Was Harden good on the Thunder?

He officially became the third option behind Durant and Westbrook, scoring 16.8 points per game — the most he ever averaged with the Thunder. Along with his increase in scoring, he was helpful defending the perimeter and playing passing lanes, averaging 1.0 steals a game.

Why did Russ leave OKC?

Russell Westbrook may not play for the Oklahoma City Thunder anymore, but he will always be remembered as the player who stayed. With the Thunder wanting to rebuild and Westbrook wanting to contend, the team granted his wish and sent him to the Houston Rockets to play alongside former OKC teammate James Harden.

What if James Harden was never traded?

Harden said the Thunder could have won a championship if he wasn’t traded to the Rockets in 2012. “My third year we lost in the Finals,” Harden said in the GQ interview. When the Thunder lost in the Finals, neither player was even 25 years old.

Was James Harden a bench player?

Ahead of the Houston Rockets’ home game against the Washington Wizards on Tuesday night, the six-time NBA All-Star was caught rocking out on the bench during the pre-game warm-ups and it took a little bit of time for him to realize he was putting on a show on the jumbotron for everyone in attendance.

Was James Harden a starter in OKC?

NBA Playoffs 2011: Why James Harden Just Became an OKC Thunder Starter Next Year. It was a crushing defeat that ended the Oklahoma City Thunder’s fantastic season, but in all of the agony, the Thunder discovered what they are going to do to improve for the 2011-12 season—start James Harden.

Did Westbrook ask to be traded OKC?

Russell Westbrook wanted to join the Lakers. He also understands how to engineer a trade. In the aftermath of trading George to L.A., Oklahoma City became open to moving Westbrook and sent him to the Rockets. A year later, with James Harden ready to leave, Westbrook requested his own trade from Houston.

What did OKC get for Westbrook?

Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN reported Thursday that OKC dealt Westbrook to the Houston Rockets in exchange for nine-time All-Star Chris Paul, two future first-round picks (2024 and 2026) and a pair of pick swaps (2021 and 2025).

Who is Westbrook playing for?

Los Angeles Lakers#0 / Point guard
Russell Westbrook/Current teams

Why did Harden and Westbrook break up?

“But he’s going to come back and have a 50-point triple-double, so they’re OK with it.” But the lack of discipline and attention to detail hasn’t been OK with Paul and Russell Westbrook, ultimately leading to breakups between Harden and those two stars.

Does Kevin Durant and James Harden get along?

Durant and Harden have history. The two are good friends and even better teammates.

How Much Can James Harden bench press?

He also benched 185 pounds 17 times, but did have the sixth highest body fat percentage at the combine (10.1 percent).

What happened to the Oklahoma City Thunder without Russell Westbrook?

Oklahoma City won the series against Houston in six games, but without Westbrook, the Thunder fell in the next round to the “Grit and Grind” Memphis Grizzlies in five games. With Westbrook missing 35 games recovering from knee surgery in the 2013-14 season, Durant was once again called upon to be main bucket getter.

What happened to the Oklahoma City Thunder eight years ago?

Eight years ago, the young Thunder were poised to rule the league. Here’s how they were instead slowly torn apart. With Russell Westbrook now traded, the most important chapter in the Oklahoma City Thunder ’s history is officially closed.

What happened to Russell Westbrook?

Westbrook got up with a significant limp and slammed the scorers table with his right fist. OKC won the game to take a 2-0 lead, but an MRI later confirmed that Westbrook had sustained a torn meniscus that would require surgery and sideline him indefinitely.

Why did the Thunder have to let Harden and Ibaka walk?

With Durant already locked up and Westbrook having signed a maximum contract back in January, the Thunder had to let either Harden or Ibaka walk, or pay a hefty luxury-tax price.