Trading the #2 pick - dicussion (merged)

[captaincrunk]

Yeah so he could bolt in free agency. No thanks.

yeah forget that. None of this "omg is he gon sign an extension omg omg????" bull for me

[countryboi]

love harden but they would never go for it because harden is one of their "guys" and he would just bolt the first chance he got

[Bassman]

Well, I doubt they would deal Harden this year, as he is only restricted this summer, full free agent after next season. However, IF they were willing I think he'd be a fine addition, but it would require us to deal Henderson (possibly to get back into the lottery to aquire a PG or SF). Heck, OKC may require Hendo in the deal along with our pick. So it would be #2 + Hendo for Harden and #28.

Who's to say that Harden would bolt the Cats anyway? Does he regularly talk about wanting to be in a big media market? I'd love to build around Harden. I just don't think OKC will deal him this soon. They will likely wait until the deadline next year if they determine they cannot keep him.

[hhvo]

If we really wanted harden, all we have to do is throw the max offer at him. Okc will probably not match that and I doubt he will get that price from anywhere else... He'll get close to it, but not the max.

So... No!

[doc.end]

Yeah so he could bolt in free agency. No thanks.

Because? Bull. He is under contract next year and then he would UFA - in a year we have nobody under contract yet (except Thomas which could change). On the other hand Thunder have Ibaka to sign and generally everybody on their roster except Durant, Westbrook, Perkins would have to be re-signed or let go in next years.

[doc.end]

If we really wanted harden, all we have to do is throw the max offer at him. Okc will probably not match that and I doubt he will get that price from anywhere else... He'll get close to it, but not the max.

So... No!

Yeah, that¨s how the league works...

[hhvo]

Well, I doubt they would deal Harden this year, as he is only restricted this summer, full free agent after next season. However, IF they were willing I think he'd be a fine addition, but it would require us to deal Henderson (possibly to get back into the lottery to aquire a PG or SF). Heck, OKC may require Hendo in the deal along with our pick. So it would be #2 + Hendo for Harden and #28.

Who's to say that Harden would bolt the Cats anyway? Does he regularly talk about wanting to be in a big media market? I'd love to build around Harden. I just don't think OKC will deal him this soon. They will likely wait until the deadline next year if they determine they cannot keep him.

Doesn't Restricted mean, if another team offer a contract to the player, and the team does not match... They lose the player to the other team? I.e. if bobcats offer harden the max and Okc does not match he would then sign with us?

[doc.end]

He would have to sign our (or any other team) offer sheet first and then Thunder would have (I think 3 days) to react or not - like we did with Cunningham this year. But why exactly should Harden sign in Charlotte in 2013?

[hhvo]

He would have to sign our (or any other team) offer sheet first and then Thunder would have (I think 3 days) to react or not - like we did with Cunningham this year. But why exactly should Harden sign in Charlotte in 2013?

I assume money would do it.

Do you believe harden is a max contract player?

[HornetJail]

We would immediately have to surround him with other pieces. That means attract FA's and trade future picks (aka the Portland pick) for established players so that we're at least competitive. I would match ever offer he gets even if it's for the max. If we trade Henderson + #2 for Harden + #28 + future pick, we can package Kemba along with those picks and move up into the mid-10s, nab White, Wroten, Harkless, Quincy Miller, Moultrie, or someone else, then we've got Harden, Biyombo, Mullens,Augustin, our pick (or we could flip it for an established player, and hopefully a nice FA signing. That's a nice core.

But I don't expect Harden to leave OKC. He'll take a paycut to stay there and continue to be part of the OKC dynasty.

[HornetJail]

He would have to sign our (or any other team) offer sheet first and then Thunder would have (I think 3 days) to react or not - like we did with Cunningham this year. But why exactly should Harden sign in Charlotte in 2013?

I assume money would do it.

Do you believe harden is a max contract player?

Very close to a max contract player. I wouldn't hesitate to give it to him though. I would overpay to get a guy like him. He would have been an All-Star last season if he wasn't playing behind Durant and Westbrook. He'd easily shine in Charlotte and would definitely put up All-Star numbers.

[LongLiveIverson]

GM's do a lot more planning than just handing out guys random contracts, they set up the squad so that Collison, Reggie Jackson, Lazar Hayward, Eric Maynor, Daquan Cook, Cole Aldrich..along with Harden and Ibaka alll expire at the end of next season. That gives them roughly 28million in cap space.
All they have to do is draft a defensive sf like Jeffrey Taylor or a project center like Fab Melo to take either Sefolosha's place or Perkins and they have more than enough money. I most likely see them drafted Melo then dumping Perkins to a contending team who needs a center down the line when they need to resign harden+ibaka

[doc.end]

He would have to sign our (or any other team) offer sheet first and then Thunder would have (I think 3 days) to react or not - like we did with Cunningham this year. But why exactly should Harden sign in Charlotte in 2013?

I assume money would do it.

Do you believe harden is a max contract player?

Does that matter? Would he be a max contract player after 2013? That matters. And possibly if he has some relationship with Cho perhaps. 23-year old Harden would be a good bad contract to have, he gets better every year.

What are the new max contracts anyway, I know there were some changes and based on stats and allstar nominations, all nba teams and such it got complicated.

[hhvo]

I believe harden is a good player and personally I would sign him to somewhere close to max.
My feeling is that a #2 pick in a deep draft is greater than harden w/ an upcoming big contract. A rookie like Robinson/MKG/beal could easily have the same impact for a team as harden can, with 1/3 the cost.
I would just rather keep the pick and pursue harden in 2013, hoping money can convince him.

[Liver_Pooty]

I am not for trading this pick for a player, at all.

Keep the pick or trade back for more picks. Stay the course.

Trading the pick for Harden wreaks of desperation, and who is to say he would resign back here anyway? Last thing I want is a Deron Williams type situation here in Charlotte.

[captaincrunk]

if we trade it for good players like that, we miss next years and this year's lottery. That's bad rebuilding.

[Fred Williamson]

I would love to have Harden but he will leave as soon as he gets the chance.

and no **** way I'd say him for the max

[Nanogeek]

Trading the pick for Harden is dumb. He won't resign unless we overpay which hurts us in the long run.

[TheKingofSting]

if we trade it for good players like that, we miss next years and this year's lottery. That's bad rebuilding.

I'm kind of indifferent on the notion, I have been hell bent against any quick fixes but though Harden is a nice player he's not a superstar. Also as said above I'm scared he'd leave.

[SWedd523]

If he signed an extension as part of the trade (if that's possible) then I'd do it.