Back in the NBA ‘90s, rivalry was the main thing. Players from opposing teams often resented each other so the things could get chippy in a second, especially during the playoffs. It was the period of tough boys in the league, with what’s today’s hard fouls being treated as a common ones.
Such rivalries and players’ disliking didn’t slowly fade away with the generation change – the door on it was pretty much slammed once the 2003 NBA Draft stars started openly calling each other friends, despite having little in common apart that they had been selected in the same year. LeBron James, Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade even backed the talk up with their mutual sacrifice to team up on the same Miami Heat team to form what’s among the first superteams of the era, and their behavior has had strong influence on the party coming in after them.
Now everyone was acting nice, all players would hug, send heart emos over Twitter and, most importantly, look to play together with who are supposed to be their fiercest opponents. Such an idyllic image of the NBA would be terrific if all of it would be true, but it was helped by the very few number of such marriages – all of which have been successful, so if there were some hidden animosities, it was much easier to keep them in the house.
Winning cures everything. But with the bonanza of superstars pairing over the last year or so, something’s got to give – they can’t all be champions. Can superstars surrender their money and their ego simply to play with a peer? Which players can coexist on and off court? It’s often said that a team is not a sum of it’s parts, it can be significantly less if the chemistry and compatibility is not present.
Case of the new Rockets duo – Harden and Paul
In case you missed it, former New Orleans and LA Clippers star Chris Paul decided he’d like to find a new challenge and joined James Harden in the Houston Rockets. That’s ninth best player in the NBA, according to Hollinger’s Player Efficiency Rating, teaming up with the fifth best player from the past season.
For a comparison’s sake, Durant and Curry were placed at #2 and #15. Yes, CP3 struggled to stay healthy during his six years with the Clippers and can be dubbed as a playoff losers, but the impact of pairing such two good players in their primes should have a NBA-shattering effect – or would had in the past.
That’s, if those two can find how to coexist. Paul was actually traded to the Rockets, but it’s hard to believe that Houston was not his first choice, as he could have signed anywhere he’d liked as a free agent. There were also some reports of the two being friendly towards each other and seeking the way to play together, so they are entering their relationship with a proper mind set. That’s what Houston GM Morey hopes will take over, as well as the old belief that great players can figure it out. Other than that, it’s an extremely poor fit, as many of their skills overlap.
Harden led the league in assists and Paul was fourth, so it may look like they eagerly give up the ball, but the opposite is the case. Both players were actually in the NBA top 5 by the time of ball possession last season – they are nowhere near as effective in their roles without the ball. Moreso, they operate in roughly the same area – around the strong side high post. D’Antoni is nowhere near capable of thinking a decent offensive plan to utilize the best out of them – his basketball philosophy was never a secret – run and gun.
This style perfectly fits with Harden, who couldn’t care less about the defense or playing the right way, but is against the core of Paul. Perhaps Paul was lured in by the thinking that he could enjoy the rest of his career playing carefree ball, but I don’t believe he can flip that switch so easily, and that he’ll grow restless with the style as the season advances. He is a methodic, intelligent player who likes to control the pace of the game to his liking, and also understands that the team needs to play both sides of the ball to be successful. It’s great that he considers Harden for a friend, and he’ll be making up for a lot of Harden’s defensive lapses.
Ultimately, these two players are alpha dogs and can’t defer. Despite Chris Paul being a pass first point guard, he was a leader as soon as he came in the league. Harden already drove away one star (Howard) and left Durant-Westbrook duo to become the Man, or the Cook, if you prefer. It’s almost as if both are considering themselves even larger stars that they are great players, and this ego will definitely come in their way. With the Western Conference improving by the day, I can only see Houston regressing from the last year’s record and it’ll be nowhere near a fairytalish season like the last one.
Paul George’s contract year: Playing with the MVP of the NBA
Unhappy with the Pacers inability to form a good team, Paul George informed them that he won’t be extending his contract with them after playing out what would be his last year in Indiana. The Pacers understood that they need to act quickly and managed to trade him to Oklahoma City for a pair of solid players.
It’s unclear whether George would still like to become a Laker in 2018, so it’s a bold gamble by the Thunder architect Presti. Still, it’s hard to blame him, as he’s probably grasping for his job after star after star left the franchise, leaving the Thunder as an obscure, cubistic team that takes the shape of their lone star Russell Westbrook.
While the situation worked for Westbrook, as his enormous usage propelled him to win the MVP award, the Thunder desperately needed another star. George was only 42nd in PER last season, but is still among the better players at the position. He plays good offense and good defense, he’s athletic and in his prime. If him and Westbrook could find the success together, Presti and OKC hope that both of them will be happy to sign a new contract. There are some obstacles on that path.
While Paul George and Russell Westbrook fit much better than the Houston duo, it’s more of a mental block that could break them apart very soon. Westbrook has long sought to be the primary man with the Thunder and has now sensed the sweet taste of glory. Even when he controls himself, he still acts as he’s the only man on the court who can solve Thunder problems, overplaying himself and making his teammates worse than they actually are.
Durant was with him for years but opted to leave to a more enjoyable surrounding. George, not used to such character, would need to see a major success to disregard the fact of how hard is to play along the MVP. Both are big competitors, so the Thunder should have their spot in the crowded West playoffs, but when the line is drawn, George may found out that one year adventure in OKC is just that – an adventure.
Hayward’s unfinished business
When Gordon Hayward entered the NBA league in 2010, he came with a bitter taste in his memory. His last missed shot at Butler had cost his alma mater a chance to play for the trophy. Ever since, Hayward was patient to work on his own game and status in the league and helped Utah return to the top of the Conference. Building such a terrific team over so many years must have been a very motivating factor to return to, but pairing with an old friend once again prevailed, spiced up with the opportunity to remedy himself in a new quest for a championship.
Oddly enough, it’s not a player who has Hayward looked to come to in Boston, but his old Butler coach Brad Stevens. Of course, Hayward saw a perfect opportunity to join the Celtics to form a new superteam and use the much easier path to the playoff depth, so playing alongside Isaiah Thomas and Al Horford certainly played a role.
It’s also a perfect fit for the Celtics. They lacked talent at forward positions, so despite having to waive a couple of rotation players to fit in Hayward’s salary, they finally find themselves on par with the Cavs in terms of talent.
Sometimes, the talent isn’t enough to become a winner. They have a great coaching mind who can work it out and the organization that stands second to none, so the soil is good. However, Thomas, Horford and Hayward only had a minor success in the postseason and they don’t have an extremely large window to go after the big prize.
If something’s going to happen for the trio, it has to happen within two or three years. The Celtics roster is far from done, as Ainge will have to address another glaring need – rebounding, so as much as Hayward is going to enjoy his new home, he’ll still have some unfinished business after the season.
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