HOUSTON, TEXAS – JANUARY 10: James Harden #13 of the Houston Rockets (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)
James Harden thanked the fans in Houston after his departure for Brooklyn.
James Harden’s trade request was finally granted, as the Houston Rockets traded their superstar scorer to the Brooklyn Nets, forming a mouth-watering offensive trio between Harden, Kevin Durant, and Kyrie Irving. Harden might not be the most popular man in Houston right now, but he is doing everything possible to make nice with a fanbase he alienated over the last few weeks.
Harden officially wrapped up his tenure in Houston by posting a goodbye video to Rockets fans all over the country, thanking them for their love and support as he became a future Hall of Famer and one of the greatest scorers that has ever lived over the last decade.
James Harden’s messy end shouldn’t obscure what he meant to Houston
Harden has led the league in scoring in each of the last three seasons while averaging 29.6 points per game in nine seasons as a Rocket. Considering he never scored more than 16.8 per game as a sixth man in Oklahoma City before he ended up in Houston, Harden’s transformation has been astonishing.
In addition to Durant and Irving, Harden will link back up with Mike D’Antoni, the coach who molded him into such a dominant scorer with the Rockets. Harden will get a chance to chase that elusive championship ring by pledging his future to Brooklyn, as the combination of those three with all the coaching acumen on the bench could end up taking Brooklyn over the top.
When you take into account postseason success, longevity, and productivity, Harden is the best player that has suited up for Houston since Hakeem Olajuwon retired. While his trade request put a damper on his time as a Rocket, fans shouldn’t forget what he meant to this franchise.