"'Need to have your own team'" - Kendrick Perkins explains how Team USA influenced James Harden's Rockets trade
James Harden started his career with the OKC Thunder before emerging as a superstar with the Houston Rockets. The Thunder traded Harden to the Rockets after failing to agree on a contract extension. However, it seems like Team USA influenced Harden's desire to have his own team back then.
ESPN NBA analyst Kendrick Perkins joined the "Road Trippin'" podcast with Richard Jefferson, Channing Frye and Allie Clifton, and he discussed how Team USA played a part in the breaking up of the Thunder trio back in 2012. Perkins played with Harden, Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook at the time.
"I remember having this conversation with KD, James Harden and Russ got back from the Olympics from winning the gold. KD said, 'Man, we're about to lose James and it's not about the money.' I said, 'What are you talking about?' He said, ' 'We're about to lose because at the Olympics, 'Bron, D-Wade, all those guys were telling James, 'Bro, you're too nice to be coming off the bench. You're a number one option. You need to have your own team,'" Perkins said.
One correction from Kendrick Perkins' statement was Dwyane Wade wasn't part of the 2012 Team USA roster. Nevertheless, James Harden was traded to the Houston Rockets that same offseason after the Olympics. Harden went off to become a superstar with the Rockets.
In eight and a half seasons in Houston, Harden won one NBA MVP and three scoring titles. The Rockets made the playoffs every season, reaching the Western Conference Finals twice in 2015 and 2018, losing both times against the eventual champion Golden State Warriors.
Harden would end his stint in Houston at the start of the 2020-21 season when he demanded a trade. He was sent to the Brooklyn Nets and reunited with Kevin Durant. However, he was traded to the Philadelphia 76ers midway through the next season.
And now, James Harden is on his fourth team in five years after forcing another trade to the LA Clippers last season. He re-signed with the Clippers this summer and will continue to team up with Kawhi Leonard.
James Harden was "almost in tears" when the Thunder traded him to Houston
The OKC Thunder selected James Harden with the third overall pick in the 2009 NBA Draft. Harden became one of the best scorers off the bench during his stint in Oklahoma City, winning the Sixth Man of the Year in 2012.
However, he was destined for bigger things and was traded to the Rockets that same year after making the NBA Finals. Here's what Harden felt at the time, opening up about it in an interview with Time Magazine in 2017:
"I was almost in tears. Me and Russell knew each other from when we played at the Boys and Girls Club together as kids. Me and Kevin hung out like every day. We were young, we hung out, we were really, really good friends."
However, Harden added that getting traded to Houston was "the best thing that ever happened to me" as it allowed him to fulfill his true potential.