James Harden rejects OKC Offer / *Traded* to Rockets

[Jon]

My main worry with evaluating 6th men types like Harden is not necessarily that they benefit from playing next to superstars, but that they benefit from playing a ton of minutes against bench players, inflating their stats.

This is true, but the biggest IMO is just that teams in the regular season just don't waste their time coming up with schemes to slow the #3 scorer on a team. This is one reason Harden's struggles in the post-season is a concern - the level of preparation for the playoffs is much higher.

So, we'll see, but I don't think anybody could have asked for any more out of Harden's debut.

 

[Triumph36]

Those numbers should tell anyone that Harden can obviously do it by himself. The Rockets, especially considering how much their owner takes stats into consideration, knew what they were doing.

it's their GM Daryl Morey, not the owner.

??

The only Varejao trade that almost everyone on RCF was on board with was the completely unrealistic and never proposed Harden trade. It was a laughable scenario, but if it was ever on the table everyone would have been on board with it.

Noway. I suggested it multiple times (pre-Perk) and quite a few people were against it.

In other news: JAMES HARDEN SUX LOL PRESTI OWNED HOUSTON OKC GONNA WIN ALL THE RANGZ

 

[Triumph36]

but on a more serious note: how can anyone argue harden is not worth max money? especially when demar fucking derozan gets $10M a year.

that man deserves every penny he is going to receive.

 

[Mdog1]

It's one game guys he hasn't earned his contract yet. With that said I think OKC made a foolish mistake trading him. In my mind they found a winning formula. They had three players U25 that you could argue were all top 20 players in the league. They had a budding dynasty if they could keep healthy and together. They still have two top 5 players, but now they don't have the third all star potential player.

Bad management ruined this dynasty good luck making the finals, and good luck not being swept by the Heat if you do OKC.

Edit: I heard something about Harden accepting the offer with a 15% trade kicker so they couldn't just sign him on the discount, and then flip him. If Presti really wanted to keep Harden than the kicker shouldn't have been a problem.

 

[Ohio]

but on a more serious note: how can anyone argue harden is not worth max money? especially when demar fucking derozan gets $10M a year.

that man deserves every penny he is going to receive.

Exactly.

In THIS NBA, when players like DeRozan, Asik, Batum, Taj Gibson, etc are getting paid 10 mil plus, Harden is easily worth the max.

 

[Jack Brickman]

Exactly.

In THIS NBA, when players like DeRozan, Asik, Batum, Taj Gibson, etc are getting paid 10 mil plus, Harden is easily worth the max.

But regardless of how much people like DeRozan are making, Harden was still worth 15 mil a year easily, and that's what OKC was able to give him but refused.

 

[Jon]

The new CBA is all about seeing if owners and GMs can be convinced to draw the line on spending. I'm just glad the Cavs aren't being used for the case study for once. Certainly the players weren't pushing for this, it was done for the small market teams like OKC, so if the owners get fed up with being forced to dump players to avoid the super luxury tax ... I'm sure the union will be real receptive to a CBA modification.

 

[JawJuttinAsasin]

This is true, but the biggest IMO is just that teams in the regular season just don't waste their time coming up with schemes to slow the #3 scorer on a team. This is one reason Harden's struggles in the post-season is a concern - the level of preparation for the playoffs is much higher.

So, we'll see, but I don't think anybody could have asked for any more out of Harden's debut.

Bolded is very overblown. He struggled in a 5 game sample in the finals while spending a lot of time guarding Lebron and Wade. His overall playoff numbers are very efficient and I specifically remember him playing spectacularly and being integral in beating the Spurs in the WCF.

 

[KB]

It's one game guys he hasn't earned his contract yet. With that said I think OKC made a foolish mistake trading him. In my mind they found a winning formula. They had three players U25 that you could argue were all top 20 players in the league. They had a budding dynasty if they could keep healthy and together. They still have two top 5 players, but now they don't have the third all star potential player.

Bad management ruined this dynasty good luck making the finals, and good luck not being swept by the Heat if you do OKC.

Edit: I heard something about Harden accepting the offer with a 15% trade kicker so they couldn't just sign him on the discount, and then flip him. If Presti really wanted to keep Harden than the kicker shouldn't have been a problem.

OKC end of this deal won't be able to be judged until they get those picks

If that Raptors pick is high next year they are more than likely going to take a center and let Perk walk

Could you imagine if this trade put the Thunder in a spot where they could take one of Adams, Austin, Noel, Shabazz, Mcadoo,Mcelmore (Kansas frosh sg, can shot the lights out) or Cody Zeller, I say that becase if the pick falls any where between 4-14 OKC gets that pick. I expect it to fall some where between 6-9

Protection on Raptors pick

Thunder (protected top 3 and 15-30)


Traded James Harden, Cole Aldrich, Lazar Hayward, Daequan Cook to Rockets for Kevin Martin, Jeremy Lamb, 2013 first round pick (protected top 3 and 15-30 in 2013, top 2 and 15-30 in 2014-15, top 1 and 15-30 in 2016-17, unprotected in 2018) (?-?), 2013 first round pick (protected top 20 in 2012-17, unprotected in 2018) (?-?), 2013 second round pick (?-?) on 2012-10-27

 

[Triumph36]

Bolded is very overblown. He struggled in a 5 game sample in the finals while spending a lot of time guarding Lebron and Wade. His overall playoff numbers are very efficient and I specifically remember him playing spectacularly and being integral in beating the Spurs in the WCF.

He was also being guarded by LeBron a lot of the time. Going up against a top 3 defensive wing in the league is hardly an easy task, especially in your first finals appearance.

Of course people hardly mention those 2 aspects....

OKC end of this deal won't be able to be judged until they get those picks

If that Raptors pick is high next year they are more than likely going to take a center and let Perk walk

Could you imagine if this trade put the Thunder in a spot where they could take one of Adams, Austin, Noel, Shabazz, Mcadoo,Mcelmore (Kansas frosh sg, can shot the lights out) or Cody Zeller, I say that becase if the pick falls any where between 4-14 OKC gets that pick. I expect it to fall some where between 6-9

Protection on Raptors pick

shabazz, noel, and zeller are all very likely going top 3.

but, even with that i'd still be hard pressed to take the remaining players over harden. proven elite sg who just turned 23 vs. totally unproven big for a contending team? hell, even for a rebuilding team i'd take harden.

if there were no protection and the raptors/thunder wound up in the top 3..then it's interesting.

 

[KB]

He was also being guarded by LeBron a lot of the time. Going up against a top 3 defensive wing in the league is hardly an easy task, especially in your first finals appearance.

Of course people hardly mention those 2 aspects....

shabazz, noel, and zeller are all very likely going top 3.

but, even with that i'd still be hard pressed to take the remaining players over harden. proven elite sg who just turned 23 vs. totally unproven big for a contending team? hell, even for a rebuilding team i'd take harden.

if there were no protection and the raptors/thunder wound up in the top 3..then it's interesting.

One of those guys will fall, no question about it imo

Last year at this time people were talking about how Drummond going at # 1 was a lock and he fell to 9 when it was all over with

 

[mhi]

Harden will average 24/7/5 unless he gets hurt. Won't be on 49% though, more like 45%.

Meanwhile Eric Gordon collects a check for showing up. Now that was a bad trade.

 

[Glenechocreek]

Westbrook is having a stunningly bad game tonight. I think they should've kept Harden and moved Westbrook. He wasn't that great in the finals, either.

 

[bushwick_bill]

Westbrook is having a stunningly bad game tonight. I think they should've kept Harden and moved Westbrook. He wasn't that great in the finals, either.

Huh?

Martin hits game winner?

Didn't the Spurs tie for the most wins last year?

Leonard can play.

 

[KB]

Westbrook is having a stunningly bad game tonight. I think they should've kept Harden and moved Westbrook. He wasn't that great in the finals, either.

Westbrook does that from time to time when he gets out of control and forgets he's the 2nd option on that team