Report: CBA Has Exceptions So Harden And Westbrook Can Get Paid This Year At first it appeared that the new CBA’s “Kevin Durant Rule,” which allows NBA teams to offer fatter contracts to keep their superstars from flirting with other options in free agency, would leave the Thunder and Rockets feeling like idiots. Last summer both teams just signed their cornerstones—Russell Westbrook and James Harden, respectively—to contract extensions, unaware that they’d have a more powerful option available if they’d waited just one year longer. Ordinarily, a player would not be able to sign contract extensions in consecutive years, but Yahoo Sports reports that the CBA has carved out specific exceptions for both of these players, because their teams’ behavior fit the spirit of the rule: keeping superstars in place. This means the Thunder and Rockets will be able to offer big money as early as this summer; it means that, should these stars want to stick around, they won’t have to leave money on the table to do so. Per Yahoo, here are the terms available to both players this summer: This summer, Westbrook could sign a five-year, $219 million contract extension that would begin in the 2018-19 season. He’ll make $28.5 million in 2017-18. Harden could sign for an additional four years and $171 million starting in 2019 – on top of the $58.7 million owed to him in the next two years of his current contract.
Not that it needs pointing out, but that is obviously a ridiculous amount of money. Baseball players have worked up to those levels, but isn't it over longer times? Anyway it is what it is. Keep him.
You pay him without any hesitations. Remember when we stole him for nothing this team was filled with average role players and Morey had set himself a task off having a major tank year. We had guys like Lin, Martin and Pat Pat as the future so in essence that team was lottory bound. All of a sudden out of nowhere Morey pounced on him and not only we got better we got whole lot better. Playoffs bound better. Every year he has been here(barring last seasons fiasco) the team has improved. Harden is a once in a generation type player and hang on to him for dear life.
Good summary of could have been had we not got the beard out of the blue cause we had Lamb and Royce White as our picks and had dished out that silly contract to Lin so things were a mess at that point.
I absolutely agree. It's unfortunate timing though that we got Harden right in the middle of the super teamups and then the NBA coming in with yet another new CBA that freezes out additional teams from doing it but allowing the existing ones to stay together.
Harden has absolutely zero incentive to lock himself in this summer. He could get hurt and miss 17-18 and I am confident the Rockets would still offer him the super max.
I agree he just resigned last off season he most likely just wants to wait and see what happens in the next season or two and go from their
New labor deal gives Rockets chance to sign James Harden to ‘super max’ extension Jonathan Feigen | December 22, 2016 Houston Rockets guard James Harden (13) reacts after Rockets forward Kyle Wiltjer (30) scored a 3-pointer against the Sacramento Kings during the second half of an NBA basketball game at Toyota Center on ... more Thrilled as the Rockets were when they signed James Harden to a four-year contract extension last summer, they have been happier about it since, so much so they want to do it again. The NBA's new collective bargaining agreement with the National Basketball Players' Association includes a provision that grandfathers in players, including Harden, to allow them to be eligible for a "super max" contract extension. The Vertical first reported the provision as part of the new CBA. In a clear indication of the Rockets' thinking, a person with knowledge of the CBA negotiations said that the Rockets were the team that initially proposed the rule in the new agreement and then pushed for it throughout the process. The person spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the private nature of collective bargaining negotiations. Rockets officials would not comment about any part of the new CBA, ratified by the NBA board of governors on Wednesday. But one individual, speaking on the condition of anonymity said, "We would probably give him a 100-year extension." The Rockets could have preferred to wait since the extension Harden signed in July keeps him under contract at least through the 2017-18 season. The Rockets' informal policy is normally to do contractual moves only at the deadline, including decisions with far less long-term ramifications involving player options. Harden, however, is the exception to that thinking, and was happy to be have the franchise's future in his hands. "They love me, man. I love them," Harden said. "I love being here. We're going to win a lot. I'm excited to be here. That's one of the reasons I extended this summer. Obviously, this year's been great. I've been happy, probably the happiest I've been since I've been in a Rockets uniform. Everybody else is happy."
I don't see any reason why he wouldn't sign. I don't think it is going to get much better then that. Max him for the love of everything holy!
Since when is Houston not a big market? The greater Houston Area is bigger than LA. But yea, I know what you mean. I have suspected it even though Harden has never really suggested anything to indicate that. He has loved Houston and always talks about how the move turned out really well for him.
The thing that sucks is that the Spurs are in a position to add a max player again (lol how!) and the Warriors and Cavs are monster teams already built. The new CBA kills any chance of stars jumping ship from now on, so the Rockets are going to be locked into 1 star team with Harden and then a semi-star with Gordon and then hoping for a miracle.
