They say everything happens for a reason, and in the case of James Harden ’s Oklahoma City Thunder exit, it’s because of The Beard’s stint in the 2012 Olympic Games.
How did that happen? Kendrick Perkins revealed that Harden’s Team USA superstar teammates planted the seeds, ultimately pushing the shooting guard to look for greener pastures.
In a segment of Road Trippin’, the former NBA big man revealed the untold story of Harden’s Thunder exit.
“James Harden, when he was in Oklahoma City, soon as we left, went to the NBA Finals. I remember having this conversation when we got back, when KD, James Harden, I believe Russ (Westbrook) got back from the Olympics, from winning the gold,” said Perkins.
“KD said, ‘Man, we about to lose James, and it’s not about the money. And I said, ‘Man, what are you talking about?’ He said, we’re about to lose James because when we was over in the Olympics, Bron, D-Wade, all those guys were telling James, ‘Bro, you’re too nice, bro, to be coming off the bench. You’re a number one option. You need to have your own team,’” the 2008 NBA champion added.
Looking back on the young Thunder squad
If LeBron James and Dwyane Wade really urged their young teammate to seek better opportunities, the motivation was one of two things. Either the guys wanted to divide and conquer the up-and-coming young trio in Oklahoma City, or they really wanted the best for Harden. Either way, it ultimately worked.
However, the reports in the summer of 2012 indicated money was the foremost issue between The Beard and the team. According to an ESPN story , Thunder general manager Sam Presti offered a deal worth $4.5 million less than what Harden wanted. The negotiations eventually reached a stalemate, and the crafty lefty was traded to the Houston Rockets .
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Road to superstardom
With Houston handing the keys to the former Arizona State product, his star rose like smoke in the air. The Beard immediately made the 2013 All-Star team, won league MVP in 2018, and was a fixture of the All-NBA first team in a Rocket uniform. Offensively, he might have been the best in the league at one point.
Here are some of Harden’s statistical accomplishments:
- Only player with three scoring titles and two assists titles
- One of two players with a 60-point triple-double
- Only player with at least 50 points, 15 rebounds, and 15 assists in a game (January 2, 2017)
- Only one who scored at least 2,000 points, grabbed 600 rebounds, and dished 900 assists in a season. (2016-17)
- Only player who had a 40-point triple-double in less than 30 minutes (January 11, 2019)
What could have been
No one will ever know what could have been if the Thunder kept KD, Russ, and Harden on the same team. Nevertheless, if The Beard somehow reached MVP level as a Thunder, there’s no reason why a franchise with three top-10 players couldn’t win a ring or two.
If Sam Presti offered Harden what he wanted or his Olympic teammates did not put the thought in his head, we wouldn’t be guessing right now.
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