James Harden was selected by the Oklahoma City Thunder in the NBA draft of 2009. He performed excellently in the 2011-12 season and was named NBA Sixth Man of the Year. He had an average of 16.8 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 3.7 assists in 62 games that year for the Thunder.
Later on, Harden got traded to the Houston Rockets, the reason for him leaving Oklahoma was contract-based. In 2020, Harden got into the Brooklyn Nets, where he continued to perform well.
James Harden, Kevin Durant, and Russell Westbrook were some of the key players of OKC Thunder. They led the Thunder to the NBA Finals in 2012. The OKC team was considered to be ahead of the time when this trio was playing for them.
11 years ago today, Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, & James Harden played their final game together in OKC.
Game 5 of the 2012 NBA Finals where LeBron James won his first championship.
Durant: 32 PTS, 11 REB, 13/24 FGM
Westbrook: 19 PTS, 6 AST, 4/20 FGM
Harden: 19 PTS off… pic.twitter.com/h0C4lGT03Y— NBA Buzz (@OfficialNBABuzz) June 21, 2023
James Harden coming off the bench against the Miami Heat
During the 2012 NBA finals, Harden had a very ordinary performance. Against the Miami Heat, he came off the bench when the team needed him most. Later on, they got defeated by 4-1 to the Miami. Harden’s teammate said about that match:
The series tied 1-1, we get back to Miami and South Beach get a hold to us. James Harden disappeared completely off the face of the earth when he needed him the most. His numbers in the finals were mind-boggling. I don’t know what it was, but I know he just wasn’t there and so when you go back and even look at KD and Russ numbers, they delivered
James Harden leaving OKC Thunder
With the three amazing talents, Thunder was one of the strongest teams during that time, but before the start of the 2012-13 season OKC did something that shocked everyone, they traded their star player James to the Houston Rockets because keeping three-star players was very expensive for them.
In an interview, Harden said that the Thunder’s four-year $55 million extension offer wasn’t enough for him at that time. He said:
I felt like I already made a sacrifice coming off the bench and doing whatever it takes to help the team, and they weren’t willing to help me
Harden gets $80 million
After leaving OKC Thunders, Harden got an $80 million contract extension with the Houston Rockets for five years. The Rockets acquired one of the finest players of that time. James was one of the MVPs of the Thunders along with Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook.
Harden himself accepted publicly that he left the OKC because of the money issues, the Thunders were offering a $55 million deal which was not enough for Harden at that time. It was tough for OKC at that time to keep all the three-star players, so they had to leave James Harden.
During the initial years for OKC, this trio of Harden, Durant, and Russel did so well that they became a big threat to the other teams. Had the three continued to play together, they would have achieved more and more for their team, but unfortunately, we couldn’t see that. Everything comes at a cost, and OKC didn’t have that much to pay at that time to keep the trio together.
