Golden State Warriors should not be worried about James Harden
By Tony Pesta
Even if James Harden ends up forming a superteam in Brooklyn, the Golden State Warriors should have no fear of their old rival.
Rumors are ramping up as James Harden is reportedly attempting to force his way out of Houston in order to form the next superteam in Brooklyn. Even so, the Golden State Warriors should remain confident they hold the upper hand.
A trio of Harden, Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant would be interesting. Never before has the league seen three elite isolation scorers team up at the peak of their abilities (assuming Durant makes a healthy recovery from his injury.) Yet, the Warriors would still have an advantage over their old rivals.
One thing is for sure, Irving, Durant and Harden have all been semi-responsible for locker room drama in the past. We all remember Irving’s dramatic departure from Cleveland and Boston while Durant and Harden have both clashed with Russell Westbrook throughout the years. With this many boiling egos on one team, it’s hard to see the Nets pulling this together for the long run.
Above all else, the price the Nets would have to pay to acquire Harden would be backbreaking. They would likely lose all of their depth and go all-in on the star power of their big three. This could wind up backfiring in a big way as both Irving and Durant have shown to be injury-prone.
Meanwhile, the Warriors are building up their roster for the future. The No. 2 pick in the upcoming draft will help them compete for years to come while Stephen Curry, Draymond Green, and Klay Thompson prepare to revive the dynasty alongside Andrew Wiggins.
The Warriors have always found a way to defeat Harden, Durant and Irving in the past. Even with the three joining forces, we have to imagine the Dubs will prevail once again in a hypothetical finals matchup.