NBA Central: James Harden’s all-time starting lineup: PG: LeBron James SG: Kobe Bryant SF: Michael Jordan PF: Tim Duncan C: Shaquille O’Neal (Via @USATODAY ) pic.twitter.com/I92GgIkq3g -via Twitter @TheNBACentral / July 25, 2023

Harden recently gave an interview with USA Today Sports and the former league MVP was asked to share his thoughts on Lillard’s current predicament with the Blazers. The Philadelphia 76ers superstar got brutally honest in his response with what could be considered a very telling take: “I see both sides because I went through it,” Harden said. “… I wouldn’t want an organization to send someone somewhere where they wouldn’t [want to] be… But then you don’t want to give that player away for nothing. So I get both sides. It’s just finding a balance to meet in the middle and hopefully, both sides can come to an agreement.” -via Clutch Points / July 25, 2023

Anthony Puccio: James Harden fires back lol -via Twitter @APOOCH / July 24, 2023

So, related to that, within the last few months we’ve heard both Patrick Beverley and DeMar DeRozan basically say that half of the players in the NBA don’t really love the game. Did you think the same in your time? Tracy McGrady: I agree to that. You have some guys that are talented, and they do it because the money is good. In my era, you used to have guys that make it to the league, and they’ll be shitty for two or three years, but on their contract year? Oh, they’re gonna have their career highs, right? And then they just fall back and they get their money, and then they relax. You don’t love the game if you approach it that way. It’s been going on since I entered the league, and it’s still going on. -via GQ.com / July 25, 2023

And that’s because? Tracy McGrady: It’s more exciting to me. I like college basketball because they play hard. And it’s competitive basketball. I’m not saying the NBA is not competitive, but it’s too much of everybody shooting threes. You’re jacking up and taking terrible basketball shots. I don’t see that on the college level. -via GQ.com / July 25, 2023

You seem a little skeptical. Tracy McGrady: No, I’m just saying the hype is crazy to me. It’s too much, bro. I’ve seen this before. Y’all act like you haven’t seen it. That shit that Bol Bol can do? He’s just not given the real opportunity, like I think he should. That kid is skilled. [Kristaps] Porzingis was highly skilled when he first came out, just like that. And hell, he’s 7-3, too. So I’ve seen it. The hype is just crazy. But I get it. It’s the media, they’re looking for a face for the NBA, and you got to have a new star that you got to build around. -via GQ.com / July 25, 2023