These are the 6 reasons why Uduka refused to sign Harden back then!

In-depth analysis: 6 reasons why Uduka refused to sign Harden back then

In the NBA's transfer storm, there is a story that attracted much attention from fans, that is, Uduka refused Harden to join the Rockets. This decision caused a stir at that time, and now as time goes by, the reasons behind it are gradually becoming clear. Let’s analyze the six key reasons why Uduka refused to sign Harden in the past.

1. The team's reconstruction direction was inconsistent with Harden's needs for the championship

At that time, the Rockets were in the reconstruction stage. The team focused on the future and hoped to build the team's core framework by cultivating young players. Harden was in the late stage of his career and was eager to win the championship at the end of his career. Uduka clearly realized that Harden's joining a rebuilding team will not meet his championship needs, nor will it be conducive to the Rockets' long-term planning. Just as Uduka said: "We are not at that stage yet. Harden is in the stage of wanting to win the championship, and we need time to train young players." This huge difference in the development stage of the team is an important factor in Uduka's rejection of Harden.

2. The potential impact of Harden's style of playing on the growth of young players

Harden is a typical core style of ball holding and requires a lot of ball rights to exert the power of his offense and organization. But for many young players in the Rockets, relying too much on Harden's organization and score may inhibit the comprehensive development of their own abilities. For example, young players such as Jaylen Green and Shin Kyung are in a critical period of polishing their ball skills and forming a game style. Harden's existence may reduce their chances of making independent decisions and handling balls, thereby affecting their growth in organization, offensive choices, etc. Uduka expects to build a team that emphasizes teamwork and dispersed ball rights. Harden's style of play is obviously in conflict with this concept.

3. The conflict between the defensive shortcomings and the team's tactical system

In Uduka's coaching philosophy, defense is the foundation of the team's foothold, and he is committed to building a team with strong defensiveness. However, Harden has always had shortcomings on the defensive end, which is incompatible with Uduka's tactical system. A team that wants to achieve excellent results in the league must have a strong defense. Harden's defensive shortcomings may become the weakness of the opponent's target, thereby destroying the team's overall defensive system. In the game, Harden's defensive position is likely to be targeted by his opponent, creating scoring opportunities through pick-and-roll, misaligned offense, etc., which is a situation that Uduka doesn't want to see.

4. Van Vritte is more suitable for the team's tactics. In terms of the choice of point guard, Uduka believes that Van Vritte is more suitable for the Rockets than Harden. Van Vreet can play with and without balls. His presence can make the Rockets' offense more diversified, and young players can better integrate into the offensive system. In contrast, Harden's reliance on ball-holding will compress young players' offensive space and ball rights. Van Vreet is also more active on the defensive end, which can meet Uduka's tactical requirements for emphasizing defense. Judging from the game data and on-field performance, after joining the Rockets, Van Vreet's cooperation with the team's young players has become smoother, and the team's overall defense has also been significantly improved.

5. Uncertainty brought about by Harden's past forced palace incidents

Looking back on Harden's career, he has repeatedly encountered forced palace management. From the Rockets to the Nets, and from the Nets to the Sixers, these experiences have left the team's management and coaching staff with doubts about his professional attitude and loyalty. For the Rockets who are in the reconstruction stage, what is needed is a stable team atmosphere and the full commitment of the players. Harden's past behavior made Uduka worried that his joining may bring unstable factors to the team and affect the team's unity and development. After all, team reconstruction requires long-term planning and a stable environment, and any uncertainty may become an obstacle to the road to reconstruction.

6. The need for Uduka to establish coaching authority

Wuduka just took over the Rockets and needs to establish his absolute authority in the team and create his own coaching style and system. As a former Rockets superstar, Harden has a very high status and influence in both the team and the league. If Harden joins, Uduka may face management challenges and it is difficult to fully implement the tactical arrangement and team management in all aspects. In order to ensure that his coaching philosophy can be implemented smoothly, Uduka chose to reject Harden to avoid potential contradictions and conflicts, so as to better control the team's development direction.