harden
- Thread starter rfdong
- Start date
Of course not. That is not realistic. However, Harden is basically saying, "I expect to be taken in the Top 5." Any other team below that, you are not getting an individual workout.
If he were smart, he would open up his eyes and realize that the only guaranteed thing in this draft is Griffin, Rubio and Thabeet and not even in that order.
Harden is, no matter what way you want to say it, maybe even not intentionally - isolating any team outside of the Top 5.
If he were smart, he would open up his eyes and realize that the only guaranteed thing in this draft is Griffin, Rubio and Thabeet and not even in that order.
Harden is, no matter what way you want to say it, maybe even not intentionally - isolating any team outside of the Top 5.
But this makes no sense -- its not as if the teams in the Top 5 are going, well, he's not working out for anybody below #5, I guess we'd better take him. And on the other hand if he does slip out of the Top 5, which is very possible, a stunt like this could cost him draft spots and cause him to slide by teams nervous about taking a guy they had not worked out. Where's the upside for him?
Oh, poor little potential NBA players. The only thing they really have control over????? They're in the running to become part of the NBA, something a vast majority of real good players never get the chance to even come close to...
I've watched these things for a very long time. It seems to me the really truly talented players work out for just about any team that has draft picks. They don't limit their options and they don't insult teams by acting as though they're too good. There are the exceptions, of course, but for the most part the Lebrons and the Dwight Howards and the like don't put themselves above the process.
I've watched these things for a very long time. It seems to me the really truly talented players work out for just about any team that has draft picks. They don't limit their options and they don't insult teams by acting as though they're too good. There are the exceptions, of course, but for the most part the Lebrons and the Dwight Howards and the like don't put themselves above the process.
Oh, poor little NBA teams. Don't kid yourself, everyone is out for themselves, nobody is being altruistic here.
These players didn't just get to this point by luck, they're obviously valued commodities or we wouldn't even be talking about this. It's a two-way street, just because they're potentially coming into very lucrative money/careers, doesn't mean they should just surrender to the will of whatever NBA teams want. It's a game played by two sides, I don't know why we should be bias towards the NBA teams. They spread negative rumors and misinformation of players to get them to drop in the draft, they're not exactly noble in this whole process either.
I'm not going to say I understand why Harden is doing this (he could have a promise for all I know) but it's his right to do it and I don't know why we should demonize him and act like the teams are such innocent victims.
These players didn't just get to this point by luck, they're obviously valued commodities or we wouldn't even be talking about this. It's a two-way street, just because they're potentially coming into very lucrative money/careers, doesn't mean they should just surrender to the will of whatever NBA teams want. It's a game played by two sides, I don't know why we should be bias towards the NBA teams. They spread negative rumors and misinformation of players to get them to drop in the draft, they're not exactly noble in this whole process either.
I'm not going to say I understand why Harden is doing this (he could have a promise for all I know) but it's his right to do it and I don't know why we should demonize him and act like the teams are such innocent victims.
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This is not arrogance, this is just smart strategy.
Think about it, if Harden somehow slips out of the top 5, you don't think at least one team in the early teens will happily pick him up even if they didn't personally worked him out? Just looking at the draft, I don't believe there's any way he fall past Toronto at #9. In other words, he's going to be in the lottery, the only question is where.
I don't think he has a promise because he'd have to stop his workout if he is to accept that promise but it does appear the Harden camp knows where his basement is and they're trying to establish his ceiling. Think of it as a student who is certain of being accepted to a top 15 ranked school and is now shooting for one of the top 5 ranked schools.
Think about it, if Harden somehow slips out of the top 5, you don't think at least one team in the early teens will happily pick him up even if they didn't personally worked him out? Just looking at the draft, I don't believe there's any way he fall past Toronto at #9. In other words, he's going to be in the lottery, the only question is where.
I don't think he has a promise because he'd have to stop his workout if he is to accept that promise but it does appear the Harden camp knows where his basement is and they're trying to establish his ceiling. Think of it as a student who is certain of being accepted to a top 15 ranked school and is now shooting for one of the top 5 ranked schools.
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I really don't understand your logic. Just because these NBA players are the best at what they do, they need to be humbled by it? And if they aren't humble, should we just give their spot to a player who appreciates it more? If a great lawyer is looking for a firm to work for, will he just work with anybody? No, he'd want to work for whatever is best for him.
Just because an NBA player is an entertainer, does that make their opportunities less important? Oh, but he should just be HAPPY he is this good! I mean, he didn't put a lot of effort into becoming a great player, he was just lucky!!!
Right, I think you need to reconsider the NBA as a business.
Just because an NBA player is an entertainer, does that make their opportunities less important? Oh, but he should just be HAPPY he is this good! I mean, he didn't put a lot of effort into becoming a great player, he was just lucky!!!
Right, I think you need to reconsider the NBA as a business.
No, think about it as a student who is an idiot and does not bother to even apply to one or two safety schools. And who makes that decision public to the schools at whom he is thumbing his nose.
And BTW, slipping to #9 or whatever is precisely the sort of pernicious result that this kind of ploy could result in -- in the NBA draft, with lockstep contracts, if he costs himself even just 2 or 3 positions with this nonsense he's literally costing himself hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Here is the only way this would make sense -- I know I suck. I know I suck and will look bad in workouts, so I go ahead and take a flyer on the Top 5 teams hoping that maybe I have a good day or maybe somebody becomes enamored. Basically that I get lucky. But I don't go to anybody else's workouts ebcause if I'm not going to get lucky, I'd rather hide my flaws and hope somebody gambles than show them off.
And BTW, slipping to #9 or whatever is precisely the sort of pernicious result that this kind of ploy could result in -- in the NBA draft, with lockstep contracts, if he costs himself even just 2 or 3 positions with this nonsense he's literally costing himself hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Here is the only way this would make sense -- I know I suck. I know I suck and will look bad in workouts, so I go ahead and take a flyer on the Top 5 teams hoping that maybe I have a good day or maybe somebody becomes enamored. Basically that I get lucky. But I don't go to anybody else's workouts ebcause if I'm not going to get lucky, I'd rather hide my flaws and hope somebody gambles than show them off.
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less work outs.. less people to see what flaws there is to your game right? and he is confident enough to make sure he stays in the top 5.
according to draftexpress thunder are really going to go after harden
i just hope they dont pick rubio then extort us with the 23rd and harden.. OR trade him for griffin...
but i think clippers would want more for griffin.. like rubio and westbrook
according to draftexpress thunder are really going to go after harden
i just hope they dont pick rubio then extort us with the 23rd and harden.. OR trade him for griffin...
but i think clippers would want more for griffin.. like rubio and westbrook
LOL. Let's go with that analogy, shall we? Think of a student who has already applied to the top 30 schools and is trying to get cozy with the top 5; with the certainty that he will be accepted somewhere in the top 15. That's what Harden is doing.
If I read the article correctly then Harden is not even going to workout with any team, he's just granting interviews (no workout) to the top 5.
This is just basic top-dog strategy. A projected high-pick has more to lose than to gain by working out. If I were his agent I'd limit his workout too (although no workout at all is a bit overboard), the same way a political frontrunner always limits his/her QA answers while the underdogs do the exact opposite. When you're at the top, it's about playing defense.
I'm not saying he won't slip past #5, but if his cushion is still in the lottery, this tactic makes sense. It won't make sense for Sam Young but it does for Harden. This is a case by case basis, you know.
If I read the article correctly then Harden is not even going to workout with any team, he's just granting interviews (no workout) to the top 5.
This is just basic top-dog strategy. A projected high-pick has more to lose than to gain by working out. If I were his agent I'd limit his workout too (although no workout at all is a bit overboard), the same way a political frontrunner always limits his/her QA answers while the underdogs do the exact opposite. When you're at the top, it's about playing defense.
I'm not saying he won't slip past #5, but if his cushion is still in the lottery, this tactic makes sense. It won't make sense for Sam Young but it does for Harden. This is a case by case basis, you know.