Hawks' version of cyberx says this about Rockets trade rumor

I don't see KAT as one of those rangy fast to the perimeter guys. I did look at his stats and he was hitting 41% last year on threes on 8 tries a game, which is pretty impressive. Honestly, if we could get KAT and keep Harden and add JVG, I could see it working. But trading Harden for anyone outside of the top 5 players in the NBA? We'd be robbed.

 

We are a lottery team if we pull the trigger on this. I'd be onboard tanking if we have our own picks but since we wont have one until 2049 at the earliest, this is easy no. The team that trades the best player in a multiway trade always end up losing and Harden is easily the best player in this deal.

 

KAT, offensively, is elite. He has all the skills and tools to probably even give you 30 a night within the right offense. Hell, he was damn close to that number last year at 26.5 ppg.

I love Harden and have defended him time and time again on this forum but if I can get a big man that can give you 30/10 and hit >37% of his threes (that's at least a Top 7 player in the NBA right?)? AND get a #1 pick? AND get another wing player like Richardson? You have to take a long and hard look at that deal. That being said, I can't see Minnesota giving up of what that insider said just to only end up with Embiid and Simmons. You would have to end up with Harden for sure.

 

TBH, if Harden is down for a trade, for whatever reason, it might be time to cut ties.

We do seem to be spinning our wheels, although I don't blame him directly. His faith in his old buddy, well, when he and CP3 didn't get along and, hey!, we can get Westbrook (oft-injured, always stupid, easy to get him out of any semblance of a game plan).

A CP3 injury in the playoffs really changed so much for this franchise (and ref favoritism).

I'm not saying we'll trade Harden. Morey might be having to look at all options. If Morey does trade Harden (not likely), it'll hurt. Like, sitting alone in the dark with a bottle of JD, staring into the abyss, no-honey-I'm-all-right-I-just-need-to-be-alone-for-awhile hurt.

 

What is the trade being posed? I don't see anything but names and it's without saying who goes where.

 

Eh, I would take both of those guys (Simmons or Embiid) over KAT. Russell is an overrated player (he's very good but people treat him like a borderline superstar) on a bad contract. The first pick is in a pretty bad draft.

I think Minnesota is making out like a bandit in that deal. They dumped Wiggins to get DLo. The Rockets are the only team I'm not sure are getting enough. That's why I posted my idea. I'd need all the picks back (no swaps) in the Russ deal. I'd need Thybulle and Smith added to that deal to consider it.

The Sixers would immediately become the favorites in the East.

Russell
Harden
Harris
PJ Tucker
Horford

is a team built for Harden to actually succeed. Something Morey kind of failed to do. He allowed Harden to have too much input in personnel decisions and it bit the team in the ass.

 

Totally agree. Plus people are underestimating that player at #1 and Kat

 

I’d have to think about it. This roster is an absolute disaster right now, depending on what coach you bring in you might have to do a makeover anyway. Like it or not, the Rockets are in a really bad position going forward, and there are worse players in the league to rebuild around than KAT. I’m not saying I’d do the deal as presented, but it would be close enough to build on I think.

 

We'll have to cross that bridge sooner or later right? It's not like we are dealing with a 28 year old Harden right now. He's 31, is owed $40 million a year until 2023 and, through various bad transactions, we can't build a team with a higher ceiling right now even with James being a Top 3-5 player for the next couple of seasons. We could just let him play through his current deal and mutually part ways then and probably lose him for nothing.....or do a hard reset now to set the franchise up to compete in the future. I think given a lot of variables:

-Tilman not wanting to part with his cash cow player
-Morey not being here after his contract is up and probably not wanting/caring about focusing on a rebuild post-Harden
-Harden still capable of carrying this team to the playoffs (see the first bullet)

We won't see James getting traded.

 

Dantoni moves

 

1. Chris Paul Stakes. I've told all of you that Chris Paul trade value is still bad because teams just don't like that contract and don't know when CP3 decline will start and if it starts next year, they don't want to be holding the bag. Well, he gave me exclusive that only two teams are seriously interested in adding Paul. That is the New York Knicks and the wait for it... Houston Rockets. Not LAC, MIL, PHI but HOU. The thing is, Houston isn't going to do a deal as long as Harden is there but if Harden is gone. The two have talked about a clear swap of Westbrook and Paul. Westbrook has more value to OKC and they want to really start the rebuild and see him like a Kobe figure where you can rebuild but still keep the interest of the fans. Steven Adams has the most trade interest on the Thunder and I was told to expect him to be traded to a contender. Dennis also has some value but I was told interest is lower due to his salary for what many think is a backup PG.

That leads me into the blockbuster. This has only been in talks but nothing concrete but Rosas/Morey/Brand have discussed a possible blockbuster including the 1st overall pick, D'Angelo Russell, Karl Anthony-Towns, Joel Embiid, P.J. Tucker, Ben Simmons, Josh Richardson, and James Harden.

To HOU: 1st overall pick, Josh Richardson and KAT

To PHI: James Harden, D'Angelo Russell and P.J. Tucker

To MIN: Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons

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Looks like pure internet bs to me. An awful return for Harden, IMHO.

 

I do agree on this. Morey got his three pointers / layup guy. But building around him, that didn't entirely materialize.

 

If Harden actually is on the market, and Morey is wasting his time working on a deal centered around KAT, he needs to be slapped. Anybody saying this is solid needs to have their ****ing head examined.

 

Kept focusing on adding a point guard to control the game (Lawson, CP3, and Russ) but never quite realized that Harden likes the ball in his hands and paying a dude max money to be the point guard is wild. He always needed a star who could defend his ass off and thrive without the ball (Klay, Middleton, Kawhi, Anthony Davis). I know those guys don't grow on trees but the team always has had a very bad makeup.

 

Yup right on. Let's do the trade. Actually exciting. I believe Ball is an exceptional talent and could be generational plus a cash cow who will keep fans in the seats

 

Thybulle (future 1st team defender), 1st overall pick, KAT (all-star), Richardson (capable scorer) and Zhaire Smith (young talent with upside and size for his position) would be a fair return for a superstar. The team trading the superstar always loses the deal. If Harden is traded, Harden wanted out.

 

This is what people are not getting.

There will never be a fair trade for Harden. I mean yeah, if you were trading him for Zion or Morant or something, but no team is doing that.

To be able to get a #1 pick out of that (these usually turn out well) AND a 24 year old all-star...if you're going to trade Harden then this is not a bad deal, we could do worse.

 

The 1st overall pick in this draft doesn’t mean much. It’s not recognized as a strong draft at all.

 

Read the 1st page

 

LaMelo Ball is being underrated because of his brother and his father.

6-8 point guard with a 6-11 wingspan.

He's not a sure thing but I'd take a chance with him.