Former NBA player Stephen Jackson obliterated James Harden for how the disgruntled star’s antics are sabotaging the first year under new Houston Rockets head coach Stephen Silas.
A report this week indicated Harden “wanted out of Houston” the moment the Rockets hired Silas, who most previously served as an assistant on Rick Carlisle’s Dallas Mavericks staff but also had stints with several other NBA teams going back to 2000.
Jackson believes Harden undermining Silas’ efforts to develop as a first-year head coach is reprehensible, and the former NBA star noted how Harden delayed his reporting to the Rockets to attend rapper Lil Baby’s birthday party.
“What type of dude is you? The Rockets finally get a young Black coach — a young Black coach get an opportunity — and you don’t wanna show up to camp,” Jackson said, per TMZ Sports. “You don’t wanna play for him. How that look? And you wonder why every time a Black coach get a job, they put him in a bulls–t situation.
“Look what you're doing. … What a real one would do is go play for that Black coach and make him look good and build with John Wall and DeMarcus Cousins — some real ones. But obviously you wanna chase rappers around.”
Silas initially attempted to play it safe with Harden over the star’s absence, saying he wanted to give the player space. The coach’s patience quickly waned, however. Making matters worse, the Rockets organization also feels Harden’s trade demands and related antics are “improper.”
The Rockets are believed to be fully committed to retaining Harden even as the superstar continues to expand his trade wish list, which now is believed to include the Brooklyn Nets, Philadelphia 76ers, Miami Heat and Milwaukee Bucks.
Harden finally reported earlier this week, but NBA COVID-19 protocols require him to test negative for coronavirus six consecutive times before being allowed to practice with the team.
While Harden finally taking the court with the Rockets in camp may be imminent, his time in Houston conceivably could be coming to an end. As Jackson sees it, Harden is doing a real disservice to a coach of color with how he’s going about forcing an exit, along with the purported narrative that explains the decision.
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