very good trade imo, we lose only Kmart (whom everyone here wanted gone against peanuts btw), a rookie (promising yes, but he could be a bust too, we dont know yet) and picks (unknow commodities) that, except the raptors one in certain condtions, are not going to be top 3. Harden is a star, and i beleive he will be an allstar while being top 5 in scoring in the league for seasons. + we get Cole Aldrich, he's young, tall, big, and will be an efficient backup (couldnt believe we were ready to go with only Smith as a backup C, i'm relieved)
Highly contentious statement. I think they're closer in talent level than many people realize, but I would still give Westbrook the (slight) edge.
We'll see over the course of their careers. Harden is the superior playmaker and shooter. I think Presti really screwed up here. He's been nails up until now. I can't believe he moved this guy this early. This is a guy that could average 25 ppg for a career. He could've still moved Harden later if he wanted to, even waiting a year until after he matches a contract for him. They had a lot of time to get Harden to agree to a money saving deal. I think he moved too fast and I think they are going to regret it in the future. Not that I really care about them. I don't. But I am convinced Harden was their second best player. Westbrook is a scoring guard playing out of position that has a size and athletic advantage every night at the PG slot. But Westbrook doesn't see the floor well and he's not a great passer and frankly...he's a poor decision maker...and gets worse in the clutch. Harden has a better basketball mind. I'll take him over Westbrook anytime.
I think they're very close. Westbrook is the superior talent from an athletic standpoint, but Harden is a natural. The game seems to come easier for him. His BBIQ seems much higher also. To me it's a better version of Steve Francis in his prime vs ray Allen.
Wish i could post my Martin for Harden trade prediction thread i started a couple of weeks ago and was merged in our random trades thread but for some reason, our random trades thread is nowhere to be found.
Interesting read to what went on the last few hours before the trade. Harden had one hour to decide his future. Said Harden was stunned that the Thunder actually traded him to the Rockets. He didn't believe the Thunder would do it. But Sam Presti told him. Presti's lips now are sealed, but sources from both parties said that the Thunder appealed one final time to Harden on Friday. Upped its offer to $53 million over four years but told Harden if he didn't take it, he would be traded to Houston. Presti didn't use that as a warning. He used it as a plea. He desperately wanted to keep Harden, but this was the last best offer. And the Thunder gave Harden an hour to accept. It wasn't that Presti was trying to play hardball, necessarily. He was on the clock. That deal with the Rockets wouldn't last forever; Houston wanted Harden early enough to sign him to a contract extension by the Halloween deadline. Presti had decided that if Harden wouldn't sign an extension with OKC, a preseason deal offered the Thunder its best leverage. Harden, through his agent, said he needed three days. Presti stood firm on one hour. And 60 minutes later, Presti called the Rockets and consummated a rare NBA October blockbuster trade. So Harden got on that plane Sunday morning, and maybe “devastated” wasn't the accurate description. Maybe he just had buyer's remorse. Maybe he played a bad game of poker. But Harden sounded awfully melancholy Sunday in Houston. “It happened so fast, it happened very fast,” Harden said, a point Presti might dispute, since talks started in July. “But this is the position I'm in now,” Harden said. “Just have to make the best of it.” I don't know if Harden's chief goal was to get the most money he could get out of the Thunder, or get the most money he could get anywhere. His former comrades, Russell Westbrook and Serge Ibaka, made it clear. They wanted a big chunk of change, but they wanted it in OKC, and any compromise would come on the former, not the latter. Read more: http://newsok.com/as-devastated-as-...money-he-wanted/article/3723393#ixzz2AgrVj7MY
Missed the first paragraph of the article: James Harden boarded an airplane Sunday morning, bound for Houston. He was “devastated,” said someone who knows the Bearded One. Harden and his family both.
ya harden has a lot more length and 20lbs more muscle and is much better open court player as well......dumars was probably a bit quicker, especially moving his feet on D but they're both sneaky good playmakers from the 2 spot and both play calm and cool with the ball in their hands in the final seconds this team just needs a dominant low post scorer now and we're set. too bad there's almost none of those available on the horizon though :grin:
D-Mo has the basic post-up skills, but i'm not sure he has the body to consistently get inside position and then maintain it......we'll have to see how he fills out over the next couple years T-Jo seems to already have the body, but is very raw with his back to the basket :grin:
I think as far as pure talent Westbrook is in another statosphere, but the poor kid just doesn't have it between the ears. I think Harden is a better basketball player.
