Imagine an ‘Avengers Assemble’ type of situation, but make it the NBA version. That was the Oklahoma City Thunder in the 2010s. A roster full of stars. Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, Serge Ibaka, Nick Collison, Kendrick Perkins. And to top it off, the 2009 No. 3 overall pick, James Harden. This looked like a team that could win a championship ring without batting an eyelid. But sadly, every time they came closer, the rivals were heavy on them. However, the only thing that the fans truly believed was in the KD-Westbrook-Harden trio, until it was no more.

After contract talks with OKC collapsed, James Harden packed his bags for the Houston Rockets on October 27, 2012, in a blockbuster trade that reshaped destinies. Daryl Morey called him “foundational,” and soon after, Harden inked a

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