Udonis Haslem hints he did not want James Harden on Heat

The Miami Heat’s pursuit of James Harden ultimately fell through, and their most respected veteran actually sounds pretty pleased that it did.

Appearing this week on “The Complex Sports Podcast,” Heat big man Udonis Haslem indicated that he did not want Harden on the Heat.

"You can't bring James Harden to Miami… I would've aged 15 years trying to be his OG."

Udonis Haslem kept it real on Harden coming to the Heat.

EPISODE w/ @ThisIsUD: https://t.co/n6yO8l8NbW pic.twitter.com/rfVcyKO8KH

— Complex Sports (@ComplexSports) January 19, 2021

“I knew we wasn’t gonna get him,” said Haslem. “I mean, you can’t bring James Harden to Miami. As much as I wanted that to work out, in my mind, I was like, ‘Ain’t no way.’

“I would’ve aged 15 years trying to be his O.G.,” the 40-year-old Haslem continued. “He would’ve had to move me into the guest house.”

Harden, who ended up being traded to the Brooklyn Nets, is a former MVP winner and one of the marquee players in the NBA today. But he also comes with major concerns about his off-the-court antics as well as his work ethic.

The Heat pride themselves on their culture based around hard work and accountability. Haslem has been a bedrock of that culture for the last 18 seasons. Thus, his concerns about Harden’s fit in Miami are hardly a shock.