Does James Harden have a new nickname? Basketball Reference may add 'The Problem' to The Beard's catalog

James Harden has been labeled many things in his career. He has been called one of the greatest scorers of all time. He has also been dubbed a problem to locker rooms or a player who is often out of shape. These labels may have resulted in a new nickname for the LA Clippers guard.

Harden, of course, is known as “The Beard” due to his notable facial hair. Some have come to call him “The System” after Harden said “I am not a system player, I am a system.” However, NBA fans are trying to get another nickname going for Harden.

A recent post on NBA Reddit suggested adding “The Problem” to Harden’s list of nicknames.

The name has a double meaning. Harden has been labeled as problematic for a team’s chemistry. This is a label he has earned after his multiple issues with front offices and trade requests.

NBA Reddit has a new nickname for James Harden.

The nickname also works as Harden is a problem for defenses. He has proven he still has the goods and can cook his way to huge scoring outputs. In his last outing, Harden scored 18 straight points in the fourth quarter against the Indiana Pacers. He finished the game with 35 points.

Basketball Reference has not listed “The Problem” to Harden’s official nickname list yet. The site did comment on NBA Reddit, saying it was considering the nickname.

The site is notorious for adding nicknames for players that people have often never heard of. Harden already has some of those on his reference page. The site lists “El Chapo,” “Jimbo Slice,” “Honey Bun” and “Uno.”

Most of those are derived from Harden’s days of playing seemingly overweight. However, none of them have really stuck or are commonly associated with Harden (even if Honey Bun and Jimbo Slice are hilarious).

James Harden’s hot December

James Harden has found his footing with the LA Clippers. After losing the first five games with Harden in the lineup, the Clips have turned it around.

James Harden has adopted a versatile role as a distribution point guard. He has also flexed his scoring abilities and shown off some of his MVP form.

The Clippers are on an eight-game win streak and undefeated in December. Harden is averaging 20.1 points, 5.0 rebounds and 9.8 assists per game this month.

His shooting numbers are also off the charts, and his efficiency has increased. He is shooting 51.7/48.9/90.2 during December. His 3-point shooting reached its peak when he went 8-for-11 from downtown against the Pacers. He also hit 5 of 6 against the Golden State Warriors on Dec. 15.