Yeah, well when you have guys with as much hype surrounding them such as Embiid, Parker, Wiggins...I'm sorry. If Philly believes Embiid is the next Hakeem do you REALLY think they'd trade him for Harden? Harden isn't a generational player, all three of these guys have that chance to be. In last year's draft yeah, but not in this year's draft. Potential is WAY more valuable, especially when guys like Wiggins and Parker and Embiid potential really has no limit.
Ok, I guess you're actually being serious. You said it yourself...there is a lot of hype around those guys. Harden is an actual nba superstar...those rookies have a looooong way to go before they can actually be discussed as nba first teamers. There isn't one team in the NBA that wouldn't give up the first pick for Harden.
The funny ones are the people that actually think Harden is worth two top 5 picks (plus a top 3) and even teams best player in what many if not all consider to be one of the strongest drafts since the Lebron draft...mmkay.
How can 3 guys have more potential than a first team all NBA player? Odds are that maaaaaybe one of them would be able to get to that level. Maybe. So, teams can either take a 33% chance that they take the right guy, hoping he does turn out to be a superstar....or they just take Harden, who is a proven stud.
When was the last time a team offered their superstar player to a team drafting first? That'll never happen in the NBA. The nba draft is too much of a crapshoot.
Ummm...Anthony Davis, Kevin Durant, Lebron James all had more potential when they came into the NBA than most NBA superstars at the time that weren't MVP winners. That's how.
You're picking three guys from different draft classes...you're saying there are three in this draft alone. No rookie is a sure thing to be a Hall of Famer. Sure, it's easy to cherry pick....but if Durant was such a sure thing...why did Portland take Oden?
This isn't about how great Harden is. It's about how much teams value potential. When you are talking about 3 guys...TWO of the guys who people have known since they were high-schoolers and both of those guys already being dubbed #1 picks at the time...it's going to be REALLY difficult to tell a team to trade that guy away. Reminds me of the Texans draft, I told everyone the Texans would take Clowney and run. They WOULD have traded him...if the team trading for him gave them the farm. Yes Harden is a sure thing. I get it. But he's not first tier elite. That's the only time I'd see a team trade a #1 pick for (unless it is in a weak draft) and even still as you mentioned. Most teams that have a first tier player is not trading him away for anything.
Let's see, market value for Asik was up the the 4th(!) pick in next year's draft, so I have a hard time believing Harden wouldn't be worth at least the #1.
Because Oden was a GREAT prospect, a generational prospect. I'm not saying that, I'm telling you what many have said about this draft for a wihle now. What people have thought of these players (Parker and Wiggins) for a long time now. Wiggins was projected to be the #1 pick YEARS ago before he even played in college. Of course no rookie is a sure thing to be a hall of famer. I'm not saying that. I'm saying a rookie that has the potential to be a hall of famer is pretty much untouchable. Potential is Value in this league. There is a reason why Morey's assets were usually young players, why he grabs Thomas Robinson and Twill and players like that. He knows it's easier to sell a team that Thomas Robinson can be the next whoever rather than give them a sure thing. Harden is a great player though obviously, yall can look at my post history. I'm the last person to hate on the guy. I just know that teams value potential over everything in this league...next to contract value.
Bottom line is that Morey wouldn't even think about trading Harden for the #1 pick. You're valuing potential way too much over actual superstar material.
