Oklahoma City Thunder: Should James Harden Be a Starter or Sixth Man in 2012?

Oklahoma City Thunder shooting guard James Harden is one of the best sixth men in the NBA, but to take his game to the next level, does he need to be in the starting lineup next season?

After the Thunder traded power forward Jeff Green and others to the Boston Celtics for Kendrick Perkins at the trade deadline last season, Harden's role on offense increased and so did his playing time.

Harden is a solid all-around player, who can shoot from the outside, take the ball to the basket and even pass well.

He is also an underrated one-on-one defender, and has guarded Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant well in their last few meetings.

Harden was the third overall pick in the 2009 NBA draft, and while he's been a good player for Scott Brooks' Thunder team, he hasn't lived up to his full potential.

The most frustrating part of Harden's game is his inconsistency, and being put in the starting lineup will allow him to flourish alongside star teammates Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook.

Harden averaged just under 27 minutes per game last season, but saw an average of 31.6 minutes per game in the playoffs.

In fact, his points per game, rebounds per game and assists per game averages were all greater in the playoffs than the regular season in 2011.

Head coach Scott Brooks trusted Harden with a larger role towards the end of the season, and an even bigger role in the playoffs, and Harden didn't disappoint.

Harden averaged 12.2 points per game last season, and should be able to average about 17 points per contest next season, even with high scoring teammates Durant and Westbrook in the starting lineup.

There's a lot more than shooting to Harden's game, and the more he works on his ability to drive to the basket and finish at the rim, the better player he will become.

The starting shooting guard last season was Thabo Sefolosha, who is one of the best perimeter defenders in the NBA and a decent outside shooter.

But now that Harden has shown he can hold his own defensively against the league’s top guards, he now becomes more valuable to the starting lineup than Sefolosha.

James Harden is a fabulous young player, and when asked to play a more important role, he responded well and helped his team come within three wins of reaching the NBA finals.

Harden has shown he can be a versatile offensive player, a solid perimeter defender and a guy who will thrive in the playoffs.

There is no reason to not put him in the starting lineup next season, it’s the only way he will take the next step as an NBA player.

Nicholas Goss is an NBA and Oklahoma City Thunder featured columnist at Bleacher Report. Follow Nick on Twitter for the latest NBA and Thunder news and analysis. Follow @NicholasGoss35