Hawks' version of cyberx says this about Rockets trade rumor

not quite true........we have 2022 and 23 first rounders

Houston's 2021 1st round pick protected for selections 1-4..........if we blow it up we might go bad enough to keep it next year

 

We won't get past the 2nd round in this scenario. Other teams are starting to recognize that Harden can bring them close to a NBA championship.

 

We're in full on Landry's mode.

1. Take over company
2. Cut costs
3. Hype up mediocre at best product with lots of bells and whistles
4. Jack up prices and offer memberships/gift cards, tie ins to crappy casinos
5. Profit!

 

Simmons, Richardson, Thybulle, Zhaire Smith, Shake Milton and 2 future firsts. We can send them PJ with James. Trade Russ elsewhere or trade him for Tobias Harris straight up.

If Harden won't sign an extension, it's time to move on, I hope he signs an extension.

If not.

https://tradenba.com/trades/6fjHfqenQ

Seems fair enough in the long run. Saves Tilman a ton of money. Adds a lot of depth to this team. Playoff team with assets to improve.

 

I have a hard time seeing the deal, as mentioned in that post, happening.

 

We’ve made it past the 2nd round twice in the Harden era.

 

Of course, but KAT for Harden will make us softer despite his youth. CP3 will help, but he will get frustrated easily with KAT. I would never agree to this.

 

I don't think Morey will trade Harden before Westbrook. Unless Harden request for trade.

 

Of all the fake trades I see, this is in the top 1% of stupid.

 

I am totally fine trading Harden IF and only if we get MAX value. One or two solid talents, 3 or 4 super high draft picks and some cap relief.

In other words, NOT HAPPENING!

 

Yes, Harden is much better player than KAT.

But usually, players aren't leading their teams deep into the playoffs at 24.

 

WE're not making it past the 2nd round regardless.

Warriors will be healthy and they have the #2 pick to add a significant...if not another all-star...to their team.

Lakers will still be a threat, Anthony Davis with championship experience, another year to fill holes for their team.

Clippers will also have another year to fill holes with their team.

Nuggets are right there, their young guys we can presume will be more experienced and confident in the playoffs.

Like...we're not beating these teams as constructed unless Westbrook has MVP form in him that is.

If you want to win rings there is no point in threading the tires of Harden until he has no value.

Had we still have assets, we could build around him again, try to attract another big name, etc etc but I just don't see it in this team. Maybe a new coach can get more out of the team, is that enough against the above teams? I seriously doubt it, those teams are stacked and have excellent coaching. I just don't see it happening. We can thread water with Harden, make the playoffs, see some interesting playoff matchups and then he'll get old and the rebuild will really be hard then.

 

The part where he says Harden is happy in Houston should be enough to tell you to look no further.

Tilmans cow is getting thin, but he's not ready to carve up Harden just yet.

 

In looking at the post in the OP...

Why would Minny do this? In comparing rosters of both teams minus the pieces in the trade, Minny's roster is worse than Philly's. So if Simmons + Embiid + 76ers roster couldn't do anything in the weaker East, why would Simmons + Embiid + Wolves roster work in the strong West?

 

Certain players on the Nuggets and Celtics would like a word.

 

this is nuts. people have legitimately gone crazy.

Russel Westbrook was BALLING before the pandemic. BALLING!

You give these guys another year and wait for the trade deadline next season, you dont sell low like this on ONE postseason where Russ was not 100% (yea I know I know "russ sucks he cant shoot he cant do sht") but just in business sense this would be bad for Fertitta. He would lose money on this and there is no way he would sign off.

Its kinda like talking about what you would do if you won the lottery. Not likely to happen, but still fun to talk about.

Oh yeah and FK CHRIS FRAUD!!!

 

So we not only will trade Harden for a non difference maker in KAT and a pick in a “bad draft”, but we will just give Westbrook back and let them have all those picks for a 1 year rental.....

lol....crack kills

 

Bro, those months upon months of RW going absolutely bonkers don't exist. Didn't you get the memo?

The injured, Covid-19 version is the real RW.

 

JVG would force KAT to be a post player.

No thanks.

 

Per the original post, Houston isn't interested in making this trade as it's currently constructed. So if anything comes of this, we would be getting more value back for Harden than Karl Anthony Towns, Josh Richardson, and 2020 1st overall pick

So the question is this - what could be added to this deal that would make Morey (and TF) consider trading Harden? Additional high picks? Another player (and if so, how good of a player)? An offer from someone to take on Gordon's contract in return for good players / picks? The potential or even an explicit opportunity to flip the new players/picks for a true superstar level player?

What is clear is that the Rockets as currently constructed are not championship contenders. Harden's ability to do everything will get us in the playoffs, but once we face off against better opponents for multiple games, his do-everything-while-everyone-else-stands-around style becomes a massive handicap as teams can simply double team him while using a zone to cover our stationary role players. Russell Westbrook had flashes of being an MVP for about a month, but then regressed to exactly what he's been his entire career - an uber-athlete who can't shoot and whose body moves way too fast for his brain in crunch situations. With almost $77M in salary guaranteed to these guys, there is no realistic way to add the necessary talent to this team, which besides those 2, is made up of old, borderline role players. Nor is it realistic to think that a new coach can pull more out of such a veteran team that has already overachieved beyond its actual talent.

So the Rockets have to decide whether they want to stick with Harden in hopes that they can luck into a championship, or they can look at options for moving on while he still has value. This may be the only chance the Rockets get to negotiate from a position of strength - Harden is healthy, playing at a high level and wants to stay in Houston. If we hold on to him until he declines or becomes disgruntled, it will be much, much harder to get decent value back for him. Personally, if Philadelphia and/or Minnesota can offer another high pick or all-star, I think the Rockets should make the trade now.