There was a time when NBA analysts thought the Oklahoma City Thunder could be a dynasty that rivaled the likes of the Miami Heat, who were also phenomenal at the time. With Kevin Durant, James Harden, Russell Westbrook, and even Serge Ibaka at the helm, the Thunder had the pieces to be an all-time great team. In the end, the Thunder only went to one NBA Finals and got blown out by LeBron James and the Heat. After that, Harden was sent to the Houston Rockets and KD left for a superteam. Westbrook was left all alone and eventually got Paul George. When George left for the Los Angeles Clippers, he asked for a trade and now, he’s reunited with Harden on the Rockets.
Both players are seen as ball-dominant forces and going into next season, chemistry will certainly be an issue. At a recent Adidas event, Harden finally spoke about the Westbrook trade and said he’s not worried at all about the team’s cohesion.
“When you have talent like that, it works itself out,” Harden explained. “You got guys that are willing to sacrifice, it always works itself out.”
With the Golden State Warriors in decline, the Rockets finally have a golden opportunity to become the best team in the Western Conference so it will be interesting to see how they’re able to make it work.
