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Disgruntled superstar James Harden said the Houston Rockets were “just not good enough” after the team’s second straight loss to the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday night, adding that he didn’t think the team can improve enough to be a contender.
“I love this city. I literally did everything I could,” Harden said after the Rockets’ 117-100 loss. “I mean, this situation is crazy. This is something that I don’t think can be fixed.”
This is what Harden is closest to going public with the trade request sources said they made in the offseason.
Houston’s front office is determined to remain patient until its asking price for the 2018 NBA MVP is reached, sources told ESPN. The Rockets have informed teams that they want a young franchise cornerstone and a set of first-round picks and / or scheming talent on rookie deals in exchange for Harden, sources said.
The Rockets have had active / ongoing trade talks with “over a half-dozen teams,” according to a source familiar with the situation, and have contacted Harden regarding those options.
Harden made it clear to owner Tilman Fertitta ahead of the season that he does not believe in the leadership and the franchise’s ability to fight and that he would rather be traded to a team that is better positioned to win, sources say. .
Fertitta was disappointed but told Harden he would explore the commercial market on the Rockets’ schedule. Since then, he has continually given Harden assurances that he will trade him and allowed new general manager Rafael Stone to trade the three-time, three-year-old, $ 133 million scoring champion with a player option for the last. season remaining on his contract, when he finds a deal he likes.
The Rockets have lost four of five games since Harden, who resisted early in training camp, returned from a sprained right ankle that caused him to miss a game. He has scored 20 points or less in the last four games, his longest since 2011-12, his last season with the Oklahoma City Thunder, according to ESPN Stats & Information research.
The loss was particularly uncompetitive, with the Rockets trailing 35-14 at the end of the first quarter. Houston fell to 3-6, just half a game ahead of the Minnesota Timberwolves for the Western Conference’s worst record.
“We’re not even close, honestly, to this team – obviously the defending champions – and all the other top teams,” said Harden. “I mean, you can make a difference in these last two games.
“We’re just not good enough – chemistry, talent, just everything. And that was clear the last two games.”
Harden ended his virtual press conference after just two questions. Rockets playmaker John Wall, who arrived in a trade for Russell Westbrook just before training camp started, noted that players concerned about personal agendas can bring down a team.
“He speaks his own opinion. I can’t know what he thinks of the team or how he feels like us,” Wall said. “I know how hard these guys worked… to try and improve each day. I know how much work I put in to come back and compete at a high level.
“There are a lot of guys here who want to compete at a high level. Like I’ve told everyone tonight and I’ve told guys before when one to 15 guys are all on the same page and they sign up and they know their role and they know what they want to get out of it and that’s to win it’s going to be fine. But when you have some guys in the mix that don’t want to buy in one it’s okay. be hard to do anything special or anything good as a basketball team. “
ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski and Ramona Shelburne contributed to this report.
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