Skip to main content

Harden-to-Celtics scuttlebutt is ludicrous - or maybe not


It had to happen. James Harden is unhappy in Houston, and Celtics boss, Danny Ainge is always on the lookout for dissatisfaction within rival teams to possibly work a deal.

On first glance, Boston acquiring Harden just seems like a bad idea. And it well could be. The former MVP and 8-time All-Star is a ball-dominant scoring machine who averaged 34.3 pointers per game last season. Pairing him with another volume scorer, Kemba Walker, in the backcourt doesn't help the Celtics defense whatsoever, and it would significantly lessen any chances of Brad Stevens' wish for more team play coming to fruition.

But here's the argument for putting The Beard in Green. What if Kemba Walker's knee issues severely limit his effectiveness this season - a distinct possibility. It was vividly apparent that the Celtics missed their starting point guard in the very-brief, 2-game Exhibition season. Kemba simply draws a lot of attention with his offensive moves.

Stevens simply has no replacement for what Walker brings to his team. Some analysts truly believe that - no Kemba, no Finals. And they may be correct. 

Harden will earn $41.3 million this season and has a player option ($47.4M) in the final season (2022-23) of his present contract, at which time he will be 33 years old. Assuming Jaylen Brown would be the focal point of any deal for Harden, Brown's earnings this year ($22.7M) don't come close for salary-matching purposes. That would appear to be the potential killer for any such deal going down, but it can't be counted out entirely if Ainge sees a real shot at a Title this season. 

The Beard may be the most-omnipotent scorer that you will see in today's NBA game, and his 7.5 assists/game, 6.6 RPG and 1.8 SPG last season show there is more to his game. He was the League's assist leader in the 2016-17 season, handing out 11.2-per-game. If the reports of Ainge trying to trade Walker this off-season are even partially true, the scuttlebutt of a Harden-to-Boston deal may not be so far fetched. 


Comments

Popular posts from this blog

The Elm Street Nightmare

 A true-and-suspenseful horror tale of haunting, homicides and the hunt for triple-murderer, Daniel Laplante - as told by the cops that were there By Lt. Thomas Lane (Ret.)  Daniel Laplante - cold, calm, clever, calculating- Photo: YouTube   Elm Street  surfaces on six (6) occasions in the Laplante saga: 1.) He  resided on Elm Street  in Townsend, Massachusetts  2.) He  kidnapped a woman  at gunpoint on  Elm Street, Pepperell , Massachusetts 3.) That kidnapped woman fled to the Gillogly residence on Elm Street after escaping from the armed fugitive, Laplante. 4.) He was arrested and transported to Massachusetts State Police Barracks on Elm Street in Concord . 5.) He was  tried, convicted   and sentenced for the murders at  Superior Court , corner of  Elm Stree t and Gorham Street, Lowell, Massachusetts. 6.) The author, Thomas Lane, lived on Elm Steet, Pepperell, Massachusetts while a police Sgt./Lt. for the town police force. When evil and cleverness reside in the same mind, the st

Did the Celtics Kevin McHale really have a wingspan of 8-feet?

According to many sources, the Celtics Kevin McHale did indeed have an estimated wingspan of 8-feet. One of those sources is Wikipedia, as seen below: Kevin McHale American basketball player DescriptionKevin Edward McHale is an American retired basketball player who played his entire professional career for the Boston Celtics. He is a Basketball Hall of Fame inductee, and is regarded as one of the best power forwards of all time. He was named to the NBA's 50th Anniversary All-Time Team. Wikipedia Born: December 19, 1957 (age 61 years), Hibbing, MN Wingspan: 8′ 0″ Height: 6′ 10″ Spouse: Lynn McHale (m. 1982) NBA draft: 1980, Boston Celtics (Round: 1 / Pick: 3) Hall of fame induction: 1999 Number: 32 (Boston Celtics / Power forward, Center) Kevin was listed at 6'10" tall when he was drafted with the 3rd pick in the 1980 draft. Red Auerbach, in yet another heist, brought in both McHale and center Robert Parish (via trade) prior to the Celtics' 1980-81 Champion

In defense of Marcus Smart

 Let me make it clear first of all that I am totally against making a threat of any kind that even hints at harming, or certainly killing, another human being. Marcus Smart was wrong in doing so in the Celtics loss to the tanking Oklahoma City Thunder , and he deserved the one-game suspension. But to be honest, part of me loved that it occurred. . This type of thing can happen when a player gets to a point "beyond frustration" and is having a bad game. Marcus and his teammates have been under-performing generally - were in the process of losing to a pathetic-and-tanking Thunder team - and Smart was having a bad game . And he let loose verbally at the closest target - an NBA official. Wilt Chamberlain did a similar act versus referee, Earl Strom when Wilt was having his usual tortuous time at the free throw line (per Chicago Tribune's Sam Smith): ''He was in one of those 1-for-13s,'' recalls referee Earl Strom. ''Nothing was getting close. S