off his starting lineup by selecting Stephen Curry, DeMar DeRozan, and Nikola Jokic. Durant’s starting lineup will consist of Embiid, Tatum, Ja Morant, Andrew Wiggins, and Trae Young. Wiggins and Young were the final two starters selected in the draft.

Between the two, Durant has the least experienced starting lineup with Wiggins and Morant, both first-time All-Stars and Young just in his second All-Star Game.

Durant got the first pick to open up the reserves section of the draft and used the pick to select Devin Booker, and James used his first pick to draft Luka Doncic.

Durant filled out his reserves by selecting Karl Anthony-Towns, Zach LaVine, Dejounte Murray, Khris Middleton, LaMelo Ball, and Rudy Gobert.

James reserves will be Darius Garland, Chris Paul, Jimmy Butler, Donovan Mitchell, Fred VanVleet, and James Harden.

Harden was the last pick of the All-Star Draft, with Durant creating a funny moment where he opted against drafting his former teammate, who was traded to the Philadelphia 76ers on Thursday, to take Gobert instead.

The All-Star Game is scheduled to occur in Cleveland on Sunday, Feb. 20.

The post NBA All-Star Teams Set, Giannis Antetokounmpo Selected First Overall appeared first on SLAM.

According to NBA Insider Shams Charania, the Nets are flipping the Beard and Paul Millsap for Ben Simmons and 76ers sharpshooter Seth Curry, Andre Drummond, and draft capital.

BREAKING: The Brooklyn Nets and Philadelphia 76ers are finalizing trade sending James Harden for Ben Simmons, Seth Curry and draft picks, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 10, 2022

There was a will-they-won’t-they vibe coming from the Nets as they’ve suffered through a nine-game losing streak after Kevin Durant went down with an MCL sprain, and Harden has missed the last three games with a hamstring injury. They’ve also been contending with Kyrie Irving, who remains unvaccinated but, as a part-time player, gets to play games on the road.

The same goes for the 76ers, who received a trade request from Ben Simmons after being heavily criticized by Doc Rivers and Joel Embiid after the 6ers lost to the Hawks in the second round of the Eastern Conference playoffs. 

Since then, reports have flip-flopped on Harden wanting to leave Brooklyn, only for ESPN to confirm that the Beard does want to leave but is wary of the backlash that’ll come with making a trade request from his second team in as many years. 

Simmons’ trade request also boils down to his reported mental health issues after hearing his coach and long-time teammate publicly question what’s behind his struggles to deliver a title to the 76ers. Before Thursday’s blockbuster trade between the 76ers and Nets, Simmons was linked to the Timberwolves, Kings, Trail Blazers, and the Hawks.

They were asked to essentially sell the house just to acquire Simmons, forcing the Kings out of the Simmons Sweepstakes.

The Nets play the Wizards on Thursday, and the 76ers play the Thunder on Friday.

The post REPORT: James Harden Traded to the 76ers appeared first on SLAM.

According to Woj, Harden does want to be traded to the Philadelphia 76ers, but he’s hesitant to pull the trigger on a request because he’s worried about the public backlash that would come from asking out of a second franchise for the second time in as many years.

ESPN Sources: Although Brooklyn Nets guard James Harden wants a trade to the Philadelphia 76ers, he has resisted making that formal request out of fear of the public backlash that would come with asking out of a second franchise in consecutive seasons. https://t.co/My5XljBlI1

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) February 10, 2022

That being said, Harden is hopeful that 6ers president of basketball ops Daryl Morey finalizes a trade before the League’s trade deadline concluding at 3 PM. However, Morey and Nets general manager Sean Marks has yet to engage in serious negotiations on a deal per Woj. Woj says that there are expectations that the 76ers and Nets will have some dialogue, but both teams are weighing the risk-reward of a deal centered on The Beard.

According to Woj, acquiring Harden before the trade deadline means the 6ers and Morey will have to include not only Ben Simmons but assets that will help offset the cost of creating salary cap space to sign Harden over the summer. If a trade doesn’t happen Thursday, reports say the Nets and 76ers could reconsider sending Harden over to Philly via an opt-in and trade.

The risk for the Nets boils down to do they want to risk losing a disgruntled Harden for nothing after selling the house just to get him to form a Big 3 with Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant and form the ultimate championship-or-bust roster. Nets management is reportedly championship-or-bust this season and believes that the return of KD will reverse the team’s fortunes.

Harden has missed Brooklyn’s last three games with a hamstring injury. Woj reports that the 76ers are largely retreating on trade deadline moves involving Simmons until they’re clear on whether or not to include him.

The Nets (29-25) have lost nine straight games heading into their Thursday night game against the Washington Wizards (24-29).

The post REPORT: James Harden Wants Out But Is Wary of Public Backlash appeared first on SLAM.

Before the Nets played the Nuggets on Sunday, Nash stated that the Nets plan on keeping Harden for the foreseeable future. According to ESPN, Harden missed the Nets’ loss to the Nuggets due to hamstring tightness.

“I’ve talked to James; he wants to be here,” Nash said. “He wants to be here long-term as well, so I don’t think anything’s changed other than noise from the outside. James wants to be here, we’re building with James, and we think we have the best chance to win with James. I don’t think anything’s changed on the inside, in our locker room, in our communication; it’s just all the noise from the [outside].”

Brooklyn guard Kyrie Irving also believes that his starting backcourt mate will be around after the NBA trade deadline on Thursday.

“I think James can speak better to that than I can,” Irving said. “We’ve had conversations, but I’m just getting back into the swing of things, how all those media plants start going around with rumors and stuff like that; I really do not concern myself with that.”

The speculation of Harden’s unhappiness and reports of Harden wanting to explore free agency options after the season fueled possible issues behind the scenes. Accounts that were strongly refuted a couple of weeks ago.

The reports on James Harden being unhappy in Brooklyn?

He has no idea what you’re talking about pic.twitter.com/OQS32id1KV

— Nets Videos (@SNYNets) January 26, 2022

After losing to the Nuggets 124-104, the Brooklyn Nets are struggling through an eight-game losing streak along with a lengthy injury list that includes Harden (hamstring tightness), Kevin Durant (knee), Joe Harris (ankle surgery), LaMarcus Aldridge (ankle) and Nic Claxton (hamstring tightness).

On Tuesday, the Nets return from a winless road trip to take on the Boston Celtics.

The post Brooklyn Nets HC Steve Nash Closes Door On James Harden Trade Rumor appeared first on SLAM.

The report being discussed was from Jake Fischer from Bleacher Report citing sources about Harden’s frustrations from Kyrie Irving’s part-time status to Steve Nash’s coaching style at the end of games to even his living situation in New York.

When the Nets superstar was being interviewed, he simply replied, “I don’t know what you talking about… I don’t know about no reports,” Harden said. 

The reports on James Harden being unhappy in Brooklyn?

He has no idea what you’re talking about pic.twitter.com/OQS32id1KV

— Nets Videos (@SNYNets) January 26, 2022

Whatever Harden’s level of frustration, if any, with his current situation, it is essential to note that Fischer acknowledged Harden’s “investment” in winning a title this season despite the challenges in Brooklyn.

New York Post’s Brian Lewis reached out to Nets Head Coach Steve Nash about the concerns in the Bleacher Report article, and Nash not only stated he knew nothing about what was said in the story, but he maintains ongoing communications with Harden.

Asked Steve Nash about reports that James Harden is concerned about Kyrie Irving’s part-time status but also Nash’s rotations. He said he’d “just heard about the reports” but adds he speaks to Harden all the time & hadn’t heard any of those complains. #Nets

— Brian Lewis (@NYPost_Lewis) January 25, 2022

The Nets’ loss to the Lakers on Tuesday dropped the Nets to third in the standings in the Eastern Conference with a 29–18 record. They are currently on a two-game losing streak, but they have a chance to get back in the win column against the Denver Nuggets on Wednesday.

The post James Harden Strongly Denies Reports He’s Frustrated in Brooklyn appeared first on SLAM.

Ever-important behind Philadelphia’s Ben Simmons trade talks, James Harden has recently told several confidants—including former teammates and coaches—of his growing interest to explore other opportunities outside of Brooklyn this summer. More at @BR_NBA: https://t.co/zy5dEwPSfP

— Jake Fischer (@JakeLFischer) January 25, 2022

According to Fischer, The Beard will by all accounts test unrestricted free agency for the first time and hasn’t ruled out returning to the Nets. Rumors have circulated Harden intends on leaving since last week. With the trade deadline approaching, Harden’s interest in testing the open mark could impact the Philadelphia 76ers’ work on moving Ben Simmons.

The root of Harden’s frustrations reportedly begins with Kyrie Irving’s status as a part-time player. The knee injury that Kevin Durant suffered in January forced Harden to shoulder the load of carrying Brooklyn alone since Irving can’t play in home games while being unvaccinated. Nets Coach Steve Nash’s fluid rotations favoring hot-hand closing lineups rather than a fixed crunch-time unit have also left Harden dissatisfied.

Despite his discontent, Fischer reports that Harden is still invested in competing for a title in Brooklyn.

“James isn’t going to hold back,” Fischer was told. “He’s gonna tell you where he stands.”

Harden is also less than enthused about living in Brooklyn. Fischer reports that outside of the change in weather, the difference in taxes he pays in New York versus Texas has also been less than enjoyable.  

With that being said, Harden is not asking for a trade out of Brooklyn. A Nets-Sixers deal is reportedly highly unlikely before the deadline. However, his apparent willingness to move on and reunite with Sixers president Daryl Morey will seemingly loom over any trade negotiations the Sixers have until the Feb. 10 deadlines. According to Fischer, a Harden-Simmons trade is seen by Harden and 76ers management as a backstop for their potential marriage and respective futures.

Based on multiple reports, the Hawks, Kings, Lakers, Trail Blazers, Knicks, Jazz, and Timberwolves are still seen as the primary threats to land Simmons in a trade.

On Tuesday, Harden and the Nets (29-17) play the Lakers (23-24) at home.

The post REPORT: James Harden Interested Exploring Options Outside of Brooklyn appeared first on SLAM.

Per Stein (via Adam Hermann of NBC Sports Philadelphia), the Philidelphia 76ers front office brace remains interested in a deal for Harden. The rumor has gained traction around the League, and now many believe “there is enough noise circulating leaguewide about Harden’s reported openness to relocation this summer.”

“Perhaps [Joel Embiid] has also been sold on a concept that executives with a growing number of rival teams say they see as Morey’s new preferred scenario: Keeping Simmons beyond the trade deadline to exhaust every last possibility for executing a complicated sign-and-trade in the offseason that finally brings James Harden to Philadelphia and routes Simmons to Brooklyn,” Stein said about conversations he had with executives who have insight into what Morey is thinking with the deadline approaching.

“Complicated is a polite description for such a deal — Yet it must be noted that there is enough noise circulating leaguewide about Harden’s reported openness to relocation this summer — after he turned down a lucrative extension from the Nets in October — to give Morey the encouragement he needs to wait.”

Harden had a chance to sign an extension with the Nets in October, but his decision to decline allows the former MVP to opt into his $47.4 million contract for the 2022-23 season and sign a four-year extension worth $223 million when free agency begins this summer according to ESPN’s Bobby Marks. Harden will be an unrestricted free agent in 2023 for the first time at 34-years-old.

“I don’t plan on leaving this organization and the situation that we have. So my focus, honestly, is just focus on the season and then winning the championship. The contract and all that stuff will bear itself out, but my focus is going to be locked on this season,” Harden said per ESPN when he didn’t sign an extension.

If Harden were to leave Brooklyn for Philly, the nine-time All-Star would reunite with former Houston Rockets general manager and now president of 76ers basketball operations, Daryl Morey. The duo experienced a wide range of success in Houston since Morey traded for Harden in 2012, making two appearances in the Western Conference and Harden winning his first and only MVP in 2018.

Harden has struggled to maintain his MVP-level form, averaging 22.7 points, 8.0 rebounds, and 10.0 assists per game on 41.9 percent shooting from the field and 34.1 percent shooting from downtown.

On Wednesday, the Nets are 27-16 and will return to action against the Wizards (23-21).

The post REPORT: James Harden May Not Be Committed to Nets Past This Summer appeared first on SLAM.

Nets on Durant: pic.twitter.com/z7Wfr0KWdP

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) January 16, 2022

Brooklyn expects the two-time Finals MVP to be out for a four-six-week rehab period. ESPN reports that the Nets are setting a ‘realistic benchmark’ of Durant returning by the end of the Nets’ All-Star break on Feb. 24

The Nets come out of the All-Star break on February 24 and that’s a realistic benchmark for a Durant return, but clearly the organization will err on caution when it comes to a timeline with him. With 11 of next 14 on road, a lot of Kyrie Irving and James Harden together.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) January 16, 2022

The Nets play 11 of their next 19 games on the road, clearing the way for Kyrie Irving and James Harden to test themselves as a backcourt and lead the Nets to take on a heavy workload and work on their chemistry while Durant is absent. Without Durant, the Nets won 16 of 19 games last season when they had Irving and Harden together per ESPN Stats & Information.

Durant is a significant threat to win the MVP this season, averaging a League-leading 29.3 points, grabbing 7.4 rebounds, and dishing out 5.8 assists per game.

The Nets are second in the East at 27-15 as of Sunday, sitting a half-game behind the Chicago Bulls (27-14) for first place in the rejuvenated Eastern Conference.

The post Brooklyn Nets Announce Kevin Durant Out with a Knee Sprain appeared first on SLAM.

Irving was out early pregame getting up shots in his red and white Kyrie 3s. In the game, he decided to sport the “Mamba Mentality” Kyrie 3s, which were inspired by Kobe Bryant’s previous Bruce Lee theme and featured a split “Kyrobe” logo on the tongue.

First look at Kyrie. NJ’s own is back. (: @darenscarberry) pic.twitter.com/6uTwZ18N8z

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) January 5, 2022

After going scoreless in the first quarter, missing his first three shots, Uncle Drew started to warm up in the second quarter knocking down three straight shots, sinking two free throws, scoring Brooklyn’s first eight points. In the first 17 minutes, Irving’s stat line stood at eight points, two rebounds, four assists, and two steals.

Kyrie Irving drops in his first bucket of the season!

Nets, Pacers on League Pass:https://t.co/oz9UCQxdQa pic.twitter.com/Z0CVPHr4Dt

— NBA (@NBA) January 6, 2022

After sitting much of the third quarter, Irving made a positive impact again, sparking an 8-0 Brooklyn run to end the third quarter with two buckets, including a buzzer-beater to cut the Pacers lead to single digits going into the final quarter.

Then, when he returned to the game with 8:39 left, Kyrie Irving went off, scoring ten points to seal the Nets’ comeback from a 19-point deficit to win 129-121. Irving’s performance helped the Nets outscore the Pacers 69-48 in the second half.

#13 #11 pic.twitter.com/fVna2VF6rk

— Brooklyn Nets (@BrooklynNets) January 6, 2022

In 32 minutes, Irving finished with 22 points (on 9-17 shooting from the field), three rebounds, four assists, and played active defense, registering three steals on the night. The story of the game is how long Irving will take to knock off the rust and get acclimated to his role on the team. There’s also the question of whether he makes the All-Star game or not; he will provide an All-Star-type buzz in every arena he travels to for the rest of the season.

“Just a lot of gratitude just to be present tonight with everyone,” Irving said per ESPN. “Just go out there and have fun doing what we love to do. It was a not-so-good first half for us, and we came in the locker room, and we knew that in order to build this identity that we want to have later in the season, we got to start now.”

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The League requires that teams have at least eight available players in order to play. The franchise has 11 players currently in health and safety protocols, including Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving. Kessler Edwards, Cam Thomas, and David Duke Jr. entered protocols on Thursday. Nash says he does not expect any players to clear protocols by Saturday. The staggering number of players resulted in three Nets games being postponed.

According to Nash, the Nets players in protocols have been “largely asymptomatic,” per CBS Sports’ James Herbert, and the players with symptoms have mostly had “very mild” cases. 

It forced the postponement of three games, including their Thursday game against the Portland Trail Blazers, since the Nets did not have enough players to travel and play.

The Nets (21-9) and Lakers (16-16) are the prime-time Christmas matchup on Saturday. Any delay to that game, if needed, could be made as late as Christmas Eve. 

.

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Nets‘ James Harden and Bruce Brown have entered health and safety protocols and are out tonight vs. Raptors.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) December 14, 2021

The drastic loss of talent on the court comes amidst Brooklyn’s five-game homestead, in which they took the first game against the Raptors 131-129 behind Kevin Durant’s game-high 34-point triple-double.

According to ESPN’s Bobby Marks, Brooklyn has five hardship exemptions available, with each contract costing around $500K toward their luxury tax bill. The franchise elected to use their first hardship exemption to sign Langston Galloway to a 10-day contract after playing for the Phoenix Suns last season.

Brooklyn’s COVID-19 outbreak comes a little over a week after playing against the Chicago Bulls, who have had to postpone two games against the Pacers and Pistons, and have 10 total players under virus protocol.

Unless Harden records two consecutive negative test results in a 24-hour period, the Nets could be relying heavily upon Durant’s production for the foreseeable future.

The post James Harden is the Seventh Brooklyn Nets Player to Enter the League’s Health and Safety Protocols appeared first on SLAM.

“I know people might be concerned about my minutes, and I got injured before and all this extra s—, but we’ll figure it out if I get there. Right now, I want to play basketball,” Durant said via ESPN’s Tim MacMahon.

Over the past five games, Kevin Durant has averaged 40.4 minutes on the court. In the Nets 102-99 comeback win over Dallas, Durant logged 40 minutes and 30 seconds, playing every minute of the second half. Alongside teammate James Harden, Durant ranks top-ten in minutes played in the League, averaging 36.2. However, the two-time Finals MVP elaborated on his innate drive to get on the court and produce.

“I might play 48 tomorrow, just ’cause. Give you something to talk about”

Kevin Durant talks about logging heavy minutes, and if he’ll play in tomorrow’s back-to-back vs. Houston pic.twitter.com/eH3Bf8BqWs

— Nets Videos (@SNYNets) December 8, 2021

Durant was itching to get back on the court after not playing since their 111-107 loss to the Chicago Bulls on Saturday and Coach Steve Nash electing to not hold a team shoot-around. The longer he was out there, the better.

Just before setting the microphone down, Durant added, “I might play 48 tomorrow. Just ’cause. Give you something to talk about.”

Brooklyn’s most recent back-to-back concludes Wednesday against the Rockets, with Durant saying he plans on playing in Houston.

The post Kevin Durant Dismisses Concerns About His Heavy Workload appeared first on SLAM.

Harden recorded his first triple-double of the season, his 13th with the Nets, after dropping 18 points, 12 dimes and snagging 10 boards in 29 minutes on the hardwood, tying Boston Celtics legend Larry Bird for 7th all-time in triple-doubles – Harden’s 59th all-time.

“I’m just playing. The confidence in my rhythm and all that is coming back – Game by game, I feel more better. Overall, much better,” Harden said via SB Nation’s Chris Milholen.

Beard outlet to KD for a smooth jam. Spookiest duo in the league right now? (via @BrooklynNets) pic.twitter.com/1wOB2xj1xH

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) November 1, 2021

The self-proclaimed ‘poster boy’ of the League’s revamped shooting fouls reached the line only 15 times in his first five games of the season, the first time since 2011 that he’s attempted less than five throws a game, reports Tom Haberstroh. In Friday night’s win over the Pacers, Harden returned to the stripe a whopping 19 times.

Yet he only needed to see the free throw line three times on Sunday to record his first triple-double of the season. It seems as if Harden has found his groove within the League’s new style of shooting fouls. He’ll have the next two nights off before his adjustments are tested again against the Atlanta Hawks on Wednesday night.

The post Harden Back in Rhythm After Tying Larry Bird for 7th in All-Time Triple-Doubles appeared first on SLAM.

James Harden when asked about not signing extension by deadline “I love it here, I feel at home. It’s nothing to worry about…For me individually, I just want to focus on this year.” He also said plainly “I don’t plan on leaving this organization.”

— Cassidy Hubbarth (@CassidyHubbarth) October 20, 2021

I don’t plan on leaving this organization and the situation that we have. So my focus, honestly, is just focus on the season and then winning the championship. The contract and all that stuff will bear itself out, but my focus is going to be locked on this season, Harden said.

According to ESPN’s Bobby Marks, Harden’s decision to decline allows him to opt into his $47.4 million contract for 2022-23 and sign a four-year, $223 million extension at the beginning of the 2022 free agency period.

Harden would be set to become the first NBA player to surpass $60 million in earnings in one year, with an estimated $61.8 million in earnings in the last year of his extension.

Harden, who was traded from the Houston Rockets after a noteworthy stint Southwest, says he feels at home in Brooklyn:

“I love it here, myself and [Brooklyn owners] Joe [Tsai] and Clara [Wu Tsai] and [GM] Sean [Marks] and the front office and [alternate governor Oliver Weisberg] and [head coach] Steve [Nash]. From top to bottom the communication has been unbelievable, it’s been amazing. I feel at home. It’s nothing to worry about.

“For me, individually, I just want to focus on this year and that’s it, Harden said.

The post Nets’ James Harden ‘Has No Plans of Leaving’ Despite Not Signing Extension appeared first on SLAM.

With the No. 27 overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, they selected Cam Thomas out of LSU. A lethal scoring guard, he started to immediately make an impact in NBA Summer league, averaging 27.0 points per game and winning MVP of the event. 

Thomas’ new teammate James Harden recently spoke to Zach Braziller of the New York Post, giving praise to the young guard. 

“Obviously Cam was a much better scorer than I was coming out of college. It’s just rare you get those guys who can just get a bucket in any form or fashion. But he’s young, he learns, he listens and he works his butt off. As a young guy, that’s all you can ask for,” said Harden.

With Harden being one of the best scorers in the league, it means a lot that he thinks Thomas is ahead where he was coming out of college as a scorer. 

As the Nets look to make a Finals run this season, Thomas has a real chance to contribute as a rookie. Additionally, he has a high ceiling and could develop into one of the best scorers in the entire NBA.

The post James Harden Praises Cam Thomas’ Scoring Ability appeared first on SLAM.

Having added Paul Millsap, LaMarcus Aldridge and Sekou Doumbouya to their frontcourt rotation at various points this offseason, the Nets’ focus shifted towards their perimeter group, which is led by the the All-NBA triumvirate of Kevin Durant, James Harden and Kyrie Irving.

Durant, a two-time champion and Finals MVP, signed a four-year extension with Brooklyn in early August. Returning from an Achilles injury, KD’s first year with the Nets may have gotten off to a less than ideal start with his extended absence but once he hit the court, he appeared to be in midseason form already.

After averaging 26.9 points. 7.1 rebounds, 5.6 assists and 1.3 blocks per game in his return, and meshing with Irving and Harden all the while, the trio’s future together seemed certain. An idea supported by the actions of Nets general manager, Sean Marks, who also signed Kyrie and Harden to contract extensions this offseason.

In a recent press conference, Marks opened up to the media about giving extensions for his star-studded backcourt.

“This is something those guys know exactly how we feel, and I think they’ve been vocal about wanting to be part of this and build this together,” said Marks.

“I think we’ve got an opportunity to build something special here for the foreseeable future, hopefully.”

“The fact that they want to collaborate, they want to come here together, they want to build this together. I look forward to those discussions with Steve and myself and ownership, who’s been incredibly supportive through this whole thing, and with the players. Just like any decision, it’s a partnership, and it’s a collaboration.”

Though Irving and Harden would sustain injuries during the 2021 NBA Playoffs that undermined their best efforts to reach the Finals, Brooklyn keeping their Big Three together should be a no-brainer.

With such a highly-skilled assortment superstars, the Nets are perennial championship contenders and it’s difficult to imagine how they could realistically improve their top-end talent.

By banking on the trio (literally and metaphorically), Marks is showing that he knows that just as well as anybody.

The post Nets GM Sean Marks Opens Up On Contract Extensions for James Harden, Kyrie Irving appeared first on SLAM.

The future Hall of Famer is fresh of off an appearance in the NBA Finals where a team that he led fell to two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo’s Milwaukee Bucks, and he’s still widely regarded one of the best players in the game even at a ripe age of 36.

However, before his time with the Phoenix Suns, Paul had a legitimate chance to reach the Finals for the first time in his career prior to 2021. Having been traded to the Houston Rockets in 2017, Paul became teammates with another future Hall of Famer in superstar guard James Harden. Nonetheless, despite the two-headed monster the two appeared to be on paper and could be between the lines of the basketball court, the Rockets were unable to capitalize on the potential of the duo.

Paul, who appeared on the No Chill Podcast with Gilbert Arenas, opened up about his time with the Rockets and the reasons why he felt they weren’t ale to achieve penultimate success:

“And the thing that frustrated me the most was that first year, I wasn’t healthy. It’s crazy. Them years in Houston are kind of a blur, to a certain extent, because there was so much going on at the time. But dang, we was good. We was real good.”

Paul also spoke up about playing alongside Harden:

“And James, I still say it, can’t nobody score the ball as he can. It’s crazy, man…I wouldn’t trade any experience or whatnot, but I wish we would’ve had some of those conversations. But most of all, I wish I would’ve been able to stay healthy.”

Paul has battled with injuries throughout most of his storied 16-year career. That being said, during his time in Houston, he was plagued by injuries; he would sustain an injury in both of the Rockets’ playoff runs that he was a part of.

This includes a Western Conference Finals series against the Golden State Warriors in 2018; one that the Rockets led 3-2 at one point.

He went on to miss the final two games due to a nagging hamstring injury, which many fans believed cost Paul and the Rockets a trip to the NBA Finals, as Houston fell in both contests.

Paul would eventually be traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder in the 2019 offseason, as his strained relationship with Harden fell under the microscope.

The post Chris Paul Opens Up About Brief Tenure with Houston Rockets appeared first on SLAM.

In an interview with Sports Illustrated’s Michael Shapiro, Harden expressed his confidence in the Nets for the upcoming season while discussing myriad topics surrounding the construction of the team and his offseason focus.

“There’s no chip at all, no chip for us,” Harden says. “We’re just excited. We’re focused. We know what we have to do. The biggest thing is us being healthy, which we will be. Honestly, we’re just excited to play a whole season together. That’s the exciting part.”

As Harden alluded to, health will be at the forefront of discussion surrounding the Nets, with the durability of their three superstars in question.

Last season, Harden, two-time Finals MVP Kevin Durant and seven-time All-Star Kyrie Irving all missed significant time due to injury. While Harden played in just 44 games last year, KD only suited up for 35 regular season games and Irving played 54 games.

Nonetheless, the Nets finished second in the Eastern Conference with a 48-24 record, a testament to their talent.

Brooklyn would go on to lose in the second round to the Milwaukee Bucks, with Harden and Irving were unavailable for most of the playoffs.

Now, the Nets will be running it back with mostly the same squad, though guards Patty Mills (signed in free agency) and Cam Thomas (acquired via the 2021 NBA Draft) are two names to keep an eye on, especially should they need to step up in the event of injury.

The post James Harden on Nets next season: ‘At Full Strength, Nobody Can Beat Us’ appeared first on SLAM.

It’s all covered in here, including the rise and return of the legendary adidas Forum. Count to Three and tap in.

Get your copy of SLAM Presents adidas Basketball now!

SLAM Presents adidas Basketball is available now on SLAMgoods. Shop here.

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Up-and-coming players such as Luka Doncic, Trae Young, Devin Booker, and Nikola Jokic have continued to shine brightly, thriving in what have been perceived to be less glamorous NBA markets, while the parity amongst teams provided the thrillingly unpredictable season that fans have been clamoring for.

On top of all that, as the league’s collection of stars continues to grow, the pantheon of current all-time greats does as well. LeBron James, Kevin Durant and Stephen Curry have been joined by Giannis Antetokounmpo, Russell Westbrook, Kawhi Leonard and James Harden in recent years.

With that said, although today’s fans have a natural inclination to try to establish who the best player in the NBA is (perhaps due to what will be a never-ending ‘GOAT’ debate), what’s become clear is that the days when that was possible—if there even has been in the post-Michael Jordan era—is gone.

There’s no sole Wilt Chamberlain that’s performing athletic feats that lead to astronomical numbers that don’t look real on paper. There’s no, as previously mentioned, sole player reminiscent of a matured Jordan whose playmaking was as masterful as his aggressive play style was menacing.

These days are a lot like the ones is Jordan’s early years, where he, Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and Larry Bird could have been considered equal. Or like James’ early years, with he, Kobe Bryant and Tim Duncan vying for the title of best player in the world.

There’s no longer one king of the court, and perhaps there may not need to be.

Instead of one face of the NBA, there are now several players deserving of the title:

King James, commander of the 10th Legion (pointed Julius Caesar reference).

King KD, basketball savant (and renowned tweeter).

King Curry of the Bay, master archer (and golfer).

King Giannis the Humble, of Greece and Nigeria.

King Kawhi, the second cyborg on this list.

The five players with a right to claim the title as best player in the league due to the combination of their abilities, impact and accomplishments.

This coregency is routinely noted by fans that would rather rank players by tiers but the idea hasn’t gained enough traction among mainstream analysts and media. If it had, the mystifying debates about the best player in the league would have given way to discourse about how this quintet has succeeded in very different ways and the different groups of people each represent.

One last thing: the Hardens, Jokics and Westbrooks also deserve praise as recent MVPs. Their crowning—their coronation as kings—occurred during their award ceremony.

Without multiple championships or MVP awards (either in the Finals or regular season), they won’t be seen in the same light as the aforementioned players.

Even still, in an empire, there are multiple kings.

[Editor’s note: In this metaphor, one may still wind up wondering who the emperor—the king of kings—is (if anybody, it would likely be LeBron, who’s also known as “the Little Emperor” in China).]

The post State of the NBA: There’s No Longer, and No Need For, One King appeared first on SLAM.

Harden was detained by French police in Paris on Thursday, but was released and not arrested according to numerous reports including ESPN and the French newspaper, Le Parisien.

The incident surrounded a car being pulled over by the French police because of a cannabis smell. Rapper Lil Baby, whose real name is Dominique Jones was reportedly among those in the car. According to police, Harden was not in the car, but was just near the scene talking with friends as the arrests took place.

When James tried to intervene, he was detained and frisked, but let go. Lil Baby was fined and released on Friday on suspicion of transport of illicit drugs. According to Yahoo! Sports, he is returning to the United States. One other person was also detained, but the identity or current status has not been released. Video of the incident quickly surfaced online with Harden saying “I don’t understand.”

Bravo à la police française des incompétents… même pas capable de reconnaître James HARDEN pic.twitter.com/YLAeBFdaXk

— cateregardeap (@TiSoldier971) July 8, 2021

According to reports, 20 grams of cannabis was found in the car which is illegal in France.

Harden was originally supposed to be a member of Team USA for the upcoming Olympics before dropping out after reaggravating his hamstring in Brooklyn’s loss in the second round to the Milwaukee Bucks in seven games.

The post Nets’ James Harden Reportedly Detained By French Police, But Released appeared first on SLAM.

The competition committee and the League’s GMs are going to meet next week to iron out specific examples to bring to the Governors for a vote. 

Sources: NBA’s Competition Committee met Monday to further explore rules changes to restrict unnatural motions on jump shots players use to draw fouls. NBA wants to limit players – including stars like Trae Young, James Harden – from leaning backwards and sideways to draw fouls.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 14, 2021

This potential rule change is a direct response to a number of specific players who have abused the current set of rules to unnaturally initiate contact with their defender, and subsequently go to the foul line.

Brooklyn Nets superstar James Harden and Atlanta Hawks All-Star Trae Young are the prime examples of players who abuse this loophole (Young has become so well-known for it that New York City Mayor Bill De Blasio called him out for it in a now-viral video).

Subsequently, Young and Harden consistently rank near the top of the league in free-throw attempts. In fact, this season, Young ranked third this season and Harden had been the league’s leader in free-throw attempts for the previous six seasons.

A new rule could significantly hinder their attempts, and, subsequently, decrease their scoring output.

According to Woj, the league has compiled a compilation of video examples and have shared them with all 30 teams.

The competition committee and the League’s GMs are going to meet next week to iron out specific examples to bring to the Governors for a vote. 

There’s a plan for the competition committee to introduce a set of recommendations to the NBA Board of Governors at some point this summer and for those rules to be set prior to when the 2021-22 Summer League begins in August.

The post NBA to Explore Rule Changes that Limit Unnatural Shooting Motions appeared first on SLAM.

Malika Andrews of ESPN reported this weekend that James Harden will miss Game 2 on Monday against the Bucks as well.  

After Game 1, Nets Head Coach Steve Nash talked about how seeing this happen to Harden is heartbreaking. 

Brooklyn won Game 1 by a score of 115-107 without Harden for nearly the entire game, as he played just one minute. 

Game 2 will take place in Monday night Brooklyn, where Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving will look to take the 2-0 series lead without their third superstar alongside them. Durant and Irving combined for 54 points, 15 rebounds and 11 assists in Game 1 while Blake Griffin contributed 18 points and 14 rebounds of his own. 

The post James Harden to Miss Game 2 Against Bucks appeared first on SLAM.

The scary realization many fans and players around the League are coming to is just how in sync the three offensive juggernauts are, each recognizing when they need to assert their play style more, or less.

Propelled by James Harden’s 34 point triple-double, the Nets advanced to the Eastern Conference semifinals after defeating the Celtics 123-109 last night.

Harden, continuing to cement is irreplaceable value on an already stacked team, kept the offensive motor of the team humming all night by dishing out 10 assists.

In all, The Beard averaged 27.8 points 10.6 assists and 7.2 rebounds while shooting 47.5% from beyond the arc in his first playoff series with the Nets.

.@JHarden13 saw daylight and knew he had to THROW. DOWN.

@MaimonidesMC Play of the Game pic.twitter.com/jIjyEJvvmo

— Brooklyn Nets (@BrooklynNets) June 2, 2021

After last night’s victory, Harden now ranks fourth (3) in all-time most 30 point triple-double in the playoffs behind LeBron James (15), Oscar Roberson (8) and Russell Westbrook (6).

Harden also continues to blast open the Brooklyn Nets record books in his first season with the franchise, joining Hall of Fame point guard Jason Kidd as the only players in franchise history to record a triple-double in the playoffs.

The Beard capped off the night by tossing an all-red version of his Adidas Harden Vol. 5’s up to a young lucky Nets fan.

my favorite pair, from me to you kid… go be great! pic.twitter.com/LEACQfi7PG

— James Harden (@JHarden13) June 2, 2021

Brooklyn will continue to rack up reps with their Big Three when they face the Milwaukee Bucks next Tuesday.

The post James Harden, Nets Take Out Celtics in Game 5 appeared first on SLAM.

Yet the perennial ball-handler for this star-studded roster just achieved another great playoff feat. Harden has now moved up to 6th on the all-time playoffs threes made list, making him the second current Brooklyn player on the list. He did so on just 12 attempts from the field—eight of which were threes.

“It’s not about scoring for me,” Harden said. “It’s about doing everything else. Ultimately we got the win so that’s all that matters. Joe had it going tonight, we all knew that. … Whatever it takes to win, we’re willing to do.”

Congrats to @JHarden13 of the @BrooklynNets for moving up to 6th on the all-time #NBAPlayoffs THREES MADE list! #ThatsGame pic.twitter.com/Oowitx9sie

— NBA (@NBA) May 26, 2021

By the time this seasons playoffs wrap, Harden could very well surpass both Manu Ginobili and potentially Klay Thompson on the list.

Harden will get another chance to move up to #5 on the list on Friday when the Nets travel to TD Garden to face the Celts in Game 3 of the series.

The post James Harden Surpasses Reggie Miller on All-Time Playoffs Threes-Made List appeared first on SLAM.

However, now that the playoffs are here, the Nets have a healthy big three and are ready to make a championship run. 

On Saturday night, they took on the Boston Celtics in Game 1 of their opening series, winning by a final score of 104-93. Durant, Irving and Harden combined for 82 points, just 11 shy of the entire Celtics roster. 

Not only was this a statement for the Nets, who have been wanting to show their talent off for a long time, but also a win for the fans. After their win, Durant said that this one was for Brooklyn fans. 

They deserve it, as this was only the Nets’ second playoff game win since 2015. Brooklyn fans have waited a long time to have a roster this talented as their trio will look to take them the distance. 

The post Kevin Durant After Game 1 Win: ‘We Wanted It For Our Fans So Bad’ appeared first on SLAM.

James Harden says he is “very confident” he will be back before the post season. https://t.co/ZcWK2NbTXf

— Malika Andrews (@malika_andrews) May 6, 2021

Harden has only played in seven games with Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving this season.

| 𝗝𝗔𝗠𝗘𝗦 𝗛𝗔𝗥𝗗𝗘𝗡 𝗠𝗘𝗗𝗜𝗔 𝗥𝗘𝗖𝗔𝗣

“We’re just taking it one day at a time.”@JHarden13 | #BrooklynTogether pic.twitter.com/RUhtIAHqmE

— Brooklyn Nets (@BrooklynNets) May 6, 2021

The Nets have been without their All-Star guard since April 5th after a 114-112 win over the New York Knicks when the hamstring injury held Harden to four minutes and 22 seconds. He missed the prior two games for what was called hamstring tightness.

Despite telling reporters that he feels “really good” working on his conditioning and his change of speed and direction, Harden will have to get through a few more workouts without pain or discomfort to avoid a setback like he had on April 21 that prompted coach Steve Nash to temper expectations a couple of weeks ago.

“We’re back to square one,” coach Steve Nash said then. “He will be back when he’s back. It might be the playoffs. It might be sooner.”

James Harden does not have much of a window left in the season with only five games left before the season ends on Sunday May 16th. Harden has not ruled out the possibility of returning on Brooklyn’s current road trip.

The Nets play the Denver Nuggets Saturday and Chicago Bulls on Tuesday on the road. Then, they finish the season at home against the San Antonio Spurs on May 12th, the Bulls again on May 15th and the Cleveland Cavaliers on May 16th.

Brooklyn have a record of 8-8 during Harden’s hiatus after losing to the Dallas Mavericks on Thursday night. The nine-time All-Star averages 25.4 points, 11.0 assists and 8.7 rebounds in 34 games in his Nets tenure.

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James Harden Medical Update: pic.twitter.com/bQqj1BZ0ch

— Brooklyn Nets (@BrooklynNets) April 20, 2021

Harden reaggravated his injury on Monday doing an “on court” rehab session. After an MRI on Tuesday, his future is unclear according to Steve Nash, via ESPN’s Malika Andrews.

“Back to square one,” Nets coach Steve Nash said Tuesday. “We’ll rehabilitate him and get him back whenever we can, and who knows when that will be. We’ll support James and our performance team in getting him back in as best condition as possible. And hopefully, that comes sooner than later, but there’s no guarantee.”

Harden has now missed seven games after playing just four minutes on April 5th against the New York Knicks. Before the setback, he was doing well in his rehab and was participating in 3-on-3 and 4-on-4 workouts.

Harden’s teammate, Kevin Durant, who is also out “indefinitely” with a left thigh contusion, has a “more positive” prognosis than Harden and is considered day to day after colliding with Miami Heat’s Trevor Ariza on Sunday.

The Nets are considered this year’s title favorites, but now history is against them. Per ESPN Stats & Information research, no champion has had its top three scorers miss at least ten games in the same season. Durant, Harden and Kyrie Irving have all missed at least that amount.

The Nets (39-19) are currently the 2nd seed in the Eastern Conference sitting a half-game behind the Philadelphia 76ers.

James Harden has season averages of 25.2 points, 8.0 rebounds and 10.9 assists per game for the Nets.

The post James Harden Out Indefinitely From Hamstring Rehab Setback appeared first on SLAM.

The Nets say Harden will be out for the next 10 days and will be re-evaluated at the end of that timeframe. With that timeline, Harden is slated to miss at least five games over the next two weeks, including games against the Los Angeles Lakers and Philadelphia 76ers.

The Beard has had yet another MVP-caliber season in 2020-21, and 42 games into the season has averaged 25.2 points, 8.0 rebounds and 10.9 assists per game with a true shooting percentage of .616. With All-NBA forward Kevin Durant recently returning to the lineup, Brooklyn will have an easier time surviving in his absence.

Nonetheless, as the Nets (36-16) are currently first in the Eastern Conference standings, they would likely love to have Harden back sooner rather than later.

Not only to keep their momentum but to build chemistry before their first playoff run while led by the Big Three of Durant, Harden and Kyrie Irving.

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“James Harden will always be a Rocket,” Fertitta said via text message Tuesday. “Of course, we will retire his jersey. He made my first three years of owning this franchise unforgettable. The success he brought this franchise over eight years and the memories he created for our fan base/community (are) truly remarkable.”

A former Sixth Man of the Year, Harden will be the sixth player in Rockets history to have his jersey retired, joining Hakeem Olajuwon, Moses Malone, Clyde Drexler, Yao Ming, Calvin Murphy and Rudy Tomjanovich. All of the previous players to have their jerseys retired were inducted to the Hall of Fame, as Harden will eventually be as well

Traded to Houston in 2012 in a move that dismantled a championship-contending Oklahoma City Thunder team, led the Rockets to the playoffs every season after the deal, including two Western Conference Finals berths.

During his eight-plus with the Rockets, Harden played 621 games, averaging 29.6 points and 7.7 assists per game. He was named an All-Star selection eight times, an All-NBA selection seven times, won three league scoring titles and won the 2017-18 NBA MVP award.

Ultimately, the former third overall pick finished his tenure in Houston as the Rockets’ all-time leader in assists (4,796), 3-point field goals (2,029) and free-throw conversions (5,554), three hallmarks of his game. Harden trails only Hall of Fame center Hakeem Olajuwon, who played 17 seasons in Houston, as the all-time scoring leader with 18,365 points.

Harden, who started this season with Rockets, was dealt to the Brooklyn Nets after requesting a trade from a re-tooling franchise that lost revered team architect Daryl Morey in the offseason. He’s now averaging 25.2 points, 11.0 assists and 7.7 rebounds per game this season and has been named to his ninth straight All-Star Game.

Harden will be playing his first game in Houston since the trade on Wednesday, Mar. 3.   

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On Wednesday night, Harden will face his former team in Houston for the first time since the trade. While these types of games are always extremely emotional, that may not be the case this time around.

USA Today’s Mark Medina heard from Irving in a recent press conference, who set his expectations for Harden’s return to Houston. Irving made it known that they are going to play a game of basketball and it should be left at that.

“There will be no tension and no shit talking going on the court or about James or my presence or anybody else’s presence. We’re coming to Houston to enjoy the game of basketball and play it at a high level.”

Harden spent nine seasons in Houston and was their best player the entire time. He was so good during that stint, that it was recently reported by The Houston Chronicle that his number will be retired. Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta had nothing but great things to say about Harden when this news was announced.

“James Harden will always be a Rocket. Of course, we will retire his jersey. He made my first three years of owning the franchise unforgettable. The success he brought this franchise over eight years and the memories he created for our fan base/community [are] truly remarkable.”

James Harden is averaging 25.2 points 11.0 assists and 7.7 rebounds per game with the Nets. As Harden faces his former team tonight in Houston, all eyes will be on him.

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These 14 reserves will join the starters (10 in total) that were named last week — a list headlined by team captains LeBron James and Kevin Durant (of the Los Angeles Lakers and Brooklyn Nets, respectively).

Phoenix Suns point guard Chris Paul leads the way in All-Star appearances among this group, playing in his 11^th All-Star Game this year. Paul is only one of three players in this year’s event with at least 10 All-Star appearances, the other two being LeBron and Durant.

Brooklyn Nets guard James Harden has the next highest mark among the reserves. The Beard is playing his ninth All-Star game but his first representing the Eastern Conference thanks his well-publicized trade from the Houston Rockets.

Harden is one of three Nets in the All-Star Game alongside starters Durant and Irving.

Los Angeles Lakers big man Anthony Davis is an All-Star for not just the eighth time in his career but the eighth time in a row. Davis has been an All-Star every season of his career, with the only exception being his rookie season in 2012-13.

Another veteran of the All-Star Game, Los Angeles Clippers wing Paul George, makes his return to the All-Star Game for the seventh time after missing last year’s festivities.

Right behind him, Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard finds himself in his sixth All-Star Game.

Dame Dolla has the highest scoring average of the All-Star reserves, averaging 29.6 points per game, the fourth-highest number in the league. Lillard will also participate in the All-Star 3-Point Contest.

On the flip side, Philadelphia 76ers guard Ben Simmons is averaging just 15.7 points per game but is making his third All-Star Game because of his excellent playmaking – 7.9 assists per game – and defense for the Sixers.

Nikola Vucevic, Rudy Gobert, Donovan Mitchell and Jayson Tatum will all be making their second appearances.

Four players from the reserves will be playing in their first-ever All-Star Games. Julius Randle, Zach LaVine, Jaylen Brown and Zion Williamson will make their first All-Star appearances.

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Through his Houston-based restaurant, Thirteen, Harden was able to provide much-needed relief for a city that he spent nearly a decade playing in.

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A post shared by James Harden (@jharden13)

That’s not all Harden has done though. He’s also been in contact with state officials in an effort to find timely and effective solutions for those impacted by the statewide power failure.

On Monday, Harden discussed in more detail what he’s been doing to aid the citizens of Houston.

“I’m on calls literally every day, all day trying to impact the city because they’ve shown me so much love and respect in the time that I was there… I call Houston home. It’s devastating obviously. It’s probably worse than the hurricane just because we just don’t know how many people were affected, not having electricity, not having power and isn’t able to eat or be outside or whatever the case may be.”

“So, not only food—obviously,” Harden continues. “I have a restaurant in Houston that is not open yet—but not only food, we’re trying to feed as many people as we can. A lot of water. You know, shoutout to Body Armour that is helping me with that. But, we have a lot of Body Armour shipping in this week for people which I will be posting.”

Harden, who donated $1 million to Hurricane Harvey relief efforts in 2017 and groceries to 5,000 families in need in the Greater Houston area in 2020, wants those who look to him for aid to know that he won’t stop offering his help.

“And as far as plumbing, I am in contact with some plumbing companies that have been for these last few days that have been taking care of 70 houses a day, you patching up these pipes because once the electricity came back on, pipes started to burst,” he says. “We’ve seen so many cases of that in Houston.

I’ve been in contact with the mayor—Mayor Turner. Just so many people that I’ve known that are able to help while I’m not there. And you know, obviously, this is a huge problem but I try to impact and help as much as I can while I’m out there. And I’ll continue that. It won’t stop because there’s so many people that’s been affected that I can’t stop.”

The post James Harden Donates 3,000 Meals to Houston Families Affected by Storm, Power Outages appeared first on SLAM.

It’s not often that you’ll find a Sixth Man of the Year who’ll go on to become a perennial All-Star and league MVP—but that’s the unique and inspiring story of ‘The Beard.’ He’s solidified himself as the second-best player in Houston Rockets’ franchise history, only behind Hall of Fame center Hakeem Olajuwon.

That said, when Harden requested a trade from Houston– where he had played for the last eight seasons– in December, it raised plenty of eyebrows. By the time Harden’s trade request was actually granted, questions were raised about the three-time scoring champion himself.

Why was he out at parties when the Rockets wanted him at the facility? Why did he have such a blatant disregard for his new head coach and teammates’ desires?

According to Harden, who appeared on ESPN’s ‘The Jump’ with Rachel Nichols, he “wasn’t trying to be disrespectful.”

“The front office knew where I stood and what I wanted. I apologize for how it went down but I guess I had to do what I had to do to in order to get where it wanted to go.”

“Credit to Houston. They didn’t necessarily have to trade me to Brooklyn; they could have traded me anywhere. But those are some standup guys over there. It ended up the right way, I just didn’t like that month or two played out.”

Considering what Harden meant to Houston and the Rockets franchise, it really is regrettable that there wasn’t a smoother exit for Harden or a happier ending altogether. Had he not run into the dynastic Golden State Warriors in four out of his last six playoff appearances (and the reigning NBA champions in 2020), there’s a great chance that Harden would have led the Rockets to their first Finals appearance since 1995.

The post James Harden Doesn’t Like How He Handled Exit From Houston appeared first on SLAM.

One of their biggest issues has been figuring things out situationally, including different roles these three will play. Late last week, Irving spoke to ESPN’s Malika Andrews and others about how he and Harden decided who would play what position going forward. 

“I just looked at [Harden], I said, ‘You’re the point guard, and I’m gonna play shooting guard.’ That was as simple as that.”

Although it appears that Harden will be the team’s point guard moving forward, that doesn’t mean that Irving won’t be bringing the ball up the floor at times. In fact, Brooklyn’s versatility is what makes them dangerous as several players, including Durant, are capable of pulling down a board and pushing the ball up the floor. 

When it comes to running offensive sets and determining who will have the ball in their hands to facilitate most, Harden will take on those duties. Irving is having a great year in the scoring column, so playing off the ball more makes sense too. 

For a Brooklyn Nets team that is still looking to mesh and figure things out, this could be the first step in the right direction. 

The post Kyrie Irving To James Harden: ‘You’re The Point Guard’ appeared first on SLAM.

There is, however, another star two-guard who had caught the Nuggets’ eye.

According to The Athletic’s Sam Amick, the Nuggets had seriously considered bringing The Beard to Denver for him to play alongside early-season MVP candidate Nikola Jokic.

The Nuggets may be kicking themselves for not pouncing on that move, as rising star Jamal Murray has been inconsistent while battling through injuries this season and the promising Michael Porter Jr.’s playstyle often leads to frustration from his coaches and teammates. Sitting at 15-11, Denver is currently just seventh in the Western Conference standings.

As the Nets are just 17-12 themselves (though third in the Eastern Conference standings), it remains to be seen if Denver was better off not making a move for Harden.

Nonetheless, while his foul-baiting isn’t aesthetically pleasing to many fans, the Nuggets would have been hard-pressed to find another trade target as talented, decorated and available as the 2018 NBA MVP.

Harden is averaging 23.9 points. 11.3 assists, 7.3 rebounds, and 1.0 steal per game this season.

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While Harden is known for his offense, winning three-straight scoring titles, Durant thinks he is an underrated defender and could be a difference maker on defense. 

Durant spoke to Kristian Winfield of New York Daily News on Monday after a win over the Clippers, talking about Harden’s defensive upside. 

“If we ask him to guard somebody, he can go out there and do his job. I think that’s the underrated part of his game.”

Harden has shown throughout his career that he is a capable defender when he wants to be, especially in the post. If we see more of that this season and into the playoffs, Brooklyn will be tough to beat. 

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After being traded away from the Nets, Allen spoke to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype and other members of the media about the trade as a whole. Allen was asked if he would have made the trade if he were the Nets, and gave quite the answer:

“I would do it, I’m not going to lie. If you look at the Lakers, they did the same thing. They went and got their ring. I would’ve loved to stay in Brooklyn, but I understand that an opportunity like that, you have to do it.”

That’s unique perspective from Allen, who was able to take an unbiased look at the situation. The Los Angeles Lakers made a similar move last offseason, trading almost all of their future draft capital and a lot of their young talent to acquire Anthony Davis. It worked out for them, as their superstar talent at the top proved to be more valuable than retaining their depth. 

The Nets will be in a similar situation now, as they have a dynamic superstar cast, but lack the depth and future picks they once had. Over the next few months, they will look to build out the remainder of their roster and strive towards an NBA championship, following in the footsteps of the Lakers. 

The post Jarrett Allen On James Harden Trade: ‘I Would Do It, I’m Not Going To Lie’ appeared first on SLAM.

We’ve seen Harden and Kevin Durant play together once before, in Oklahoma City. Back then, they were in their early twenties and one of the best teams in the NBA, taking on LeBron James and the Miami Heat in the NBA Finals.

For Harden, this time around playing with Durant is much different. After their recent win over the Milwaukee Bucks, he told Malika Andrews of ESPN and other members of the media about his mindset as he’s matured since his days in Oklahoma City.

“We were young in Oklahoma City. We are grown men now. We know what we want. We really know the game of basketball now. We are not those young guys that want to run around and just shoot and dunk all day. And then for me, I sit back and I know what player Kevin Durant is. He’s one of the best players to ever touch a basketball.”

The Thunder traded Harden to the Rockets in October of 2012, meaning almost an entire decade has gone by since him and Durant last played together. Since then, they’ve both accomplished scoring titles, MVP awards, and countless NBA All-Star game appearances. Now, Harden will look to win his first NBA title alongside his newest teammates in Durant and Irving.

The post James Harden On Round Two With Kevin Durant: ‘We Were Young In Oklahoma City, We’re Grown Men Now’ appeared first on SLAM.

However, more details about the events leading up to the biggest trade of 2021 have emerged, as The Athletic’s Sam Amick and Kelly Iko report that Houston Rockets head coach Stephen Silas led a team meeting that cemented Harden’s impending departure.

In that meeting, both John Wall and DeMarcus Cousins—newcomers but veterans with a high level of respect and cache league-wide—confronted Harden:

“…Sources say multiple teammates expressed displeasure with Harden’s recent body language and effort. Silas had asked if anyone wanted to share their unfiltered views, and the dialogue about their dysfunction began from there.

John Wall and DeMarcus Cousins both spoke during the meeting, sources said, seeking a direct response on Harden’s level of commitment and preaching about the importance of accountability.”

Harden, who made his initial request to be traded prior to the 2020-21 season, had made headlines by choosing not to join the Rockets in favor of partying in metropolitan cities. In effect, Harden was taking the same tact that many other athletes have used during contract holdouts: refusing their services until there’s a resolution to their situation.

With the wheels already in motion once he finally returned to the court, Harden appeared to play disinterestedly; his commitment to his teammates and organization clearly wasn’t there. This understandably drew the ire of his teammates, who rightly felt as if they had done nothing to earn Harden’s disrespect.

However, while Harden’s tactics can be questioned, this situation is now anecdotal evidence for why star players’ trade requests should be granted. Houston gained little to nothing—besides drama and dysfunction—by trying to hold on to a player that wanted to move on from their franchise after eight seasons.

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According to Keith Pompey of the The Philadelphia Inquirer, the Sixers thought they had a done deal with the Rockets that would send a package including Ben Simmons and Matisse Thybulle for James Harden.

Pompey says that they were even informed by their agents of an expected trade but the Rockets ultimately ended up never ended up calling the Sixers back for a Harden trade counteroffer.

Regardless, Harden now is a member of the Nets alongside Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant. For Simmons and the rest of his teammates in Philly, they can once again play with the re-assurance that the team is going to look the same for the foreseeable future as they look to continue their solid start to the season.

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Danny Ainge, general manager of the Boston Celtics, spoke to 98.5 The Sports Hub’s Toucher & Rich shortly after this massive trade, saying that the asking price for Harden was much too serious for the Celtics.

“Yeah, we had conversations regarding James, not recently but yeah, we did have conversations. We had numerous talks, but the price really wasn’t changing. The price was really high for us, and it was something we really didn’t want to do… I think unanimously, we decided it wasn’t time for us and it wasn’t the price.”

With how good the Celtics are, it may have been the right move to stay out of the Harden sweepstakes. Their two best players are both under 25 years old and will only continue to get better over the next half-decade. Sometimes the best move is doing nothing, as moving one of their young pieces could have burned them long-term.

Boston is currently the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference at 7-3 behind their young stars in Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown.

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Harden, who spent more than eight seasons with the Houston Rockets, was traded to the Brooklyn Nets in a four-team blockbuster deal. The Sixers, who hired former Rockets general manager Daryl Morey to be their president of basketball operations in November, have been tied to Harden in trade rumors for months.

Of course, when trading for a superstar like Harden, there’s an expectation that the team sending away their marquee player will receive one in return. As a result of this rationale and Simmons’ questionable on-court fit with All-Star center Joel Embiid, his name has often cropped up in conversations surrounding Harden.

Fortunately for Simmons, Morey has been determined to build a team around both him and Embiid, adding perimeter shooters to the roster throughout the offseason to balance out Simmons’ struggling jump shot.

With Harden now joining forces with Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving in Brooklyn, there’s still a chance that Simmons will be involved in trade rumors that involve The Beard; it’s just the nature of the business.

However, for at least a brief period, Simmons can keep his mind off of hypothetical trades involving him. With his team sitting at 8-4 and off to one of the best starts in the NBA, the Sixers can keep their focus on their current core too.

The post Ben Simmons ‘Ecstatic’ To Not Be Traded For James Harden appeared first on SLAM.

The trade will also include the Cleveland Cavaliers and Indiana Pacers, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN reports. The Cavs will acquire Jarrett Allen and Taurean Prince in the deal while LeVert and four future first-round picks are among the package heading to Houston.

Those picks will be unprotected in 2022, 2024 and 2026.

The Pacers, a late addition to the deal, will take LeVert and a second-round pick from the Rockets and send Victor Oladipo to Houston.

Overall, the Rockets will onboard Oladipo, three unprotected first-round picks from Brooklyn, four additional pick swaps with Brooklyn, Dante Exum and Rodions Kurucs.

Related: DeMarcus Cousins: ‘My interest is to play with John Wall, to be brutally honest’

The post Brooklyn Nets to Acquire James Harden in Trade appeared first on SLAM.

As momentum builds toward a James Harden trade, the rest of the team has spoken about the state of the franchise.

“My interest is to play with John Wall, to be brutally honest,” offseason acquisition DeMarcus Cousins told the media, including The Athletic’s Sam Amick. “The disrespect started way before.”

While Harden’s desire to be traded was first reported in November, the Rockets attempted to make the situation with the 2018 NBA MVP work. That hasn’t gone according to plan.

“We feel a certain type of way about some of his actions,” Cousins continued. “This is the nasty part of the business that kind of gets swept under the rug.“

First-year head coach Stephen Silas has been at the helm of the Rockets and has worked diligently to try to navigate the precarious situation. He, naturally, took umbrage with the 31-year-old’s Tuesday night comments that the team wasn’t good enough.

“That’s hard to hear, especially when you don’t believe it and you know it not to be true,” Silas said.

Related: What we know about James Harden trade possibilities

The post DeMarcus Cousins: ‘The Disrespect Started Way Before’ appeared first on SLAM.

The news comes on the heels of a particularly damning post-game press conference on Tuesday night in which Harden said that situation in Houston could not be fixed.

Two suitors floated as potential destinations for the perennial All-Star are the Brooklyn Nets and Houston Rockets.

Until a trade is completed, the Rockets intend to keep Harden away from the team. Harden did not practice with the team today.

Related: DeMarcus Cousins, Stephen Silas react

The Athletic reports that the Nets have prepared a trade package of four first-round picks and three-pick swaps, the maximum amount of draft compensation allowable given the limiting nature of the Ted Stepien rule.

The Nets would additionally need to send out $33 million in salaries to make such a deal work. That could come in the form of one contract, Kyrie Irving’s, or a combination of rotation players.

The Rockets themselves are said to be pursuing a trade package from Philadelphia that would involve Ben Simmons and rookie Tyrese Maxey heading to Houston (Stein), although it’s worth repeating that Sixers general manager Daryl Morey has said that they have no desire to trade Simmons.

Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports reports that Matisse Thybulle is another player the Rockets are interested in.

The post Report: Rockets Determined to Trade James Harden as Soon as Today appeared first on SLAM.

Harden is averaging just 26.0 points on 17.0 shots per game, both of which would be the lowest totals that he’s posted since 2013-14.

Additionally, the Rockets as a team have struggled. To this point, they’re 3-6 and sitting at No. 14 in the Western Conference. While Harden has made it clear that he wants out of Houston, the Rockets have tried to resolve the situation and keep him happy where he is.

After Tuesday night’s loss to the Lakers, Harden let out his frustrations to Tim MacMahon of ESPN and other members of the media.

“[We’re] just not good enough…I love this city. I literally have done everything that I can. I mean, this situation is crazy. It’s something that I don’t think can be fixed.“

While this likely isn’t a goodbye message, it certainly puts pressure on the Houston front office. There’s been very few situations like this in NBA history in which a player makes a statement like this on video.

The Rockets will still await a trade package they find suitable for Harden, but things should get interesting over the next few days.

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“We are not trading Ben Simmons—he is an important part of our future,” Morrey said on Thursday according to Shams Charania, who initially reported the news.

Charania had first reported that “conversations [between the two teams] aren’t fluid as of now,” while ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski tweeted that “those talks have come nowhere close to a deal.”

For those that have been following all of the recent drama surrounding Harden and the Rockets, the 76ers and the Brooklyn Nets were two teams Harden had reportedly expressed interest in being traded to. The Miami Heat are also reportedly interested in the shooting guard and open to making Tyler Herro available.

Woj and ESPN senior writer Romona Shelburne also report that the Rockets have been talking to teams beyond Harden’s “preferred” list:

“Several playoff-caliber teams in the Eastern and Western conferences have told ESPN that they’re finding increased comfort in committing high-level trade assets in talks to acquire Harden,” ESPN’s staff writes. “The Rockets have ongoing discussions on several fronts and have been communicating with Harden about those scenarios,” sources said.

If a trade would have happened with Philly, the 76ers would have lost a major talent in Simmons, who averaged 16.4 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 8.0 assists last season despite shooting troubles.

Simmons, 24, is a two-time All-Star and was named to the NBA All-Defensive First Team last season.

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According to ESPN’s Tim MacMahon, Westbrook grew increasingly frustrated with how the organization ran things. The team reportedly had a lack of timeliness, discipline, and “allowed” superstars like James Harden to do as they pleased.

MacMahon writes:

Westbrook didn’t tolerate tardiness. With the Rockets, scheduled departure times were treated as mere suggestions by Harden and others.

Nothing ever starts on time,” a former Rockets staffer said. “The plane is always late. The bus is never on time. … It’s just an organized AAU team.”

On one occasion in the Florida bubble, Harden waited to get his daily COVID-19 testing until just before the Rockets’ film session was scheduled to start. When he wasn’t on time, Westbrook barked, “Start the film! Start without him!” D’Antoni explained that they’d just have to start over when Harden arrived, which didn’t do much to calm Westbrook.”

MacMahon also wrote of Harden’s propensity for partying, a subject that has been front and center since the team resumed training camp this month without their superstar.

Harden was late to report and instead went to Atlanta to attend rapper Lil Baby’s birthday party, and then to Vegas. Harden insists that he was training.

MacMahon’s sources additionally claim that former Rockets point guard Chris Paul didn’t like how Harden chose not to participate in the team’s offense when he didn’t have the ball, and that even Westbrook felt like he wasn’t able to “play his game.”

All drama aside, it’s a new season for Harden—who says that he’s focused on on the present and making sure that he’s in shape.

Westbrook, on the other hand, will get an opportunity to help lead Bradley Beal and the Washington Wizards back into the Eastern Conference playoff picture, free of any drama developing in Houston.

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