Sign Harden. Extend KJM. Trade 4 with Orlando for 6 and 11. Take two between Whitmore, Dick, and Hendricks to surround the Harden/Green/Smith/Sengun core with solid shooting. Harden / Green / Whitmore / Smith / Sengun KPJ / Dick / KJM / Eason / Garuba or a FA Sprinkle in Tate, Christopher, TyTy.
If Harden does decide to walk, I have to believe Philly will bend over backwards to get something in return. They wont have the space to sign free agents even without Harden. While we don’t have to do it, it’s certainly an avenue to explore. If Harden wants to return, this is his only destination, so we don’t have to outbid for his services. We probably would have to go higher than his upcoming salary ($36m) to make it worthwhile for him to opt out. I assume it will cost around $40m. We could offset it by $25m by sending KPJ and Tate back in a sign-and-trade. I’d push for a draft pick, too. I don’t think they have one to give until 2029. This would still leave the Rockets with $45m to pursue the top free agents from a thin class or trade into space. Having Harden will make it a little more feasible that top free agents might sign here. I’m still not on board with signing Harden, but if it’s inevitable, I’ll try to approach with a positive outlook.
Quoted for Truth I am contemplating the veracity of these reports and a path forward if it were to come to fruition. Because $45M AND giving away contributing players does not seem like the best use of assets.
I think this is my favorite without Harden involved... To Boston: Tate, #20 To Houston: Derrick White 2024/2026 Top 5 protected #1s Why Boston does it: Jaylen Brown is needing an extension. Grant Williams is a restricted free agent. Trading White for Tate saves them about 12 million this year and 19.5 next year if they decline Tate's option. Tate replaces Williams saving them another 16+ million probably on the market. They use #20 to draft a replacement for White. Total possible savings versus resigning Williams is north of 28 million in year one and 35 million in year 2. Why Rockets do it: They get a strong defensive guard who can play opposite Green who has experience with Udoka. They push draft capital into the future and turn one pick into possibly 2 better ones. To Raptors: Kenyon Martin #4 To Rockets: OG Anunoby Why Raptors do it: Anunoby has a player option in a year so he's likely hitting the market for a raise. Martin can fill in between Barnes and Siakim. The #4 pick can be used on a guard to replace Van Vleet. They get younger and have more cap flexibility. Why Rockets do it: They convert #4 pick into a young 3 who is all nba defense and can shoot 3s. He pairs nicely with Jabari. Risk can be mitigated by negotiating an extension prior to trade. Sign: Grant Williams 4 x 16 per Another strong defensive player with experience in Udoka's system who shoots the 3. He plays in rotation with Anunoby, Jabari, and Eason. Total cap space used: 46 million Leaves 15 million for a backup 4/5 or trading for a better pg using Brooklyn picks.
This would fall in line with Morey comments about getting creative this offseason. Harden bolting falls into this category. It makes complete sense for the 76ers and Rockets to do business. Especially if Morey and Rockets can push differences aside to make a deal. Rockets adding Harden while having max for another player is gold. You could just take the high upside pick at #4 and compete next year.
Agreed. He fits for where the Rockets are and want to go in the next couple of seasons. We also have the cap space to pay him and even absorb a Capela or Collins. KPJ's contract has to be "re-guaranteed" every season so the Hawks could take a one year flyer on KPJ. Obviously if we are taking back "bad salary" then we'd give up less, especially if it's for Collins who I have no idea why he hasn't gotten surgery on his hand.
KPJ has to go if the Harden rumor is for real. We simply cannot play all four of Harden, KPJ, Green, and Sengun starter's minutes (whether that's from KPJ as 6th man or starting SF). That's not just the worst defensive team in the NBA next season, it might be the worst defensive team in all of NBA history. The whole point of signing Harden is to try and at least make the play-in and be competitive, otherwise why the hell are we doing it, so we cannot tolerate having a garbage fire defense. Something must be done. On top of that, if we do pick either Thompson twin, Cam Whitmore, or trade up for Scoot Henderson, we will not have anywhere remotely close to enough minutes to go around 1-3. Here's what I'd do to consolidate assets if we bring back Harden: Draft: Amen Thompson (or trade up for Scoot) Sign: Brook Lopez or Jakob Poeltl Trade: KPJ, KJ Martin, and draft picks to Toronto for OG Anunoby 8 man rotation: Guards: James Harden, Jalen Green, draft pick (preferably Amen or Scoot) Forwards: O.G. Anunoby, Jabari Smith Jr, Tari Eason Centers: Alperen Sengun, free agent center (preferably Brook Lopez or Jakob Poeltl)
Would the Nets entertain giving them back all their picks and pick swaps for Bridges? They'd be in control of their own destiny at that point. We cannot have Harden/Green/Sengun in the same starting 5 next season. That lineup cannot win a playoff series defensively. Sengun makes roster construction awkward. Trading Sengun for Turner, signing Harden, trading up for Scoot would get us where we need to be. Can run a second lineup where KPj actually plays the role he's supposed to with Scoot Henderson learning under Harden. Harden/Green/Bridges/Jabari/Turner with Scoot/KPj/Garuba and offload Tari, KJ or Tate for another SF that can hit a 3 and play defense.
Gonna trade the 4th pick, along with Sengun and maybe Porter and lord knows who else so we can #winnow with 54-year old Ham Jarden. Just so Fertitta can sell tickets. #ShutUpAndListen #GoStandInTheCorner “It’s not about a championship.” —> “It’s not about the playoffs.” —> “It’s…it’s…it’s about…it’s about Ham’s “veteran leadership”, showing the kids “how to win” and setting them up with great looks!” And why do they have to #winnow? Oh right, because these same two jackwads. “I know what we need to do. I know exactly what we need to do.” “Worst contract in business or in sports.” … “My basketball ops got weak but I said we’re doing this deal. You always keep it exciting for the fans!” My basketball ops got weak but I said we’re signing Harden to a max deal. You always keep it exciting for the fans! The idea gets dumber by the day.
I keep thinking that IF Harden is coming here, it's NOT to babysit / mentor the kids, it's because Stone convinced him he could build a contending roster. To do that, they likely need to add one real star and another quality player while keeping Tari / Jabari / Green? Content with moving any of Sengun, Tate, KJM, Garuba, Christopher, Nix & Tyty to make deals work. Harden via FA. Send Atlanta some combination of players #4 & 20 for Dejounte Murray. Some combination of players & Brooklyn's own picks for Mikal Bridges. Naz Reid via FA. Guards - Harden, Murray, KPJ, Green Forwards - Jabari, Bridges, Tari Center / bigs - Reid ?? That looks like a top 4 seed in the West on paper.
Thought experiment: Compare those secondary pieces against Denver's roster and replace Nikola Jokic with James Harden to measure whether it's an actual contender to win the West. I really, really hope you're wrong that they're going to do something like this. If they do, we're the next Washington Wizards. Maybe we get like 1 year in the playoffs before stepping onto the mediocrity treadmill indefinitely.
You don't think Dejounte Murray & Mikal Bridges compare to Michael Porter Jr, Jamal Murray & Aaron Gordon? Or that Jabari / Tari / Green / KPJ improve considerably narrowing the gap? In that scenario, Green, Tari & KPJ are bench players. I think that rotation beats the hell out of going into this year running Green, Sengun, Tari, Bari & Sengun out there with KPJ or Amen for another 25ish win season.
I think Jamal Murray is underrated and is better than anyone on that roster not named Harden, and honestly depending on how James ages next season, might even be better than Harden. MPJ and Aaron Gordon are nearly as good of a pair as Mikal and Dejounte. People are reading waaay too much into a 27 game sample size of Mikal getting super hot. He's one of the best roleplayers in the NBA, but I don't see him as a star. And all of that's before you even get into Jokic being like 3x as valuable as Harden.
Wait people want to trade the #4 pick for Dejounte Murray?? Who do you think Dejounte Murray is? He’s not a top 15 PG in the NBA, that’s for sure. 53% TS the last few years, can’t shoot 3’s, only gets to the line for 2 FT per game, great off ball defense but not a great POA defender. Advanced stats really don’t like him. Atlanta was 5 points worse with him on the floor this year vs. off. Headcase. And he’s an expiring, unextendable contract. He will hit the open market as an unrestricted free agent next summer no matter what. Not a trade target.
If the Rockets seriously want to win now with Harden, they better have something amazing up their sleeves, like Embiid is coming with him, or they've secretly been in talks with Milwaukee because Giannis wants out and they think we have the best package because they absolutely love one of our prospects, or something insane along those lines. Anything short of that level of trade and we have no chance. Harden already failed alongside the reigning MVP. He isn't winning anything with the likes of Mikal Bridges or Dejounte Murray.
Denver had half a decade or more years to build that thing.........and they were not pushovers at the beginning either. You think? Let the GM get those guys here first before we fantasize some more......
