James Harden had an MVP caliber season, but it wasn’t enough, as ‘The Beard’ wore down once again during the late playoff stretch.
During exit interviews with the media, Harden embraced keeping the 56 win Rockets together, but added that he would prefer for Houston GM Daryl Morey to add another backcourt playmaker.
“That’s one of the conversations me and Daryl are going to have (and) the coaches,” Harden said. “That’s one of the pieces to add, but that’s later conversations. We’ll be all right. We’re very confident in the group we have. This summer we have to work hard and be ready for next year.”
He called keeping the Rockets’ nucleus together “very important” — specifically Patrick Beverley and Donatas Motiejunas.
“If we get Pat (Beverley) and D-Mo (Donatas Motiejunas) back healthy, we’re a really good team, a really deep team,” Harden said.
“Jet (Jason Terry), Trevor (Ariza), Josh (Smith), Brew (Corey Brewer), this was all their first years here. We didn’t really have any chemistry. It was all going off basketball instincts, kind of going out there playing. Once we get a feel for each other, a real feel for each other, the game will be a lot easier.
“We’re pretty good with what we have, maybe add a piece or so. But we made it this far with a couple of our guys injured and banged up. Put those guys together and we’ll be a lot better.”
Harden might want to embrace a summer of becoming a true playmaker and less of a pure scorer.