Harden talking with Thunder, turned down $52M

[BrianFromWA]

Deron Williams and Joe Johnson on Line Two.

 

[NOVoodoo]

Deron Williams and Joe Johnson on Line Two.

I agree with ISO-Joe being overrated, but Deron Williams? He's had some uninspired performances lately, but he's played on uninspired teams. I still have to think the only point guard in the game that's better is Chris Paul.

(Which really makes me think back to the Hawks taking Marvin Williams #2 overall. They NEEDED a point guard, yet they pass on both Chris Paul and Deron Williams for... Marvin Williams... )

I think line 2 could also read... "any backcourt the New York Knicks have ever had," just because of how the northeastern media tends to talk about them ad nauseum despite never doing anything of relevance on the court.

 

[BrianFromWA]

I say Deron's overrated b/c, while he's an Olympian and multiple all-star and Deron-is-Deron and all, he hasn't played on a good team in half a decade. Maybe this year he'll be great again, but he's been skating on name recognition for a while, while being blown by everyone from Vecsey on down.

 

[JfizzleBlazer]

Skating on name recognition? The guy had a PER of 20+ last year on a shit team. He is a top 5 PG in the league. The guy is in the discussion of Derrick Rose, Rajon Rondo, and Chris Paul.

Deron finally has players of the same caliber Rondo, Rose and Paul had last year and he will show he belongs in the conversation of the others.

 

[BrianFromWA]

I agree....he has to show he (still) belongs.

His FGs/Game has gone up every year of his career.
His shooting % has gone down every year since 2007.
His assist % and turnover % are roughly similar, but his APG has gone down every year since 2008.
That 20+ PER was his lowest since his 2nd year (2007)

I'm not saying the guy sucks, but it was never going to be he and Dwight taking a team to the Promised Land. Which is not what you heard every NBA-related column over the last 2.5 years saying.

 

[THE HCP]

I bet he gets traded by opening night!

 

[KingSpeed]

I'll tell you one thing about Nic, He's one of the few SF in the NBA that can guard point guards such as Derrick Rose, Steve Nash, Tony Parker, Russell Westbrook. among others...That is very valuable in the playoffs.

But we won't be in the playoffs because he's mediocre overall.

Harden is good, but:
1) he was bad when it counted
2) an awful lot of his game is drawing fouls. That could get old. Otherwise Corey Maggette would be a huge star.
3) He will end up on either
a)OKC
b) Phoenix
c) Dallas
d) Nowhere else (unless the Lakers clear cap space)

Hm..

 

[huevonkiller]

A Lin and Harden backcourt?

Wow, they somehow found a way to get the most overrated point guard and shooting guard in the league on the same team!

Harden is the next Ginobili efficiency-wise, I wouldn't write him off just yet. He averaged 29 points per 36 minutes without Westbrook on the court.

Westbrook looks more overrated than him, but his athleticism seduced OKC.