The Wages of Wins people are laughing at Presti for this move, tbh
Kevin Martin stopped being an amazing offensive player when the shooting foul rules were changed in the 2010-11 season.
If you look at it as a replacement for Harden then that should be obvious. I don't think he was thinking along those lines but instead that they get $14m off the books to play with in FA, a lottery prospect and a couple more lottery picks. The trade wasn't about today for Presti or he should have just kept Harden.
at OKC. Harden isn't anything special but they got 2 chuckers in return and picks. Big ing deal. That Ibaka deal was really stupid. That dumb monkey is never going to be anything more than a shot blocker who has ty man to man D. This move eliminates OKC's chances with the opportunity to congratulate Miami on their championship repeat in June. That honor goes to the Lakers now.
I think its a good trade for both teams. Good long term move forOkc and great short term and potential long term for Rox. Doubtful a star FA signs there so trades is the way they must build. Morey is wise to flip those assets for a proven scorer and playmaker. Sure he is a bit overrated and will be overpaid, but with the lack of proven SG in the NBA right now he is probably a top 5 SG. He choked in the Finals but so did the Jet Terry and he bounced back to help the mavs win two years ago. But OkC does take a step back imho. Martin can shoot , but harden does everything else better. Okc had a slight chance of beating the heat in a rematch now they have none. Harden plays up to par last Finals that series goes 7. This year we won't get to know ...
James and Jeremy tbh
No armchair analysis here, just logic & I find it illogical to compare Harden to James & Dirk. But hey continue to grasp at straws!
Two guys that struggled against the Heat in the Finals and were predicted to have been irrevocably broken, yeah there is no logical connection because they are not exactly the same. Dirk's tall after all.
So what do you think of Harden hitting 17 of 34 shots in London this Summer?
It was as awesome as his 9 minutes a game, did it occur to you many of those shots came in garbage time?
Dirk was & is the franchise player, it was his mental lapse that cost him that year, Harden is no where near Dirk's level. So I'd suggest stopping the horrible comparisons. lol compare one of the best shooters of all time & a future first ballot hall of famer to some bearded wonder.
Keep thinking of negatives for the Thunder. , talk about the oh so elusive injury bug that has yet to strike KD or RW, it's all you got. Face it, you and your franchise are .
the spurs are ? 4>0
You said he played poorly in the Olympics. He hit half of his shots. Of course he didn't play much. Shall we go through the Team USA roster and determine who the swing players were?It was as awesome as his 9 minutes a game, did it occur to you many of those shots came in garbage time?
Dirk was & is the franchise player, it was his mental lapse that cost him that year, Harden is no where near Dirk's level. So I'd suggest stopping the horrible comparisons. lol compare one of the best shooters of all time & a future first ballot hall of famer to some bearded wonder.
So Dirk was tall and franchise level talent and it should be obvious that people saying like you are saying were wrong when he played poorly against the Heat in the Finals. Harden is only extremely talented as and has been since he came out of ASU but he is just going to fold because you say so. He played poorly in London because he only shot well in limited minutes right?
Like i said. You deserve nothing more than a
You're right going from Harden to Martin is an upgrade. What was I thinking? Is Martin taller cause if he is then he's mentally strong. Keep that in mind.
I was speaking time relative dumbass.
The Spurs are nothing but either a second round exit or lottery team (if things get that bad).
You're life must be pretty ty.
Jeremy lamb = future superstar (able to play 2-guard, too)
Besides, Martin knows who he is playing with, he won't chuck like he had to when playing for a team like the Rockets.
Wojo
More at LINKJames Harden turned down a $54 million contract offer from the Thunder. (Getty Images)
For months, Houston Rockets general manager Daryl Morey called on Oklahoma City's Sam Presti, probing him with a simple question: Want to discuss a deal for James Harden yet? Over and over, the response had been an unwavering no. The Thunder wanted to sign Harden to a contract extension, hold together their young core and try to win championships for years and years.
Finally, there had come a call within the past several days to Morey: Presti wanted to seriously discuss the framework of a trade, because if Harden wouldn't take the Thunder's final offer, this promised to be the next step. From owner Clay Bennett to Presti and assistant GM Troy Weaver, a decision had been made: James Harden had played his final game for the Thunder.
After turning down a $52 million extension several days ago, Harden's agent, Rob Pelinka, flew from Los Angeles to Oklahoma City on Friday for a final sit-down with Presti. He wanted a max contract of four years, $60 million for his client, and had come to Oklahoma City to push management as far as it would go on an offer.
Before sitting down a final time with Pelinka, Presti became more serious in his discussions with Morey. Houston wanted Harden badly, believed he would evolve into a transcendent franchise star for a championship-caliber team and planned to award him a five-year maximum contract worth nearly $80 million. So, Presti laid out what he wanted for Harden and the original price was steep: Kevin Martin, Chandler Parsons, Jeremy Lamb and three first-round picks, including Houston's own in 2013.
Across 72 hours and culminating on Friday night, the deal became this: Martin, Lamb and two first-round picks, including a guaranteed plumb lottery pick via Toronto. Before Presti sat down with Pelinka on Saturday morning to make his final offer of $54 million over four years, the Rockets were made to understand: If Harden turns down, your long-awaited star is on his way to Texas.
In those finals hours on Saturday, the NBA made clear to Oklahoma City and Houston: Under no cir stances could Morey and Pelinka discuss a potential contract extension. Nevertheless, it was understood Morey would never let Wednesday's deadline pass without giving Harden the five-year max extension that wasn't available in Oklahoma City.
All along, Pelinka and Harden understood: From the Rockets, to the Phoenix Suns, to the Dallas Mavericks, there was a maximum contract offer awaiting him in free agency. Harden's market value wouldn't be dictated on the fact the Thunder planned to pay him as the franchise's third-best player. Less money and a sixth-man role – after a summer with Team USA at the Olympics, this was an impossible sell on Harden.
The impact on the Thunder locker room won't have the dark fallout some fear. When word reached Russell Westbrook late on Friday, he was disappointed Harden was gone – loved him as person, a teammate – but he wasn't devastated over the deal. Privately, Westbrook loved how Presti had strengthened the back of the Thunder roster with two rookies, Perry Jones and Houston draft pick Jeremy Lamb. He always admired how Martin had scored on the Thunder.
Center Kendrick Perkins also had privately told people he believed a trade was inevitable, too. To a man, none of the key Thunder players were surprised this happened, and none are conceding championship aspirations. In some ways, they can all breathe out now: This is the team, and now they go forward.
If nothing else, Westbrook and Kevin Durant have long learned to trust the judgment of Presti and Weaver. When the Thunder couldn't get an extension done with Jeff Green, they turned him into a piece the franchise desperately needed: Perkins. Everyone in the organization privately knew this, too: Harden wouldn't have thrived with the uncertainty and questions that would come with him unsigned past Wednesday, with him headed to the Feb. 21 trade deadline and, ultimately, restricted free agency on July 1.
Is Dallas now the w
that's big tbh. they could smartly draft a quality role player at 4-14. Toronto should have that more towards the 14 this year, but either way, some good players have gone late the last couple of draftsHouston also sent two 2013 first-round picks (from Dallas and Toronto) to Oklahoma City, sources told Y! Sports, as well as a 2013 second-round pick (via Charlotte). The Thunder will receive the Toronto pick this year if it's slotted Nos. 4-14. That pick also is top-three protected in 2014, top-two protected in 2015 and top-one protected in 2016
You think? There is a reason why there is a buzz around this transaction. The Thunder got better in every way possible, short and long term. As a nugget fan you're gonna have to live with a Western Conference dominated by the Thunder. Oh and, you've been pretty damn rude to me in my welcome.
Screw you.
How did they get better? Harden provided value by being the guy who ran plays in the 4th instead of letting Chimpbrook's Jekyll and Hyde act weaken them. Martin can't create for others, and he's been getting worse as his best way of getting to the line got changed.
Sure, it works out long term, but let's not pretend those draft picks are a sure thing right?
If anything, Presti's given up on ringing this year in favor of the next. OKC wins long term but I think this trade works out for both teams.
FWIW, your backup center is now Hasheem "The Dream" Thabeet...
@lakers...Friend of mine was at Notre Dame Oklahoma game asked Kevin Durant his feelings about Harden trade and he responded I'm Pissed..LOL
to be fair, you've been a massive wit.
let me give you another shot. stop being a , and we can be cool
ingFWIW, your backup center is now Hasheem "The Dream" Thabeet...
he doesn't have his best pressure valve anymore
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