[Grantland]The Harden Dilemma

or this. this is something i'd absolutely do.
ideally, they'd trade Perkins in July for cap space, but if a decent deal comes up where it's Perkins + low 1st for a slightly worse expiring player, I think they have to do it.

 

They should get rid of Westbrook to make room

 

Because in 2013-2014, assuming Aldrich, Cook, Maynor and Thabeet are off the books, the Thunder will be looking at a minimum of ~$66M in salary BEFORE Harden signs his extension, meaning they're looking at a team salary in the $80M range if he gets maxed out, which would push their total team salary up near $100M when the incremental luxury tax is phased in. If Perkins' $9M salary is amnestied or dumped, they could get very close to the tax line.

Most every analysis already accounts for the fact that the Walking Dead Sonics let these players go already.

 

anyone think westbrook for rondo make sense?

 

http://espn.go.com/nba/tradeMachine?tradeId=97k39kh

OKC new lineup:
Rondo
Bradley
Durant
Ibaka
Darko

Celtics:
Westbrook
Harden
PP
KG
Fab Melo(?)

win-win for both team.
OKC finally get a pass first pg who will help KD and fully utilize bad offensive players like darko, perkins and ibaka. Avery bradley is also an excellent SG.(guarded wade well in the playoff)

Celtics get new blood, two potential franchise player in westbrook and harden.

 

In addition to missing WB's scoring, the last thing a lightweight coach like Scott Brooks needs is a lockerroom psychopath like Rondo. Wouldn't work. A strong-willed coach like Doc and hard core vets like KG and PP can barely handle the nutcase.

 

really, Westbrook+Harden for Rondo is a win-win for both teams? i like Bradley a lot, but ...

 

rather than letting harden walk because they cant match, why not trade him for an elite pg? i mean, yeah, westbrook is an elite pg too, but okc free'd a lot cap space which is their main problem.

maybe dump in a few draft pick if necessary.

 

if they trade Durant for Millsap, they'll save even more cap

 

OKC would be trade-raping themselves in that scenario. Westbrook and Rondo are both top point guards and I'd put Westbrook's trade value above Rondo's, given his age and his ability to never get injured. And then to throw in a top shooting guard as well? OKC would be much better off not making that trade.

 

that is a lot of money to give harden a contract that is at least 10mil. sure, i think he deserves at least 10mil, but the team cant pay it. if they cant match, that just mean anyone can snatch him from okc. instead of letting him walk, why not trade him for a pass first pg in rondo?

 

They will match any contract and trade him if needed. (or sign in trade in the first place.)

 

on top of that, also pick up avery bradley and maybe some picks?

 

sign and trade is still a lot of money.

 

depends on the team/trade. exceptions exist.

 

ideally, thats what the thunder want to happen. but who knows, the thunder dont always have the leverage.

 

or maybe they'll just do something smart, like get rid of Perkins and keep Harden

 

At the end of the day its just results. If OKC goes deep into playoffs, they will keep Harden even if it cost them the tax. If not, or Harden did not play well, they will just trade him away.

 

Minus the chin-lashing flops of James Harden (which the refs allowed against the Lakers and jumped on against the Heat), I'm a fan of the dude.

I would say OKC will keep him for the year, then sign him to a max or near-max deal in a trade to another team.

Could that team be Houston? Morey's plan is Boston's old plan: develop and show off players for a big KG-type trade. Maybe Jeremy Lamb and another player or high pick will get it done.

The Suns would be a player in the Harden market, too.

It wouldn't make too much sense to keep three max guys in a small market, even one with great fans and following. The luxury tax would eat their lunch.

Since they won't trade Westbrook, I'll guess Harden has one year left on the Thunder.