James Harden traded to Rockets

[Mel_13]

Harden was NOT willing to take a 4 year deal to stay with the team.

Yes, he was. He was willing to sign for 4yrs/60M. OKC offered him 4 yr/53M.

And Harden could have received a 5yr deal from OKC in the summer of 2013. He was willing to take a shorter deal now.

[thunderfan]

Well, you're right. He would've taken the 4 year max. I've heard he was offered 54 or 55, but either way. I guess it was a poker match, I don't know. Ive heard opinions that Harden's agent perhaps told him...ah, James they're bluffing. They won't trade you over pocket change like that. Presti's not a bull ter.....apparently. I wish Harden would've taken the offer, but I can appreciate the way Presti does business and I still think OKC is in a good position player wise and financially after the trade. To be honest, if I'm the GM of a team I certainly respect my personnel and everything, but at the end of the day, I'm calling the shots. I think these kids need to show a little respect for who they are dealing with. This wasn't a lowball offer. 1.75/year off the max? Come on. If I'm a GM, I'm not gonna go spewing BS and playing games with people - yeah, take it or I'm trading you in an hour. Ok, hours up...well, ok how about another hour then? Ok I'll up in another million. You get into a situation where you're just a jackass pansy who spews BS..and that's not who Presti is.

[silverblk mystix]

Chiming in late here, but from my perspective (call it wishful thinking if you want) OKC is a better team after this trade. Sure, we all liked Harden. He is a great player. However, he's not THAT good - at least not in the sense that he was worth a max contract to OKC. I always said that Ibaka was more irreplaceable than Harden was. I was happy that we wrapped up Ibaka first. Martin goes about his offense differently than Harden, but Martin can flat SCORE. People forget that. After all, he has played for loser teams his whole career. Lamb will be a work in progress, but Martin in addition to Jones, plus a healthy Maynor back and what I believe we are seeing as a noticeably improved Ibaka on offense makes OKC a better team, I think.

You are right about Martin - but he won't be able to score in the playoffs when he is in street-clothes on the bench due to injury.

[thunderfan]

You are right about Martin - but he won't be able to score in the playoffs when he is in street-clothes on the bench due to injury.

Got any stock market advice for me too? You seem to be able to foresee the future. Surely you're retired and independently wealthy given such a gift.

[Mel_13]

Well, you're right. He would've taken the 4 year max. I've heard he was offered 54 or 55, but either way. I guess it was a poker match, I don't know. Ive heard opinions that Harden's agent perhaps told him...ah, James they're bluffing. They won't trade you over pocket change like that. Presti's not a bull ter.....apparently. I wish Harden would've taken the offer, but I can appreciate the way Presti does business and I still think OKC is in a good position player wise and financially after the trade.

Presti is playing the hand he's been dealt. There's no way he makes that trade if maximizing the team's championship chances is all he has to consider. OKC ownership, which is making money hand over fist, has decided that maximizing their championship chances wasn't worth the extra 2-3M per year it would have cost to lock up Harden long-term. Even given those constraints, I don't get the trade. Keep him this year and then do a sign and trade next summer. There would have been plenty of potential trade partners to choose from at that time.

[silverblk mystix]

Got any stock market advice for me too? You seem to be able to foresee the future. Surely you're retired and independently wealthy given such a gift.

lol...you are more right than you know actually...

[Brazil]

Mel regulating the fools per the course

[thunderfan]

lol...you are more right than you know actually...

Hey - more power to you then

[thunderfan]

Presti is playing the hand he's been dealt. There's no way he makes that trade if maximizing the team's championship chances is all he has to consider. OKC ownership, which is making money hand over fist, has decided that maximizing their championship chances wasn't worth the extra 2-3M per year it would have cost to lock up Harden long-term. Even given those constraints, I don't get the trade. Keep him this year and then do a sign and trade next summer. There would have been plenty of potential trade partners to choose from at that time.

Well, I don't know. We'll see how it plays out. I guess there's a reason he runs a successful NBA team and me and you just talk about it on internet message boards.

[Mel_13]

Well, I don't know. We'll see how it plays out. I guess there's a reason he runs a successful NBA team and me and you just talk about it on internet message boards.

Actually, we do know. Just read Presti's own quotes about Harden. This was a financial decision, not a basketball decision.

[thunderfan]

I get that. He wanted Harden. Otherwise he wouldn't have made him an offer. I think everyone would have rather kept Harden. The "I don't know" was more in reference to how this will all play out and whether or not it will work out for OKC in the next few years. It should be interesting.

[Mel_13]

True. Teams have overcome bad basketball decisions and won championships.

[ElNono]

sup Mel...

[Mel_13]

sup Mel...

Hey Nono. Glad to see that you appear to have survived Sandy well enough.

[ElNono]

Hey Nono. Glad to see that you appear to have survived Sandy well enough.

Yes, we're good here. Can't say the same for all folks in the area unfortunately. But at least things can only look up, right?

[thunderfan]

The buzz in OKC during the preseason, prior to the trade, was how noticeably more confident Serge Ibaka looked on the offensive end. I've argued many times on this board against people who called Ibaka's 11-11 game against SA a fluke. Completely out of the ordinary and a once in a year type of performance for sure, but not a fluke - not from a guy who was in the top tier in FG % in the NBA last season from that 16-20 ft range. Anyhow, I think you'll potentially see a more expanded role for Ibaka on offense this season and really see him start to come on strong offensively. He's expanded his jumpshot out to the corner 3 point area, which he hit at a good % during the preseason and I believe will show much improved low post scoring. While Martin can fill it up quickly on offense in place of Harden, he does lack the ability to do so deep in the paint and at the rim as Harden could often do. I think this is where an expanded role for Ibaka will come in as well as PJ3. Jones is arguably the most athletic player on OKC's roster - and that's saying a LOT. Given what Ibaka and Jones could bring, I think this can help makeup for Harden's absence - with time.

[ace3g]

Adrian Wojnarowski ‏@WojYahooNBA

James Harden has agreed to a 5 year, $80 million deal with Houston, source tells Y!

Adrian Wojnarowski ‏@WojYahooNBA

Harden has his full, 5-year maximum extension with Rockets. Deal will be signed shortly.

[Bruno]

This trade shows that Spurs are lucky to have an owner like Holt that was fine with going a little over the tax.

Another effect of this trade for Spurs is that Kevin Martin might become a nice free agent target for Spurs next summer if Manu retires. Thunder will face financial troubles to re-sign him.

[timvp]

Tbh, if I were a Thunder fan, I'd be pissed. You throw away a proven combination that was on the brink of a possible dynasty over a few pennies? Wow. Thunder fan has been spoiled so they don't really understand what's going on ... so I can't really blame them for being naive.

But you are fortunate to have a potential great young trio and you let a few million dollars get in the way? I would have a hard time forgiving the front office. Sure, on paper OKC looks like they'll be able to potentially recover but it's such a huge risk with what was at stake. Championship-level trios in the NBA are among the most valuable assets in all of sports. To basically opt to re-roll the dice after landing such a trio is somewhere between ballsy and insane.

[CGD]

Still a GREAT move by the Thunder under te cir stances considering they are locked to 3 massive long term deals as is. Ill take the cap space next summer and have faith that 1 of the many first round picks they'll have in the coming years become a survivable 3rd option. I also think people are sleeping on Martin. When he doesn't have to be the 1st option i think he's great.

[thunderfan]

Still a GREAT move by the Thunder under te cir stances considering they are locked to 3 massive long term deals as is. Ill take the cap space next summer and have faith that 1 of the many first round picks they'll have in the coming years become a survivable 3rd option. I also think people are sleeping on Martin. When he doesn't have to be the 1st option i think he's great.

Exactly my thoughts and players seem to love playing in OKC. Martin can be a nightmare for defenses and I think can thrive when he's not the first offensive option. By his own admission he's sick and tired of playing for losing teams. If he works out and gets a sniff of contending for a le I believe he will be ecstatic to sign on long term. You'll see less Perkins this year. Brooks will be playing a lot more small ball with some combinations that I think could completely fill the void left by the Harden trade.

[jesterbobman]

Martin is a good player, and the Thunder will still win a lot of games with him, and depending on where Toronto's pick falls, they might be OK. But Harden should be the best SG in the NBA in the next few years(Manu, Kobe, Wade getting older) and trading that for a good SG who's older than the core, not as good as Harden, and decreasing your chance at a le just seems stupid.

I get the situation that they were in with the tax and wanting flexibility(And Presti did fine if he got told there was a hard limit on salary), but max guys are such good value(By definition, Are Underpaid) and the were so close, it seems dumb to not keep him, when they'd be at the same point if they signed two fewer min contract guys and just rolled with Harden.

[Mugen]

harden w/ 37 pts and 14ast tonight.

[jon123spurs]

Wow what a debut for harden. Think OKC wants that trade back.

[Ice009]

lol has Kevin Martin ever had a game with that many assists?

Thunder will miss his play making abilities.

I'd have to say without watching the game, those numbers are some of the most impressive ever from someone who people weren't sure he deserved a max contract. Harden really came out and showed people that he very well could be worth a max contact.

Did anyone watch the game? Was he as impressive as those numbers indicated?