James Harden Traded

bbms · Post #21 » by **bbms** » Sun Oct 28, 2012 5:04 am

Cole Aldrich wasn't going to see minutes behind Perkins/Collison/Ibaka. I think it's more reasonable to play small ball with K-Mart/Lamb or PJ3 in than Thabeet seeing minutes.

yaboynyp · Post #22 » by **yaboynyp** » Sun Oct 28, 2012 5:10 am

Some combination of Perkins, Martin (Expiring), Lamb, PJ3, and picks for Josh Smith, Bynum, or Al Jefferson at the trading deadline?… It appears you guys got some pieces to package and definitely could use an inside scoring presence. All of those guys are unrestricted 2013 free agents and could be looking to move on. What do you guys think?

Krodis · Post #23 » by **Krodis** » Sun Oct 28, 2012 5:13 am

Josh Smith I'd like. The thought of our defense with Al Jefferson at the center and Ibaka jumping at everything and Westbrook gambling for everything makes me ill just thinking about it though.

Devilanche · Post #24 » by **Devilanche** » Sun Oct 28, 2012 5:14 am

I don't think it'll be a full bench unit anyway with the minutes that westbrook/Durant/Ibaka is going to get. I'm expecting a deviation and Maynor being adequate as a ballhandler.
Though i may overrate Brook willingness to adjust more than you.

LeBosh Wade · Post #25 » by **LeBosh Wade** » Sun Oct 28, 2012 5:22 am

still unsure how i feel about this trade
i hope it works out for you guys, but even if the rockets come out better, lamb and martin should complement westbrook and durant decently

miltk · Post #26 » by **miltk** » Sun Oct 28, 2012 5:48 am

jeremy lamb....6'4" with 6'11" wings

BirdmanPresents · Post #27 » by **BirdmanPresents** » Sun Oct 28, 2012 6:37 am

I really want to know the real story behind this, how do you go from being a tittle contendor to trading a huge piece within 24 hours of offering him a deal?? At the end of the day OKC didn't fill the need of a low post scorer and added a replacement wing and a young player...

I don't understand OKC's asphyxiation with young talent...Yes they performed a very successful rebuild but they were final's contenders last year, and their lack of leadership and veterans was perhaps the difference maker in the series. Now they have two rooking going into next year, with Hasheem Thabeet as a backup C. They traded a young, core piece for a rental and a prospect...Without filling any needs..Im waiting to hear how the trade was rescinded but I don't think it will.

On the positive side KMart is one of the most efficient guards in the NBA...Well only one can hope they improve over last year. The Washington/Charlotte pick for Harden sounded MUCH better right now..

Devilanche · Post #28 » by **Devilanche** » Sun Oct 28, 2012 6:56 am

I'm surprised that it took 24 hours from the leak about how far apart were the negotiation actually. We rarely get such leak though tbh we rarely get extension...

and with Orton/Hollis/Rautin being cut earlier, could a followup trade be on the cards? Probably soon though i thought a newly traded player can't be moved?

blackham9258 · Post #29 » by **blackham9258** » Sun Oct 28, 2012 8:18 am

Terrible trade for you. You give up a chance at a championship. You make your wing defense even worse. And you had better options. Should have gone for the title then matched the max after the seasonand then traded him when rules allowed if you couldn't afford.

Shem · Post #30 » by **Shem** » Sun Oct 28, 2012 9:12 am

I know a lot of people won't agree with me, but if I had to choose between Westbrook and Harden, I would choose Harden. Westbrook isn't a point guard and OKC was last in the NBA last season in team assist-per-game. And I believe the Thunder could have gotten more value out of trading Westbrook than Harden.

What OKC needed to look into is getting a guy who can score from the inside. There is just too much one-on-one guys trying to score from the perimeter. And I think they would have had a better chance of getting that by trading Westbrook. That would have created more opportunity for Harden as a starting 2-guard, especially if the Thunder had a point guard who was a good distributor.

Chalkie White · Post #31 » by **Chalkie White** » Sun Oct 28, 2012 9:40 am

I really hope OKC now becomes a mid tier team that annually under achieves. Actually, now that I think about it, perpetual 2nd round exits sounds most likely. Certainly dropped out of the same conversation as Miami and LA. Hopefully they'll lose enough that they lose Durant. Any front office this stupid certainly deserves it.

UTJazzFan_Echo1 · Post #32 » by **UTJazzFan_Echo1** » Sun Oct 28, 2012 9:49 am

Don't blame you guys for making the deal. Harden isn't a max player and I'd take Ibaka over Harden all day every day.

Chalkie White · Post #33 » by **Chalkie White** » Sun Oct 28, 2012 10:07 am

UTJazzFan_Echo1 wrote:Don't blame you guys for making the deal. Harden isn't a max player and I'd take Ibaka over Harden all day every day.

Personally, I'd take winning over losing, and OKC will lose a lot more frequently than they did last season.

dballislife · Post #34 » by **dballislife** » Sun Oct 28, 2012 11:07 am

terrible trade for present, since both kevin and west are ready now...better for future? who knows, but OKC is a team for present that just made a finals trip, why play for the future while ur a present team, bad bad move imo

dopeismarcus · Post #35 » by **dopeismarcus** » Sun Oct 28, 2012 2:35 pm

If you dont think out bench is better then last year your crazy.

Maynor (is back), Martin, PJ3, Lamb > James Harden

Westbrook/Maynor/Jackson
Sefolosha/Martin/Lamb
Durant/PJ3/Lamb
Ibaka/Collison/PJ3
Perkins/Thabeet

Ring the damn bell.

Krodis · Post #36 » by **Krodis** » Sun Oct 28, 2012 2:40 pm

There's no way that bench is better than last year unless you think Maynor, Perry Jones, or Hasheem Thabeet is some sort of all-star.

No one is making plays for that bench unit. Maynor can sort of run an offense in a risk-averse way, but he's not making plays for others. Martin is not a good passer.

Devilanche · Post #37 » by **Devilanche** » Sun Oct 28, 2012 3:01 pm

It could be better if we can run more varied plays but since our coach is Brooks, it definitely won't be better.

vtboo41 · Post #38 » by **vtboo41** » Sun Oct 28, 2012 3:03 pm

Maynor has never really been asked to be a playmaker, it hasn't been needed with Harden there. I'm curious to see what his approach is now with Harden gone. Maynor was a fantastic playmaker and scorer in college, he has it in him.

Post #39 » by **slick_watts** » Sun Oct 28, 2012 4:56 pm

I don't like the trade. I think the timing was bad. I think Presti was too aggressive. Harden is really good. Our offense depended on his presence in our lineup, and he played almost 500 minutes without Westbrook or Durant on the court building leads. Martin seems like a temporary band-aid, and I don't like low lotto picks. Think they could have gotten more if they had waited even a few days.

StojkoVrankovic · RIP texas celtic, 12/10/14 - 12/10/14

Congrats on getting Lamb. IMO he is one of the best NBA prospects coming out of UConn in the Calhoun era and I have seen them all.

He is the best SG in the draft PERIOD. The best shooter, not a liability with the ball, good passer/rebounder for the position, GREAT defensive potential. Lamb was the 2nd option on a championship team as a freshman and was a fantastic playing for the FIBA Under-19 World Championships. The big stage is not an issue with the kid.

Don't let his laid back manner fool you, the kid is a straight killer