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Toronto Raptors: One reason why they should and should not trade for Harden

By Pirasanth Gunasekaram

SAITAMA, JAPAN - OCTOBER 10: James Harden #13 of Houston Rockets drives to the basket against Pascal Siakam #43 of Toronto Raptors during the preseason match between Toronto Raptors and Houston Rockets at Saitama Super Arena on October 10, 2019 in Saitama, Japan. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Takashi Aoyama/Getty Images)
SAITAMA, JAPAN - OCTOBER 10: James Harden #13 of Houston Rockets drives to the basket against Pascal Siakam #43 of Toronto Raptors during the preseason match between Toronto Raptors and Houston Rockets at Saitama Super Arena on October 10, 2019 in Saitama, Japan. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Takashi Aoyama/Getty Images) /
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Toronto Raptors
Houston Rockets – James Harden (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images) /

James Harden gives the Toronto Raptors consistent scoring

So far this season, they are worse than originally expected. This Raptors team should be in a conversation of being one of the top teams in the east or at least being a guaranteed playoff team. Instead of that, they are at the bottom of the east. Despite their performance during the Sacramento Kings game, Toronto could still do a trade to strengthen the team more and have a better chance to be in the playoffs.

James Harden could be the answer to get Toronto back to being a winning team. His consistent scoring helps the Raptors inconsistency in that area. Harden along with Kyle Lowry and Fred VanVleet gives the team an even stronger backcourt than right now that would be hard to stop them from getting buckets.

It sounds good on paper because they could be a championship-contending team. With Harden’s style of play and ego, will it work? If he does not play the same way as he did with the Rockets and if he listens to Raptors President Masai Ujiri, General Manager Bobby Webster, and Raptors Head Coach Nick Nurse on how they want him to play, then yes it will work.

If Nurse can get Harden to buy in his system instead of not giving Harden the 99 percent of the whole game but share the ball and shoot it when they need him to the most, that’s a contending team. And I think he will buy in because I think he has no other choice but to listen to Nurse. The only reason Harden wants to be traded away from Houston is that he wants to win a championship.

He’s not going to win if he dribbles the ball 99 percent every single game while taking most of the shots. It didn’t work in Houston, so it definitely wouldn’t work in Toronto or with any other team in the league.

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