Former Coach of James Harden Reveals Why Fred Vanfleet is Better

When James Harden requested a trade in late June, the Los Angeles Clippers weren't the only team on his radar. Many reports allege that the Houston Rockets could have easily acquired the star guard from the Philadelphia 76ers if they had wanted to.

However, the Rockets opted to acquire former Toronto Raptor Fred VanVleet instead, while Harden continued to seek a trade. It appears that Houston Rockets' coach, Ime Udoka, has no regrets about that decision.

Udoka spoke to Zach Lowe via ClutchPoints and disclosed the reasons why the team decided against acquiring James Harden.





Why wouldn't they want Harden?

James Harden is still a very talented player, despite the controversies surrounding him. Last season, he averaged 21.0 PPG and led the league in assists with 10.7 APG. Udoka does bring up an interesting point. In order for James Harden to play at his best, he needs to have the ball in his hands, a lot. Just last season, he averaged 93.5 touches, ranking 3rd in the NBA. Furthermore, over the past 5 years, Harden has been among the top 5 players in terms of touches in all but one season.

The Future of the Houston Rockets

It appears that James Harden's ball-dominant playing style was a source of contention within the team. Udoka's remarks suggest that his vision for the Rockets emphasizes teamwork, chemistry, and distributing leadership roles among multiple players, which contrasts with Harden's style of play. While Harden's isolation plays and knack for drawing fouls have earned him 3 scoring titles, they did not secure him a spot on the Houston Rockets roster. Whether or not Houston will ultimately regret this decision remains to be seen in the coming seasons.

Credits:
The Cold Wire