Hawks' version of cyberx says this about Rockets trade rumor

the Rockets actually have their 2022 and 2023 picks.


Houston Rockets picks:

2020 - To DEN

2021 - 1-4 Own; or least favorable of HOU 5-30, MIA and OKC and two most favorable to OKC (via MIA to PHX to PHL to LAC to OKC; via OKC swap of OKC or MIA for HOU)

2022 - Own

2023 - Own

2024 - 1-4 Own; 5-30 to OKC

2025 - 1-10 Own; 11-30 Own or OKC (via OKC swap for HOU or LAC)

2026 - 1-4 Own; 5-30 to OKC

2020 - To SAC

2021 - Own or swap for PHL

2022 - To CLE

2023 - 31-32 Own; or least favorable of HOU 33-60, DAL and MIA; more favorable of (i) HOU 33-60 and (ii) less favorable of DAL and MIA to MEM (via MIA to DAL; via MEM swap of DAL or MIA for HOU)

2024 - To OKC if HOU does not convey 1st round pick to OKC in 2024; GOS (via ATL)

2025 - To OKC if HOU does not convey 1st round pick to OKC in 2024

2026 - To OKC if HOU does not convey 1st round pick to OKC in 2026

 

What a ludicrous trade. Just removing the Harden element for a second: Why the hell would Minnesota decide "Y'know, let's trade our two best young players plus the 1st pick in the draft for a return of two players with serious injury history that didn't mesh on their current team".

And then you have a take backsies of Russ for Paul? When has that ever happen in the history of the NBA? Do we get the picks we gave up last summer too?

 

How much did we give up for Westbrook? That should be the minimum take.

 

With Harden we make the playoffs.......KAT/Josh Richardson (no Harden) gets us “no playoffs”

Answer: NO

 

Yeah, this trade is...odd.

It's odd for Philly to trade away their entire core to build around Russell and Harden. Makes more sense if they are keeping Embiid or Ben.

It's odd for the Rockets to try and get CP3 back and OKC to get Westbrook back

It barely makes sense for Minny who would just inherit Philly's issues of playing Ben and Embiid together.

I don't get it, is it impossible? Nope. Maybe there is some truth there, I did say a while back a trade of Harden going to Minny makes some sense, they have draft capital that we need to start a rebuild...but they'd need a third team because we would more back than the #1 pick..

I don't think it's a bad rebuild, it's actually good. You get KAT, you get CP3, and you also get a young guard in Edwards or Ball and some more draft picks, you also are getting a new coach, new culture, etc etc. I mean this is helluva rebuild if it were to happen. We wouldn't even miss the playoffs and who knows how good Edwards or Ball could be (complete unknown, I'm aware of that.)

Point is, if we DO trade Harden, it will be to rebuild the team.

 

A CP3/KAT marriage is going to end up like how MJ broke Kwame Brown during their time in Washington....sign me up for this! lol

 

People are forgetting in this scenario too we are swapping Westbrook back for Paul.

We'd be...

CP3
Ball or Edwards
House
Kat
Some warm body at Center

If you tell teams you can rebuild with an all-star potential PF and a #1 pick guard and you have a vet like CP3 to steer the ship and teach the young guys I think most teams would do that.

It is Harden though so I understand why the Rockets would hold out for as much as possible as they should.

 

I don't think KAT is that bad, he's just not focused all of the time. I don't think he's ever been called lazy or anything. He's 24 though. If I were a 24 year old NBA max player I guarandamntee you I wouldn't be 100% focused on the NBA either lol. That's just me though, I bet most dudes wouldn't.

 

How many first round picks did OKC get for Paul George? 5?

Harden should get us like 10 right?

 

KAT isn't bad but mentally he's soft and CP3 will dominate that marriage for better or worse. Honestly it wouldn't be so bad getting CP3 back on this team and seeing a big man dominate like the olden days of Rockets history. But at the expense of trading away Harden?.................

 

Just trade Westbrook back to Thunder for Chris.

 

It may be the only way to get to a championship.

Not that this is on Harden, it's just that the Team traded all their assets away for Westbrook, they can't build around them anymore unless some team out there really loves Westbrook and is willing to help net us another big-time player to try with Harden.

If not, I really don't see how this team is going to beat the Warriors, Lakers, Clippers, or Nuggets as those teams can even get better.

This is more than Harden really, it's just that the team is structurally broken, it can be fixed, maybe Morey can pull a rabbit out of the hat, lots of dumb GMs out there, but if not...I wouldn't be mad at this.

Maybe KAT is mentally weak but we'd still have CP3 to steer the ship and Ball/Edwards both have great potential and if we can get the right coach to go along with it, it's a good rebuild move, could be the best rebuild move out there.

Most rebuild moves just net teams a crapload of draftpicks and a decent player or a crapton of decent players and a draft pick or two. To get the #1 pick AND a 24 year old All-star is nothing to balk at if you want to rebuild.

I'm not saying the Rockets should do it though just that if they were I wouldn't be mad.

 

I'm there with ya. This wouldn't be the worst of packages to come back. And Morey gets to have that one rebuilding asset that have always escaped him--the #1 pick in the draft

 

@cyberx You heard anything?
this is such a crazy deal for sure

 

What's his address? I'll do the same thing but at a different time (giving new meaning to "SSDD"); maybe load up on some kale first.

 

I hope everyone that thinks KAT + a first for Harden is fair gets a GM job this year that isn’t the Rockets.

 

Olden days came with olden rules.

Current NBA rules enable run and gun offenses like the Rockets and Warriors which negates much of what a big man used to bring to the table.

 

This. It's insane and I'm willing to assume some of y'all just haven't had your coffee this morning. Harden's value is as high as Lebron James. Ring or not, Harden is the best offensive player in the history of basketball and he's not "Playoff P" despite what you guys say. Not to mention Tilman loves money and Harden is a perennial MVP candidate with a beautiful game. He sells tickets and jerseys. KAT doesn't. You don't trade Harden unless you're getting a superstar back. LAL never traded Kobe, Chicago never traded Jordan, Cleveland and Miami never traded Lebron, OKC never traded Durant. In his prime, Harden is worth more to the franchise than you're allowed to pay him

 

When I said dominate like the olden days I'm talking about actually have an All-Star caliber center that can put up 25+ a night. I don't really have an affinity for where he does it--inside the paint, out on the 3 point line, etc. The two teams in the Finals this year feature big men that can score inside and outside and I don't think that was by accident. Once the Warriors get their squad back will they be near or at the top? I'm pretty sure of it but as Jokic, AD, Adebayo, etc have shown, if you're a big man with skills you can still thrive in today's modern NBA.

 

Ok. I've thought about this a bit more.

I don't condone this trade but KAT and RoCo are best friends so it's interesting.

#1 Pick, Richardson, Zhaire Smith, CP3 + both picks back and they keep the pick swaps, KAT, Thybulle. I'm actually considering that deal if James won't sign an extension. It's a strong playoff team still and built to rebuild quickly.

https://tradenba.com/trades/xB_AZr9EX

CP3/ Zhaire Smith
Richardson / Eric Gordon
Thybulle/ Nwaba
RoCo/House
KAT/

We start with that and add the first overall pick. We have money freed up quicker.