He's here for one more year, then has player option.... Cap space gone, and he's gets a HUGE pay increase, VERY good agent !!!!! Y'all acting like he signed for 5 more years
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>Key for Rockets is that next year's FAs in a loaded class won't have uncertainty about Harden staying. Had no chance at them otherwise.</p>— Jonathan Feigen (@Jonathan_Feigen) <a href="https://twitter.com/Jonathan_Feigen/status/751872410878504960" data-datetime="2016-07-00T20:15:26+00:00">July 0, 2016</a></blockquote> <script src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
So no deals imminent and we are contenders now? I guess Harden's camp pushed for this as well, no way Harden accepts being the 2nd best paid player on the team..
You are wrong. No major transaction can be done without money. It is great to lock up Harden, but he is now the only one we can trade to get a superstar.
Of course they can...and they will!!! Didn't see a renegotiated contract/extension coming...but wow, couldn't be happier. At least there is certainty that he will be staying, which might play into future FA signings. And while it never sounded like he'd back away from a challenge and take the easy way out, like some other superstars, I'm glad the org. got it out the way early and extended his contract.
This is huge for free agency next year, and definitely shows Harden is willing to see this through for at least another year and maybe another. Next is to show even if we don't have the roster to compete extremely well with these other top teams, to at least TRY. Show effort! Effort and buying into this new offensive system along with buying into an actual defensive system can lead to over achieving. This could lead other FA's to think we are closer than things appear and can draw some bigger names in FA next season.
I guess it hadn't occurred to me that Harden would leave, so I'm not particularly thrilled or surprised by this move. Looks like both sides are committed to each other, which is good.
Just realized he restructured. I thought it was initially a 4 year extension on top of his 2 year contract. Boy. I am down again. We just paid him a ton of money to stay 1 more year. You think the Lakers would have cared if Harden was making peanuts the next 2 years? No, they'd wait til FA and then pay the man. He makes enough in endorsements. This was a panic move just to ensure we keep him 1 more year. You think the Warriors care about Curry making peanuts for the rest of his contract? No. We did this because we are afraid he's gone. We just ensured our mediocrity for the next 3 years with no room to do anything and no assets. Were exactly what LE$ has wanted. An above .500 regular season record to keep LE$'s winning regular season record going, and a 1st round playoff exit(beating) most likely at 6th-8th seed. But...LE$ gets all that playoff money.
Harden deserves it, especially when non-stars are getting 25-30 million a year now, gotta keep our one real star happy.
He signed up for one more year, and that extra year will be his 9th. Contracts go up after your 10th year. He is going to make a lot more money doing it this way. Having said that, even paying him all of that extra money is worth it. At the peak of his powers Harden is a top 5 player, and top 5 players are grossly underpaid in the NBA, even when they make the max. It's a great deal for both sides. Harden gets his money, has a team unquestionably built around him. The Rockets get an extra year to get their house in order around Harden, and we can put forth a committed and unified front to the rest of the league.
2017 FAs... Curry - Alright, unless something terrible happens and GSW completely implodes than this is unlikely. Westbrook - Likely has a positive relationship with Harden, played together. Completely unpredictable...who knows.. Blake Griffin - Clippers are likely to reach just the 2nd round again, Blake could be looking for success elsewhere. Chris Paul - actually almost came to the Rockets to form a Harden/Dwight/CP3 superteam. Clippers traded for Doc Ricers (lol) and that supposedly prevented the move. Maybe if the Clippers flame out he'd look to ring chase. Cavs have Irving, Warriors have Curry...and if Blake goes off elsewhere (and it not be Houston) then perhaps Chris Makes the most sense out of this class. Would be on his last legs though... Gordon Hayward - Would actually really love this. Young player, can shoot, athletic, competitive, actually seems like the perfect C player in a star studded trio...Utah will have to make the decision if he's worth the max. If they are smart they let him go. He's not leading them any where and he's not attracting star players. Obviously Westbrook, Blake, and Hayward will be the big prizes next offseason, Chris Paul will be a guy though that I don't think anyone would be mad at getting. I don't know much about how the cap will look or if the Rockets can maneuver their way to get two of these guys...but with Harden committed it should show a good sign to any of these guys.
True, but in doing that he's choosing to spend more years of his prime in Houston. After this contract he will technically be on the backend of his career.