James Harden traded to the Rockets

Illogicality · Post #801 » by **Illogicality** » Sun Oct 28, 2012 6:27 am

bullsnewdynasty wrote:When's the last time Kevin Martin was relevant? He's almost perpetually injured, and now that he can't flop he's been rendered basically useless. Doesn't defend either.

Chocolate City Jordanaire · Post #802 » by **Chocolate City Jordanaire** » Sun Oct 28, 2012 6:28 am

Rerisen wrote:
Chocolate City Jordanaire wrote:
TwentyOne920 wrote:OKC just traded away their second most efficient player.

Without a doubt.

I have defended the trade for OKC but I think Harden is a better player than Russell Westbrook. The problem is giving up a PG would change the team even more.

OKC did what they had to do IMO.

Now that Russell will have the ball that much more, without Harden needing his on ball time, maybe the balance between Westbrook and Durant will be easier to establish. They better hope so anyway, they pretty much had to choose who was going to be KD's long term sidekick.

What I think is going to happen is both Kevin Martin and Jeremy Lamb will be Rip Hamilton-type players. Without commanding the ball they will both move off he ball and hit the open shot. (Martin will this season, Lamb later down the line). There will have to be more ball movement and cutting. I foresee shared scoring being the key to how this deal works out,

Another ball handler, perhaps Eric Maynor, is going to have to step up for OKC or this deal will fizzle.

fallacy · Post #803 » by **fallacy** » Sun Oct 28, 2012 6:30 am

One upside of this trade, I won't have to defend Harden's flopping anymore

Detective · Post #804 » by **Detective** » Sun Oct 28, 2012 6:31 am

All I know is that Durant is going to be pissed at the way Kevin Martin will become a massive black hole on offense, and suck everything in his path in. All OKC's shots are belong to him now.

ChiCitySPORTS#1 · Post #805 » by **ChiCitySPORTS#1** » Sun Oct 28, 2012 6:33 am

fallacy wrote:One upside of this trade, I won't have to defend Harden's flopping anymore

Have fun defending Kevin Martin's

youngthegiant · Post #806 » by **youngthegiant** » Sun Oct 28, 2012 6:33 am

If I'm houston i just wait out til free agency. Don't think anyone can offer him more than the 15 mil max.

NiqtheAntiq · Post #807 » by **NiqtheAntiq** » Sun Oct 28, 2012 6:33 am

PRESTIGE wrote:
NiqtheAntiq wrote:
Harden could have easily been an albatross contract on OKC's books. I can see him as the kind of player who gets a max deal, gets injured and becomes a Gilbert Arenas type player when its all said and done. He will have 3-4 star seasons with Houston then disappear.
.

Harden's contract is only 4 years long. This isn't the past where you had those 7 year max contracts that felt like eternity. Its well worth it for Houston and they can reevaluate him in 4 years time, when he should be in his prime. Don't forget the guy is only 23. He'll be 27 when he's looking for his next deal and could be much better than he is today.

I just see where Presti is coming from in this. He had to make the tough decision of team chemistry vs protecting the longterm interests of the roster which was especially difficult considering they got to the Finals . However 4 "close to max" deals on the team longterm mean they have no way to get anybody good besides the MLE or getting lucky with a late 1st like San Antonio did.

Years from now someone will say "Man I am glad he didn't give Harden the max". Also Presti knows they won't beat Miami this year as their bench is still lacking besides getting lucky with Perry Jones. Presti can use the cap savings from Harden and get a solid bench together; which in all honesty is OKC's biggest issue in contending for a championship, not extending Harden. Lamb will be a 15ppg player by next season on a rookie 4 year deal so Harden's shorterm loss with be overcame.

Loosing Harden will affect you 5 wins, not 20. Also Martin is only horrible when he is the main option. He is has always been just a good sixth man that for some reason people make a primary scoring option.

StitchJones · Post #808 » by **StitchJones** » Sun Oct 28, 2012 6:34 am

OKC made a mistake in how much the paid Perkins. he is definitely overpaid. if they signed him for a bit more than the celtics offered him, they probably wouldn't be in this situation.

TwentyOne920 · Post #809 » by **TwentyOne920** » Sun Oct 28, 2012 6:35 am

fallacy wrote:One upside of this trade, I won't have to defend Harden's flopping anymore

Now I can root for OKC again. :wink:

Rouk · Post #810 » by **Rouk** » Sun Oct 28, 2012 6:35 am

crazy the rockets acquired the 2 most overrated players in the nba last season

carayip · Post #811 » by **carayip** » Sun Oct 28, 2012 6:35 am

Lol at OKC fans trying to defend this move.

While I think Lamb or those draft picks will turn out fine for them in future years, they definitely take a step back at least next year. Kevin Martin is definite downgrade from Harden no matter what stats you want to spin. And who knows what will happen in the future. When you got Durant and Westbrook, you try to win now, not look to the future.

I think Presti did well under the circumstance, under the pressure of his owner I am pretty sure. At least he's not the Bulls or Knicks GM who lost their assets for nothing. He had the courage to pull off a deal and get a great deal at that. You guys are lucky to have this guy.

But OKC fans should still be pissed, not at their GM, not at Harden, but at their owner. Because you guys downgraded for the only matter - money, the pockets of your owner, not because of talent, not flexibilty. No matter what media "small market" spin the owner wanted to put out, at the end of the day, it came down to his balance sheet and his bottom line. The guy is billionaire. Look at how much money he made off the Thunder in these few years. Are you telling me he couldn't afford those tax bills? Are you kidding? Other owners, big market, small market paid tax for lottery teams or 1st round teams, and your owner broke up a 23 year old Finals team, all over the reason of his bottom line. You guys should be pissed, not defending it.

Guy986 · Post #812 » by **Guy986** » Sun Oct 28, 2012 6:36 am

fallacy wrote:One upside of this trade, I won't have to defend Harden's flopping anymore

You just traded the student for the grandmaster of flopping my friend.

misterrunon · Post #813 » by **misterrunon** » Sun Oct 28, 2012 6:37 am

why are people fully crediting presti? it was the owner's decision to offer hardin 54 million max. once harden rejected the offer, presti was the one who sought out the deal.

i think he got decent value for harden, but OKC is weaker this year now.

diablerouge · Post #814 » by **diablerouge** » Sun Oct 28, 2012 6:37 am

Houston is giving him 78 mil. No brainer, really. Doesnt matter how much he is worth in a theoretical sense, market was there for him to get the max. He had to turn down OKCs offer.

fallacy · Post #815 » by **fallacy** » Sun Oct 28, 2012 6:37 am

Rouk wrote:crazy the rockets acquired the 2 most overrated players in the nba last season

Harden isn't overrated? Is he going to be anywhere near as good as he was last year without Westbrook/Durant? Probably not, but he'll easily be a top 5 SG this season

bullsnewdynasty · Post #816 » by **bullsnewdynasty** » Sun Oct 28, 2012 6:37 am

Guy986 wrote:
fallacy wrote:One upside of this trade, I won't have to defend Harden's flopping anymore

You just traded the student for the grandmaster of flopping my friend.

This is funny. :lol:

fallacy · Post #817 » by **fallacy** » Sun Oct 28, 2012 6:39 am

bullsnewdynasty wrote:
Guy986 wrote:
fallacy wrote:One upside of this trade, I won't have to defend Harden's flopping anymore

You just traded the student for the grandmaster of flopping my friend.

This is funny.

I don't like Martin though, no need to defend his flopping 8-)

ClayDavis · Post #818 » by **ClayDavis** » Sun Oct 28, 2012 6:39 am

well the good news is we now have a rush hour back court

Post #819 » by **Yuri Vaultin** » Sun Oct 28, 2012 6:40 am

Detective wrote:All I know is that Durant is going to be pissed at the way Kevin Martin will become a massive black hole on offense, and suck everything in his path in. All OKC's shots are belong to him now.

Westbrook might have words for him and probably more shots for himself 4 seconds in to the shot clock..

Guy986 · Post #820 » by **Guy986** » Sun Oct 28, 2012 6:40 am

Chocolate City Jordanaire wrote:What I think is going to happen is both Kevin Martin and Jeremy Lamb will be Rip Hamilton-type players. Without commanding the ball they will both move off he ball and hit the open shot. (Martin will this season, Lamb later down the line). There will have to be more ball movement and cutting. I foresee shared scoring being the key to how this deal works out,

Another ball handler, perhaps Eric Maynor, is going to have to step up for OKC or this deal will fizzle.

Lamb has potential to be a tmac type iso scorer. He already has a nice pullup mid range game. He looks the type more comfortable with ball in hand.

Kmart will play ray allen role for thunder.