Should we try to sign Eric Gordon this summer, or wait for James Harden in 2013?

I couldn't have said it better. I didn't say it better. Wow brilliant minds think alike.

 

Not saying paying James Harden the max per se, but I do think Harden commands a very high salary.

I know Hollinger is a massive fan of Harden, and its not hard to see why.

Having Harden on our team > Kevin Martin + Luis Scola eating up 16 million per year.

Harden is a real difference maker, and if Rudy Gay or LaMarcus Aldridge gets that type of money, whos to say Harden cannot? Harden arguably is better than Rudy Gay, and Memphis is 4th in the West with Rudy Gay contributing the most to that very commendable record. Harden plays better defence, has a better handle, is less selfish, and has a very much higher BBall IQ.

Its very hard to judge his performance because he is in the shadow of KD and RW. But I do think if there is one player we go all-out on, its Harden. He is not going to come here with Kevin Martin-type money or Presti will match anyday.

 

The worst mistake a GM can make is to follow that line of reasoning. Just because there are other players who are overpaid (compared to the top 10 players, who are underpaid with the max), one should never take them as the sole reference point and justify one's decision to overpay another player based on that.

 

Clearly you haven't watched Harden enough. He basically does whatever he wants on the court when they choose to run the ball through him. He's also not on the court with Durant and Westbrook all that much--most of the year he's been coming off the bench, splitting his minutes playing with the second unit and the first. He seems to particularly shine when Westbrook and Durant go off the court, because he's the first-option type of guy who is fantastic with the ball in his hands.

His stats speak for himself: He's only 22 years old and he has 21.2 PER and .658 TS%. He's already a top 30 player in the league and he's just getting started. Even if this is all he ever becomes, and he stays at this level for the next 10 years, he's worth max money.

When you look around the league you will see that almost every player who averages 20+ PER a year is on a max contract. That's just how the NBA works--contracts are capped out at a point way below what the top 10 players are actually worth. What this does is ensures that the top 10 players are massively underpaid. $17M a year is a fair price for a guy like Harden. LeBron James is probably worth something like double that, but cannot be paid double because of NBA rules.

 

OKC should re-sign Harden and trade Westbrook for a really good PG and a big man. Westbrook is their achilles heal. They would be better off with a distributing PG that can hit the spot up 3, that gets the ball to Durant and Harden and gets out of the way. And they really need another top notch big.

 

To be fair to Russ, let me ask you, sir...

What does OKC run? They really don't have a true offense. I think RW would be just fine if Scott Brooks had a true "SET" that they run. They are more "run Durant off screens" and if that doesn't work...1 on 1s.

 

I say keep Lee around, ship out Martin, and find some bigs.

 

This.

OKC would regret losing Harden.

Westbrook is very talented but he gets it into his head that he needs to take over games. Harden was killing us in that game. Thank God Westbrook tried to come to his team's rescue.

Nothing against Westbrook, but he needn't shoot 30 times a game with Durant at his side.

 

Quoting the ever-deep and ever-insightful Clyde Drexler,

"I agree."

 

3 letters

R F A

 

So since this is the GARM you're saying we should trade Lowry and Dalembert for Westbrook?

 

I agree with W22_STREAK having Harden would be better than Martin and Scola eating up 16 in the salary. They have Maynor/Harden/Ibaka all RFA next year and I think Ibaka will be priority over Harden for their front-court. People say trade Westbrook but the duo of him and Durant both proven all-stars have gotten them this far. I say find a way to trade Scola and re-sign Lee in the off-season between 5-7mil. Then at the next deadline look to trade Lee/Patterson throw in a 1st if need be for Harden and let Martins contract expire. Buyout Llull's contract and pay Harden for 2013-14 season!! Backcourt of Llull/Harden in the future would be awesome imo!!

 

Fixed!! Sorry for the double post!!

 

This.

 

I think we should re-sign Courtney Lee. Give him a nice contract, not to the extent or cost of Gordon or Harden but still affordable allowing us to make some moves into contention.

 

Harden is a beast, but let's cool down on the top 10 stuff, he's not that good.

 

Harden is elite, he has gotten consistently better every year

Per 36
19 PPG
49% FG%
38% 3pt%
66 TS%

He is a solid defenisve player, and the presence of Parsons would mean he doesn't have to guard the bigger wing players.

This year and next year the Thunder are set.

But assuming Ibaka and Harden get max deals, which if healthy they will.

13-14

Durant 18.7
Westbrook 17.0 (est)
Ibaka 15.0(est)
Harden 15.0 (est)
Perkins 8.5

Thats 74.2 Million in 5 guys, the luxary tax this year was around 71 million. And the new CBA penalizes teams even more for being over the mark. Can OKC really afford to go that high into the luxary tax.

They will have to move one of them, and whoever it is we should go after them hard. I think it will be Ibaka, but I'll take Westbrook or Harden

 

6 letters

N E W C B A

 

My wish is that we go all out and build a team with Paul George and James Harden