James Harden to Rockets

You don't like Asian people either?

 

I agree. Durant and Harden kind of play the same position to me - that sort of "pure" small scoring forward - although they score in different ways. Hollinger mentioned it in his piece on the trade, but they probably need a Ron Artest or Bruce Bowen-type, someone who can shoot 3s and play really good defense, more than a double of Durant's skills. I think this trade might lower their peak for this year, but raise it for future years.

 

He's not even Joe Johnson yet.

So, no.

 

Yeah, but it still makes sense for Houston because they had a stable of "assets" and was doing nothing with them.

 

Plus, the Rockets will have have great salary cap flexibility this offseason to put additional pieces around Harden.

 

I wonder if Harden's substandard (for the most part) performance in the NBA finals made it easier to trade him. OKC did what most teams are crucified for NOT doing -- getting max value out of a player before they're nuts-deep in a contract situation. It's clear Harden was going to test the market, and someone is going to pay him the max (and not OKC), so why not trade him now?

 

I don't see Harden as a franchise guy. Sort of like a Byron Scott on the Lakers or a Joe Dumars on the Pistons.

 

I understand the move and I agree it probably makes the Thunder weaker, but I don't think teams want to be put in the position where they have three guys making the max and then have to get people to play for close to the minimum for the other spots. Teams like the Lakers and Heat can pull that off, but it gets tougher to do when you're in Oklahoma City.

At least they got something for him.

 

Agreed. I just want to get this in, so somewhere down the road I've got it on file: when you give maximum contracts to players like that, then you wind up wondering a few years down the road why you are having salary cap problems.

Decent player, but not a franchise guy.

 

The one thing that would make me less reluctant with Harden - With the way contracts are capped now, he can only get 4 or 5 years, and he's only 23. Even if he's not a superstar, he'll still probably be a highly productive player. The tough decision doesn't come until 2017 or 2018, after whatever initial contract he's going to get from the Rockets.

 

Presti knows what he's doing. He's flipped a high priced Green for Harden, now is flipping Harden for a very young Lamb (plus others.) This could work out well again for the Thunder. Lamb is a good looking player. Now Harden has matured but he's not a lead dog. Rockets desperately needed someone and got a borderline All-Star now but this looks like a Kenny Anderson/Marbury move (Look! We got a STAR!!) not a genuine contender building move. Somehow Lin/Asik/Harden just doesn't jive.