Draymond Green jumped into the James Harden debate and said the former MVP belongs in the conversation for one of the best guards ever, but not in the way Patrick Beverley framed it. Green said Tuesday that Harden has the skill set to be one of the best shooting guards, then argued that his game has always looked more like a point guard’s.
“James Harden could be a two guard. No question,” Green said. “He has the skill set to be one of the best two guards. Fortunately and unfortunately, he has the skill set of one of the best point guards we’ve ever seen. And ultimately, that one ends up taking the cake.”
The comments came after Beverley said Harden would pass Dwyane Wade among the greatest shooting guards if he wins a championship. Wade shot back that Beverley “couldn’t f—k with him” back in the day, a reminder that this argument started with old grudges before it turned into an all-time ranking dispute. Green then took a harder line than either man, saying he struggles to view Harden as a pure two-guard.
Read Also: Draymond Green fumes after $100 million prank on new TBS show
“Go find me a two guard that averaged 11 assists year after year, 10 assists, 11 assists, 10 assists,” Green said. “Not Michael Jordan, not Kobe Bryant, not Dwayne Wade, not Reggie Miller, not Klay Thompson.”
That is the heart of the case against putting Harden strictly with the shooting guards. He won the 2018 MVP award, made the Top 75 list, led the league in scoring and assists in different seasons, and captured three scoring titles with the Houston Rockets before forcing his way out of Houston. Green’s point was that those numbers, especially the assist totals, make Harden look more like a lead ballhandler than a classic wing scorer.
Read Also: Kings Vs Warriors: Curry Return Fuels Betting Angle for Tuesday Night
Still, the Rockets years remain the strongest argument for Harden as a shooting guard because the offense was built around him. That is why the debate keeps circling back to the same question: whether Harden’s place in history is decided by the position he listed next to his name, or by the way he actually played. Green, a four-time Warriors champion, made his answer clear — the point guard case is the one that carries more weight.
