The_Champ33
Years ago

James Harden Traded to Houston Rockets

http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/8562868/sources-oklahoma-city-thunder-trade-james-harden-houston-rockets

I don't think anybody saw this move coming.
I personally don't like it.

What are your thoughts?

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Spursfan  
Years ago

I was definitely not expecting that. I don't follow the Thunder but it wouldn't have been Brooks' decision to let Harden go - he was doing great things for that team.

In terms of immediate future though, the Thunder are better. Martin is just as good a scorer as Harden and Jeremy Lamb is really one to watch, fits in with their all-offense personnel, which seems to work.

Reply #384943 | Report this post


Whitey  
Years ago

I see the advantage for both sides, the thunder has the 12th pick from this draft in lamb and some good picks, martin could be trade bait before the deadline. BUT the rockets grab a good scorer in harden, and a developing big in aldrich. Rockets starting 5 lin harden ? aldrich asik.

Reply #384948 | Report this post


Whitey  
Years ago

Lets see the thunder send perkins and the picks to utah for milsap :)

Reply #384949 | Report this post


PlaymakerMo  
Years ago

An extension couldn't be reached with Harden because he wanted an extra $4.5mil (total, not per year) than was offered, so the Thunder traded him. Had nothing to do with wanting to get rid of him. Pretty simple.

Good trade for both sides given the circumstances.

Reply #384967 | Report this post


Beantown  
Years ago

Yeah, Presti shows his smarts again. Harden wouldn't take their best offer, so they traded him before anyone knew he was up for sale and got great value.

Kevin Martin is a better shooter than Harden and will largely cover his loss, so they aren't harming their ability to win this season.

Even better, those extra picks will allow OKC to keep renewing their supporting cast with quality players in the coming years. (Or use them to lure a quality FA like Millsap as Whitey suggested).

At the same time as he has set the team up for this year and the future, Presti has also sent a message to any future stars on OKC's roster: don't let your agent overprice you or you'll be traded to a bad team without a second thought!

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Anonymous  
Years ago

morey is a dullard obvuiosuly but he's filled his teams with absolutely exceptional passers and decision makers at just about every spot - this team is going to make some sweet music this season and be an absolute must-watch on league pass for anyone who likes attractive basketball - omer asik's offense notwithstanding (though he's probably better on offense than he get's credit for). and kevin martin will cover his loss? seriously dude that's gotta be up there among well u know.. u realise that harden was essentially their point guatrd last season ahd that westbrook is a basketball moron? can't say i've ever been this hyped about a trade - absolutely love harden and just so happy that i don't have to root for a team owned by the completely EVIL clay bennett (and that other guy whose name escapes me)

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Anonymous  
Years ago

OKC got more for Harden than Orlando got for Dwight.

Reply #384986 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

cos the kid runnign the magic is an idiot

Reply #384993 | Report this post


Beantown  
Years ago

Anon, read what I said - Martin will LARGELY cover his loss. I realise Harden is a great player and can do things Martin can't, but in the end he wanted too much money, so Presti made a great trade that MINIMISED the immediate loss to the team and IMPROVED their ability to put talented and cheap complementary pieces around their core in future.

And yes, Houston has done well because they got Harden, who is a great player to build a young team around. But Presti sure squeezed a lot of picks (and a talented young player) out of them!

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Anonymous  
Years ago

i'm sorry but he won't largely cover his loss at all - which is why the rockets had to throw in 4 first round picks, their recent lottery pick and take some of the OKC scraps - and its still a trade that most people think was daylight robbery..

Reply #385012 | Report this post


Kwest  
Years ago

Bill Simmons picked this a few weeks ago.. It makes sense. There's no way OKC should have thrown the max at Harden

Reply #385033 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

Simmons just tweeted that he fully supports Harden refusing to take 4 yrs 52-54m from OKC. Could get 5 years 75-80m from Houston (no state tax). It's no contest.

It's not just about the 5th year!

Reply #385040 | Report this post


Beantown  
Years ago

Its not daylight robbery when the alternative is losing the guy for nothing or 15c on the dollar once the rest of the NBA gets word that Harden won't resign!

Reply #385054 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

The extra 4.5 mil is actually more like 20 mil because Texas doesn't have state taxes!

Reply #385059 | Report this post


Jimbob  
Years ago

Seems crazy to me that harden would leave when there's a good chance okc could win the title this year and he's already on huge amounts of money, what is the extra few mill going to matter?!

Sign of the times, money>loyalty or championships.

Reply #385060 | Report this post


Beantown  
Years ago

I agree Jimbob, I'd have taken Presti's offer knowing I'd be playing on the most exciting young team in basketball for the next four years minimum, with a genuine chance to win multiple titles.

Will be interesting to see if Harden ends up regretting his decision to push for more money.

Reply #385062 | Report this post


SMA  
Years ago

Presti has another trade idea in the works.

They've got most of the puzzle pieces to challenge but must be thinking of getting something extra to top the West.

Reply #385067 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

Harden won't regret anything. He is the man now with Lin as his sidekick plus they have cap space for another max contract. Morey hit the jackpot with this trade after so much disappointment. The Rockets are going to be real dangerous in the coming seasons.

Reply #385072 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

I saw this coming because its been building for like the past 4 weeks.

James Harden has been linked with other clubs ever since Serge Ibake and long term massive $$$ contract.

I have hard rumours over the past several months of Harden going to the Suns and Lakers.

I even heard that Harden was going to be the replacement for Kobe

Reply #385086 | Report this post


Whitey  
Years ago

@anon rockets dangerous in the coming seasons. 45 million on lin, harden and asik? Come on. Plus they gave away lamb and a heap of picks.

They would have been better off, trading away kmart for high picks and rebuilding around lamb, royce white and the upcoming picks.

Reply #385087 | Report this post


AK-47  
Years ago

think James Harden is worth a max contract, just not to OKC. In my opinion James Harden is currently the third best shooting guard in the league behind Kobe and Wade. Kobe will retire soon and Wade's body is declining fast. Before we know it Harden will be the best 2 in the NBA and I think that warrants a max contract. However, he'd still be the third best player at the Thunder and you can't be paying the max for the third best player on a team and have Perkins and Ibaka signed to big contracts as well. Zero cap flexibility if they gave in to Harden.

Even though I believe Houston won big on this deal, I really like what OKC have done. Its been reported that Harden knocked back a 4 year 55 million dollar deal which is 4.5 mill below the max. If you can't sacrifice 4.5 mill on a 55 million dollar contract to be part of something great that is going to be in the hunt for a championship every year for the best part of the next 10 years then you should be shipped. OKC didn't mess around and pulled the pin straight away, I like it.

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Anonymous  
Years ago

Everyone saying the OKC got robbed.

I just dont see it.

Yes Harden is a great young talent, but Martin is a tried and tested 2 guard, who will fill the the vacancy left by Harden. OKC will be no worse off without Harden, and they knew that - hence why they didnt throw the max deal at him.

Stats comparison:

PPG/2FG%/3FG%/RPG/APG/TOPG/SPG

Harden Career over 220 Games - 23 years old

12.7/44%/37%/3.4/2.5/1.6/1.0

Martin Career over 475 Games - 29 Years Old

18.4/44%/38%/3.5/2.1/1.8/0.9

Keep in mind that Harden has been also playing on the significantly better team and having KD and Westbrook to roll with, and take the pressure of him. OKC over the past 2 season have gone 102/46.

Houston on the other hand have been woeful, compiling a 77/71 record over that same period. Luis Scola was the only helping hand for Martin, and lets be honest, thats not really the same kind of KD or RW distraction.





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Anonymous  
Years ago

Wow he gets to play with Lin in Houston. Maybe he take his career advice from Dewite "no rings" Coward or Lebron lmao

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Anonymous  
Years ago

i wood love to c amare trade 2 lakers 4 gasol

Reply #385120 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

this trade has been a good litmus test for all the NBA writers - basically all the smart ones (ie zach lowe, thorpe) think it was great for the rockets whilst all the cretins - eg. mannix, adande - think it was good for the thunder..

Reply #385294 | Report this post


Beantown  
Years ago

Isn't it just possible that it was a good trade for BOTH teams?

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Anonymous  
Years ago

So James Harden just had his first game with the Rockets and had 37 points and 12 assists off a shooting clip of 14/25. WOW

Reply #385493 | Report this post




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