"You're going to give him a five-year contract right now at his age? No way!" - Seth Greenberg lashes out at former MVP, claims he is not in "Playoff shape"
James Harden of the Philadelphia 76ers has had quite a turbulent season. His hamstring issues have crept back up, and he parted ways with the Brooklyn Nets. The ongoing season has made it evident that Harden is aging and is not at the level he once was.
The 76ers lost the first two games of the Eastern Conference semifinals against the Miami Heat, with Joel Embiid unable to travel with the team. Embiid’s injury further exposed Harden’s shortcomings that have developed over the last few seasons – with him being out of shape.
@SethOnHoops"You're going to give [James Harden] a five-year contract right now at his age? No way!"
😳 @SethOnHoops https://t.co/euD15tErzD
Seth Greenberg, an ESPN analyst, stated his concerns surrounding James Harden’s age, while the “Get Up” crew discussed his future in Philly:
“He’s [Harden] got to bet on himself, and then he’s got to get in shape. Cause you can’t get better until you’re in shape – and he’s not in playoff shape. He’s not in shape where he can take over a game.”
“You're going to give him a five-year contract right now at his age? No way! But he’s got to get in shape, so he can get by people, get downhill, draw a double-team – whether it's with Embiid or without Embiid.”
In the first two games of the 76ers-Heat series, James Harden has averaged just 18 points, shooting a poor 39% from the field and 25% from beyond the arc. There were times when Harden was considered one of the best shooters in the league, but lately, he’s struggled to make shots consistently.
James Harden on the Sixers is averaging fewer
PPG
RPG
SPG
BPG
FGA
FG%
on more MPG
than when he was on the Nets this season, where he reportedly had quit on the team. https://t.co/ePJAQA3eaE
Seth Greenberg went on to criticize Harden’s level of fitness:
“Right now, he’s not the shot maker he has been because he’s not in shape. He can’t get his feet underneath him.”
The regularity at which Harden was able to beat defenses is what made him great, but as injuries have sidelined him on and off, he doesn’t have the same flair anymore. His shot-making woes have made him less of a threat, and as a result, the 76ers are going to their homecourt, down 2-0.
James Harden unlikely to win games without Joel Embiid
Although James Harden is a highly-paid player in the NBA, his role with the 76ers is not that of a leader. Joel Embiid is the leader of the team and has been around since being drafted in 2014. Prior to the trade that brought Harden to the 76ers, Embiid had already brought the 76ers to a respectable position in the standings, putting himself in the MVP conversation as well.
.@jj_redick and @jbbickerstaff_ discuss how to best utilize James Harden and what the 76ers need to do for success against the Heat. https://t.co/DGVDNNLdiN
With Embiid as the centerpiece, James Harden is required to play the role of a facilitator because of his ability to attract double-teams. That was the plan for Harden in the system, and he did a good job at that in the first-round series. Against Toronto, Harden averaged a double-double with 19 points and 10.1 assists through six games.
However, with Embiid out of action, Harden was unable to make much of an impact, let alone registering a win. The 76ers will now anticipate Embiid’s return, with rumors pointing to a return in Game 3. His presence will be crucial to the 76ers’ success, which includes Harden contributing, but not leading.