He isn't James Harden, but Caris LeVert has sauce...

Gordon barely did that this past year

 

I don’t think it’s safe to say that any of those names won’t happen. The last thing the Celtics, Raptors and Heat want is the Nets forming a super team in their own conference. If the Raptors want to keep wishing that Giannis chooses them over Milwaukee, Golden State, Miami, etc. after Milwaukee has made a massive push to keep him happy the last 24 hours, be my guest. If the Celtics want to be bridesmaids every season, be my guest. Miami is the least likely because replacing Bam would be very hard for them, and they just made the finals. The Nuggets would drastically improve their ceiling with Harden, and players like him aren’t signing in Denver. Plus, the Nuggets have a very deep, young team.

You don’t trade one of the top two or three players in the NBA for a weaker package than the Thunder received for Paul George and a comparable package to what the Pelicans just received for Jrue Holiday.

Either trade him for a massive pick haul, or keep one of the top-20 players in the entire NBA and build around him. Kyrie Irving has baggage, but he’s a damn good player when his head is on straight. He’s an elite player, and Caris LeVert is nowhere close to that.

 

51% true shooting. for an 18/4/4 guy who is 25 years old. in 4 years his career win share total is about half of a typical james harden season. i'd rather burn the toyota center down for the insurance money than take the mediocrity treadmill starters kit from the nets.

 

Unless you really love the idea of a potentially high first-round pick three or four seasons from now if the Nets big three splits up after a couple seasons together, Caris LeVert or Jarrett Allen (a RFA after the season) are the best assets being offered from the Nets.

Also, when did Jaylen Brown, Pascal Siakam, and Bam Adebayo become franchise players? They are all all-star caliber, but there is a huge gap between that and an NBA superstar like James Harden. Jamal Murray is the closest to a superstar after his playoff performance in the bubble, but he’s still not there, yet.

Toronto, Miami and Denver very well might pass, but you don’t trade a top two or three player in the NBA with two years remaining on his contract for an underwhelming offer right now. Also, every team hoping for Giannis next offseason should be concerned that he may stay in Milwaukee or not choose their franchise. They would be wise to consider taking the bird in the hand with two more years of control.

 

i'm not a huge ben simmons fan, but he's the only one with the physical tools to be a great player for a long time. the run he went on when embiid was out 2 years ago was really impressive. if he harnesses that and you find an alpha scorer to put with him, i think you have something. maybe he won't, but i think the potential at least exists. obviously, you need other things from philly, but simmons can at least be a reasonable centerpiece.

if this year's draft didn't seem so terrible (to be fair i don't really pay attention to prospects), if i had to deal with the nets, i would be getting the warriors or wolves involved to see if they want some combo of things from the nets for their picks. the warriors don't need a rookie and the wolves arguably don't need another rookie either. i think KAT/russell is a bad combo to build around but if minny thinks it is then i'm not going to argue with them.

you can't trade harden for something that doesn't get you a perennial all-star (western all-star, not eastern) or on the path toward getting you a top 5 player (draft). the problem with the nets picks is they are only good if they fall apart like the pierce/garnett trade.

 

Siakam is 100% on the table for Harden. Ujiri traded Toronto’s top player in franchise history at the time for 1 year of Kawhi. You get 2 from James. I’m beginning to tell my friends in Toronto Ujiri is so quiet right now I’m beginning to lean towards James landing here.
Siakam + Powell + Terrence Davis + firsts for Harden.
I’m not saying Houston takes it, but I will say Raps definitely willing to offer it. And Tillman sticks it to Philly by trading him to a division rival. Obviously that would be idiotic reasoning but .... just saying

 

he has talent, but he’s not a centerpiece or franchise cornerstone

he’s 26...not many players make the leap from nice role player to star at that age

Jarrett Allen is a Clint Capela...he doesn’t excite me at all, especially when he won’t be playing next to Harden

 

Agree with this post. Rockets need to either trade harden for a package built around one of these players or equivalent. If that offer doesn't exists, then you simply keep harden rather than trade him to nets for the poo poo platter.

Sorry I'm not interested in the least to see how the core of 8th seed eastern conference team fairs in the west.

 

Has anyone on this fan site realized that there has been no official comment from Russ, Harden or Rockets officials. Also none of the reporting said anything specific. They all just cited “sources” and rumors much like the reports last year about CP3 and Harden’s relationship. Unlike AD and Kobe’s trade request, which were verified by Pelican’s in an official statement and Kobe himself, the stories concerning the rockets have not been verified. Even the reporting on Jimmy Butler cited the specific meeting in which butler requested Thibodeau for a trade and subsequently Thibodeau officially confirmed. So until i hear specifics it is all hearsay and conjecture designed to incite and hype. Very ridiculous.

 

Those trades were "headlined" by SGA and Bledsoe if you are going by active players, neither of whom are better than Levert. If we're trading with NJ at this juncture we almost certainly would be doing it for a serious bounty of picks.