[Jalen Rose] Kevin Durant Will Join Harden and Howard In Houston

I'm not sure Durant would be successful in Houston. With the humidity as high as it is, I'm not sure Durant's muscles would work like he would like them to considering he is so skinny.

The moisture from the air here in Houston can more easily penetrate his muscle tissue through osmosis, thus making them full and tiring him out faster.

These "heavy arms" would alter his shot and make it much harder for him to shoot from long-range.

It's science.

 

While this is a long shot, it would definitely guarantee us a 3 peat if it indeed comes to fruition.

Get it done Morey

 

The problem for Durant and Westbrook is they have to deal with Sam Presti. If he does'nt think he can sign them both could just as easily end up on some team like the Suns or Jazz. Houstons problem is they only have 1 player that OKC covets and thats Parsons. Because of Adams, OKC isn't going to pay big bucks for a backup center and no one is going to take on Lin's salary.

 

We are pretty much set up on making a big free agency splash in 2015 just before Bev/Parsons big contracts kick in.

I don't see how adding Durant in free agency is possible unless Howard is gone, and the impending Parsons/Beverley contracts are not very high.

Man it feels good to be the centerpiece of all these rumors though.

 

It is possible if OKC has no chance to win a NBA title before KD contract expires. I do not think OKC can win it with the current players and the coach.

 

Not gonna happen.

 

Wowsers. Wouldn't that be something...
Dynasty!!

 

Why wait two years?

Asik + Lin + Parsons + Jones + Picks.

 

If it was most other people that leaked this, I would be skeptical but since it's Jalen Rose, I have to be honest, I'm very, very excited.

If morey knows that Durant wants to come here, he has two years to edit the roster and salary. He'll make it work

 

<iframe width="420" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/TofLNxbC4v0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

It would essentially mean adding NO salary for 2 years, meaning, let talent waste/expire. Win now mode does not equal wait and see mode. RW leaving? I could see that, he doesn't have KD endorsements or swagger, so he doesn't get anywhere close to the money KD does in a small market. But, Morey (or any GM for that matter) would not wait and keep the roster we have now just to see 'if' someone in the future 'might' want to play for us. We will use our cap room, and exceptions, to win this year, and next, and we will not have room in 2015 or 2016. The idea isn't smart to status quo. Either way, I bet KD stays, even if RW leaves.

 

If you can get a trio of KD/JH/DH shouldnt you clear everything else to secure it? At that point, we'd be the Heat of the West and i'm not even sure the Heat would be themselves anymore, with Wade at 33-34 yrs of age. We would run the league with 3 of the top 7-8 (dare i say 5?) players in the league.

Maybe it'll require a pay cut for all three, but I'm sure Asia will be more than happy to help them make up that cut.

 

there is not enough Monopoly money to pay these guys.

Even if you had three max contract players the rest of the roster
would have to be making 200k-500k each in this dream scenario and that
still doesn't make a TEAM.

If OKC could've paid 3 stars they would have done so.

It's the main reason we got Harden and Morey was watching their payroll
to be ready to get the steal of a deal.

Yes, you could go into major Luxury Tax - but just don't see it happening.

 

The Rockets either convince Dwight to opt out and sign for less (unlikely), or they have 22 million (plus increase in cap from 2014 to 2016) plus MLE plus minimum contracts to fill out 10 roster spots. 9 empty roster spots means nearly 5M in empty roster spot charges. MLE is meaningless to Durant. So you're asking Durant to take 17M or so, or you're doing a S&T with a player we don't currently have to a team with little reason to S&T their savior away.

Durant is eligible for a 22.3 million starting salary (assuming current cap). Don't know why he'd give up that much.

Summary: Assuming Dwight picks up his option, we could offer Durant a max of (17.5+x) where x is the increase in the cap. Durant would be eligible for the larger of 22.3 or (18.63+0.3x) from the Thunder.

Or to put in in the vein of this article...

<table rules="rows" border="1" width="450"><tbody><tr><td bgcolor="c9c9c9">Player</td> <td bgcolor="c9c9c9">Salary</td> <td bgcolor="c9c9c9">Salary Cap</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Dwight Howard</td> <td>$23,282,457</td> <td>
</td> </tr> <tr> <td>James Harden
</td> <td>$16,744,218</td> <td>
</td> </tr><tr> <td>Kevin Durant
</td> <td>$17,507,301</td> <td>
</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Minimum Cap Hold</td> <td>$507,336</td> <td>
</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Minimum Cap Hold</td> <td>$507,336</td> <td>
</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Minimum Cap Hold</td> <td>$507,336</td> <td>
</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Minimum Cap Hold</td> <td>$507,336</td> <td>
</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Minimum Cap Hold</td> <td>$507,336</td> <td>
</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Minimum Cap Hold</td> <td>$507,336</td> <td>
</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Minimum Cap Hold</td> <td>$507,336</td> <td>
</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Minimum Cap Hold</td> <td>$507,336</td> <td>
</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Minimum Cap Hold</td> <td>$507,336</td> <td>
</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Total</td> <td>$62,100,000</td> <td>$62,100,000</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Cap Room</td> <td>$0</td> <td>
</td></tr></tbody></table>

That's a pipe dream unless Morey, Dwight and Durant all plan it well in advance. Morey alone cannot do that, he needs a Heat-esque conspiracy among the players in question.

 

You think Morey planned this out? I know the opt-out is standard with these max contracts, but I can see Morey setting it up like this for a shot at KD.

Also, Jalen Rose wouldn't just say this type of stuff randomly. It wasn't even during the Convoyant Bill segment where they predict trades. I think there is something behind the scenes in Houston's front office.

 

I hope this doesn't happen, would not want a championship that way and Durant would lose a lot of respect from me (just like Lebron). 2 stars is great, especially the way we did it (trade and free agency) but having two guys join another is just sad. I would rather Durant try to do it on his own with Westbrook, also for Oklahoma City's sake.

 

I don't know the status or mechanics behind working a deal like this....

but I would gladly trade Asik, Lin, Beverly, Parsons for KD.

Those 4 could be a whole new team.

Just get a scrub PG (e.g. Lin level but for peanuts) and having Harden/Howard/Durant.

It's a new era.

 

I believe it..Jalen Rose is in the know...he predicted Howard coming to Houston. Durant wants to play with his buddy Harden.

Lin
Harden
Parsons
Durant
Howard

faint..:grin:

 

and howard can opt out that year and sign back witht he rockets around 18mill so morey will have 54-5mill left to work with.

 

Morey wasn't watching them, as if he knew the deal would come. From what I remember, he was as surprised as anyone else. Obviously he knew they had to make a decision, but many expected them to keep Harden, otherwise, OKC would have had many more offers.

OKC's mistake was giving Ibaka his deal. We won't have a third large contract like that. It's just Harden and Dwight's. Everything else is small (under 2 mill i believe) or ends next year.