“We praise LeBron James for being able to switch positions… Why can’t we do that with James Harden?” - Kendrick Perkins on James Harden’s transition into a point guard

James Harden caught praise in Tuesday’s episode of “Swagu & Perk." During the episode, Marcus Spears and Kendrick Perkins commented on Harden’s most recent performance in Game 4 of Philadelphia’s playoff series against the Miami Heat. Vintage James Harden looked to be on full display during the game, even after switching into a point guard position.

Fresh off a large playoff victory, Harden has etched his name back to the top of the headlines. Reviving the essence of vintage Harden, we saw James drop 31 points, seven rebounds and nine assists in his most recent playoff victory for Philadelphia. In response to the showing, Kendrick Perkins voiced his opinion on Harden's shift as a player.

James Harden's transition as a player needs more credit

Kendrick Perkins shed light onto Harden’s transition to point guard:

“We praise LeBron James for being able to switch positions… Why can’t we do that with James Harden?”

James Harden started his career as a shooting guard. Because of his dominancne at the position, he has been deemed by some as one of the greatest shooting guards and most prolific shooters of all time. Aside from his shooting, though, James offers even more to his teams. Harden has always been a facilitator, even as a primary scorer, but officially claimed a point guard title in 2016 when the Rockets gave him the title.

James Harden’s three highest-scoring seasons would come after Houston’s decision to let Harden officially run point. During the 2016-17 season, he averaged 29.1 points. Then, for the 2017-18 season, he jumped to 30.4 points per game. Following that season, Harden averaged his career high of 36.1 points per game in 2018-19, followed by another large 34.3 points per game for his final season in Houston from 2019-20.

Perkins weighed in on Harden’s scoring:

“A guy that led the league in scoring for three years, right before our very own eyes transitioned from a shooting guard to a point guard … Before he’s setting up Tobias Harris, for setting up Tyrese Maxey, for setting up Joel Embiid… He’s doing that.”

Harden would then transition into a more prominent role running point. He would then be traded to Brooklyn, where he would grab hold of that role even further. After being traded from Houston to the Nets in 2020-21, Harden joined Brooklyn as a point guard, on a relatively fresh team.

Harden would average 23.4 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 10.5 assists per game across his 80 appearances for the Brooklyn Nets.

Dealing with Kyrie Irving’s vaccination debacles, some KD injuries, and other deplorability among the Nets, Harden’s frustrations seeped too deeply, and he made his way to Philadelphia, to again, adjust to a new role.

On the 76ers, James Harden has taken to the point guard role again, complementing the likes of Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, Tobias Harris, Danny Green and company. While adjusting to his new role twofold, Harden has maintained averages of 21.0 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 10.5 assists across his 21 games played for Philadelphia.

As a result of James' growing success, even after switching positions and adjusting to new roles on new teams, Perkins explained Harden deserves some more love. LeBron James often gets a large amount of credit for his ability to change positions on the floor. LeBron was drafted as a small forward, and has played in basically every position on the floor. James even started as a center this season during the Lakers’ poor big situation. A small forward going to point guard and to center is arguably a larger switch than a shooting guard going to point guard.

But in any case, James Harden’s ability to adapt past a simple shooting role and fill the shoes of the director on the floor is a large step. To maintain status as a catch and shoot player, or simply a reliable deep threat, is one thing. But to keep that status while running the floor, seeing everything and everyone and creating open plays like Harden does is something else. After all, the man has averaged yearly double-doubles for the last three seasons he has been adapting to new spaces.