James Harden got his start in the NBA with the Oklahoma City Thunder, and, for a while, they were one of the most exciting teams in the league.
But even with Harden, Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, and Serge Ibaka, the team was never able to win the Finals.
According to Earn Your Leisure, via Bleacher Report, Harden said the Thunder would have won “at least” two championships if they had stayed together.
This “what if” is one of the biggest in recent NBA history, and fans still wonder what could have happened had this squad never broken up.
Harden says he, KD, Russ, and Serge would’ve won “at least” two chips if they hadn’t been broken up over $4M 👀
You agree?
(via @EarnYourLeisure) pic.twitter.com/1Zf6uv8cLB
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) November 22, 2024
Harden was drafted by the Thunder as the third overall pick in the 2009 draft.
Before long, OKC was making some serious noise in the West, and they eventually went all the way to the Finals in 2012.
But after defeating the Dallas Mavericks, Los Angeles Lakers, and San Antonio Spurs in the leadup to the Finals, they were easily taken down by the Miami Heat.
During his three years with the Thunder, Harden averaged 12.7 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 2.5 assists.
Eventually, the team’s core was broken up, mostly because of the price it took to keep them together.
Harden traveled on to the Houston Rockets, where his career took off in huge ways.
As for Durant, Westbrook, and Ibaka, they all went in different directions and found their own levels of success.
Since then, people have wondered what would have occurred if they hadn’t split up.
Would they have been the most dominant team in their conference for years?
Harden has his belief clearly, but the world will never know what truly could have been.
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