It’s been 8 years since James Harden was traded to the Rockets. They have nothing to show for it. Is it time to blow this up and move on? I think it’s starting to look that way. I made up some hypothetical trades involving James Harden so the Rockets can start fresh. Potential Trade Partners for Harden: Teams that have (1) available draft assets, (2) available player assets, and (3) various contracts to be able to salary match. I can only see one of the current playoff teams out of the West making a trade for Harden realistically. Denver: They have several promising young players (especially MPJ) that they can package in a trade and are on the bubble of contention. If Jerami Grant opts in as well he could be included in a package. With a trade centered around Harris (and MPJ), the Nuggets pair a Murray/Harden backcourt with Jokic. That would definitely make them a contender. There are also a couple of lottery teams that will be competing next year. These teams were on the bubble this year (Phoenix or New Orleans). Phoenix: Phoenix has assets that they can trade and still be solid enough to make a run with Harden. It would be a sort of hometown return for Harden as he went to Arizona State University in Tempe. For the Rockets this might be a way for them to get a big man and a wing player along with some draft picks as well. I could see the Rockets asking for Ayton and Kelly Oubre Jr. and draft picks New Orleans: While intriguing, it would be hard to do a trade without one or both of Ball or Ingram. The best offer without them is probably Jrue + Redick + take your pick from their other young players + a lot of picks, both NOLA's and the Lakers'. With enough on the table, Houston might actually make this trade. Now for the East: Boston: They have Kemba and Hayward who could both be used to match salary. Houston will probably hardball for Brown or Tatum unless Boston includes an insane FRP haul (they have MEM and MIL picks this year plus all of their own in the future). With Tatum's recent ascendance, I doubt they move him. They could include Brown and Hayward (the latter an expiring) to match salaries, plus many picks. Miami: They have plenty of expirings for THIS season but as they will be trading for next year, they have basically no one they can match with. They have Iguodala, but aside from him, the only players that are for sure going to be on the books next season are Herro, Bam, Nunn, Robinson, Okpala, Silva, and of course, Jimmy. Miami won't trade Jimmy. Olynyk has a player option for $12M that he may take. The best offer they could put up is Iguodala + Olynyk + Herro + Robinson + Draft picks Philadelphia: Ben Simmons is probably the most enticing trade asset that Houston would be interested in here. The resulting lineup would be strong both offensively and defensively, and Houston gets a young building block for their future. Brooklyn: This one would be interesting. They can center a package around LeVert and Dinwiddie plus salary filler and picks to create perhaps the best big 3 in the NBA while reuniting KD and Harden (if Kyrie goes to Houston and Russ to Brooklyn, that would be hilarious too). I don't think it beats out some of the other offers, but it's something to consider. Possible Trades: Denver HOU gets: Gary Harris, Michael Porter Jr., Will Barton, Monte Morris, 2020 1st (via HOU), 2022 1st (via DEN), 2024 1st (via DEN), 2026 top 5 protected 1st (via DEN) DEN gets: James Harden Houston gets some building blocks for their future with Harris (25), Porter (21), and a ton of draft picks. They could also potentially throw in Jerami Grant (player option) as well. Barton is salary filler. Phoenix: HOU gets: DeAndre Ayton, Kelly Oubre Jr., Ricky Rubio (salary filler) , 2022 FRP, 2024 FRP, and 2026 FRP PHX gets: James Harden For Houston, this allows them to retool as well as bring in a much needed big man and a foundational piece in Ayton. For the Suns this makes them a playoff contender and with Harden and Booker there, their future looks pretty great. New Orleans HOU gets: Lonzo Ball, JJ Redick, Darius Miller, Jaxson Hayes, 2022 1st round pick (via LAL), 2023 1st round pick (via NOP), 2024 1st round pick (via LAL) with the option to defer to 2025, 2026 1st round pick (via NOP) NOP gets: James Harden Houston gets a great young prospect and a decent one. Redick is salary filler but can be used as a trade chip expiring at the 2021 deadline, and Miller is non-guaranteed (pure salary filler). They also get a nice horde of picks to go with that, giving them future assets to go at a rebuild. New Orleans gets an outstanding core: Zion Williamson, James Harden, Jrue Holiday, and Brandon Ingram that is balanced between veterans and youth. This can be a contender next year if Zion has a 2nd year jump like Luka and Trae. NOLA also can retain Favors, NAW, Melli, Hart, and Moore for some depth. This trade would set them up very well to win a title in the next few years. Boston HOU gets: Jaylen Brown, Gordon Hayward, Romeo Langford, Robert Williams 3, 2020 1st (via MEM), 2020 1st (via MIL), 2023 1st (via BOS), 2025 top 5 protected 1st (via BOS). BOS gets: James Harden, Eric Gordon Houston gets a potential star in Brown, an okayish prospect in Romeo, several picks, and significant cap relief through Hayward's expiring, and being able to dump Eric Gordon's contract in the process. Note that the financials of this trade are a little tricky because of Jaylen Brown's extension. Using ESPN's trade machine, which accounts for the poison pill provision (basically trading for an extended player increases what their current contract is worth in trade), this trade works as of now, but if the trade is done, say, early next season, when the extension is already going, this may change. Nonetheless, Houston gets a solid haul here. Boston gets to create a team of Kemba, Harden, Gordon, Tatum, Smart, Theis, and whoever else they can put together, which is a definite contender and could rival the Bucks in the East next year while being able to remain competitive in years beyond as well. Their issue is size, if Kanter leaves, they are down to Theis and Fall as their centers, which isn't looking so great for them. Nonetheless, the roster has plenty of talent regardless and is an upgrade over their current team. Miami Right now, I cannot put together any trade on ESPN's trade machine that doesn't involve Jimmy Butler. The below assumes Olynyk opts into his player option. If he doesn't, Miami can't realistically trade for Harden. HOU gets: Kelly Olynyk, Andre Iguodala, Tyler Herro, Duncan Robinson, Kendrick Nunn, 2025 1st round pick (via MIA), 2027 top 3 protected 1st round pick (via MIA) MIA gets: James Harden This should match salary but I can’t be certain with Olynyk being blocked. The Rockets get 2021 expirings (Olynyk and Iguodala) plus several intruiging prospects. This gives them a solid core to work with while rebuilding. The 2027 pick is also able to be traded as the trade needs to happen after the draft (falling within the 7 years out rule) as Olynyk needs to opt in. Miami gets a great core of Butler, Harden, Dragic, Bam, Leonard, Crowder, Haslem, and DJJ to work with (assuming the free agents re-sign, otherwise I might not do this deal as it would gut Miami's team) that can get out of the East and potentially win a championship. This is one of the teams where trading for Russ works as well although the package is going to be a lot smaller. HOU gets: Kelly Olynyk, Andre Iguodala, Duncan Robinson, Kendrick Nunn, Chris Silva, 2025 1st round pick (via MIA) MIA gets: Russell Westbrook Houston doesn't get the same kind of haul they can get for Harden, but they get Robinson and Nunn as great prospects, cap relief, and a decent pick. Silva and KZ are there to match salary, but they could turn into something decent too. Maybe the Rockets push for Herro but that might be too much for Westbrook. Miami would have a core of Butler, Westbrook, Dragic, Bam, Leonard, Herro, Crowder, Haslem, and DJJ which is not as good as it would be with Harden but still great and contending nonetheless. Philadelphia HOU gets: Ben Simmons, Furkan Korkmaz, Matisse Thybulle PHI gets: James Harden Philadelphia doesn't give up any picks here, Simmons' value and future upside being enough to offset that. Houston gets a potential superstar if Simmons gets a 3-point shot eventually plus some solid young guys to keep as building blocks. Brooklyn HOU gets: Caris LeVert, Spencer Dinwiddie, Deandre Jordan/Allen, Kurucs, Musa, and Garrett Temple, 2022 1st round pick (via BKN), 2024 1st round pick (via BKN), 2026 1st round pick (via BKN) BKN gets: James Harden Houston gets a potential young star, a great role player, a couple of meh young prospects (salary fillers), and another salary filler plus several picks. LeVert is locked up long term (through 2023) and Dinwiddie has a player option in 2021 which he may decline if he can get a larger contract elsewhere, giving Houston plenty of cap space along with Temple's expiring.
Unless we are getting our own picks back from OKC its pointless. We are married to this group for 4 years.
That brookyln trade would be good. Young team with Allen, Lavert, and dinwiddle are good building blocks. Also if somehow the rockets could trade russ to philly for ben simmons. Thats a young team you can build around that would be exciting to watch. Nets would dominate the east for 4-5 more years.
Harden in Denver with Jamal and Jokic would be competing for WC supremacy with the Clippers that would be a fun experiment to watch play out
Full meltdown after losing to the eventual champs eh? I hope Tilman isn’t as shortsighted as you guys because we are losing in a bubble tournament.
Harden is the one player I believe deserves a ring. He has achieved everything already, except for that piece of hardware. I also think the dude has given 100% to this franchise for a long, long time. That's pretty much all you can ask. Harden needs to play with a guy who is as good or better than him, so he won't be so marked come playoff time. It's time. We got the best years out of the man. Respect.
Actually the fault is not in Harden, the responsibility is the coach and no contribution on other players. Trade Harden is good, set him free to get champion in another team. If we can get curry or Thompson, I think it is good to trade
we're not trading james harden until perhaps he's an expiring and he doesn't want to resign with us. we have the best GM in the nba and he needs to find cheap young players somehow.
