Official Speculation Thread '19-'20 V: Purgatory

[UnFadeable21]

MagicMatic serving noobs and teaching them to learn the game.

[MasterGMer]

There are lots of reports out there saying Houston is trying to trade James Harden and Russell Westbrook. And I think it is possible too since Houston had reached a ceiling with these two players and Harden is already 31 years old.

Could Magic come up with a plan to trade for Harden? Is this even possible?

Who knows. Houston only has 2 first round picks in the next 5 years. Maybe a package with Vuc and Our pick could entice Houston. Like I said, who knows

[MagicFan101]

There are lots of reports out there saying Houston is trying to trade James Harden and Russell Westbrook. And I think it is possible too since Houston had reached a ceiling with these two players and Harden is already 31 years old.

Could Magic come up with a plan to trade for Harden? Is this even possible?

Who knows. Houston only has 2 first round picks in the next 5 years. Maybe a package with Vuc and Our pick could entice Houston. Like I said, who knows

No.

If they trade Harden (which I doubt ... Westbrook is more likely) it will be for a kings ransom of top draft picks or it will be a “thank you” send-off to help him secure a ring (Bucks, Lakers, Nets ...).

Orlando cannot help them in either scenario.

What Orlando can do is dangle AG in scenario 2 to help the bite of losing Harden hurt less ... if we get some picks back in a 3-team deal.

[UnFadeable21]

There are lots of reports out there saying Houston is trying to trade James Harden and Russell Westbrook. And I think it is possible too since Houston had reached a ceiling with these two players and Harden is already 31 years old.

Could Magic come up with a plan to trade for Harden? Is this even possible?

Who knows. Houston only has 2 first round picks in the next 5 years. Maybe a package with Vuc and Our pick could entice Houston. Like I said, who knows

Rockets beat writer just said Russ and Harden aren’t being moved this summer.

[basketballRob]

My prediction came true about Morey being let go this year. I knew as soon as he made the comments about China that this was his last year.

Sent from my SM-G950U using RealGM mobile app

[MasterGMer]

There are lots of reports out there saying Houston is trying to trade James Harden and Russell Westbrook. And I think it is possible too since Houston had reached a ceiling with these two players and Harden is already 31 years old.

Could Magic come up with a plan to trade for Harden? Is this even possible?

Who knows. Houston only has 2 first round picks in the next 5 years. Maybe a package with Vuc and Our pick could entice Houston. Like I said, who knows

Rockets beat writer just said Russ and Harden aren’t being moved this summer.

Of course, he was going to say that. That is his job to clear out the rumors.

Not sure about Harden, but Westbrook is a goner if Rockets decide to rebuild.

They have reached a ceiling with this combo and both of them are not young any more

[UnFadeable21]

There are lots of reports out there saying Houston is trying to trade James Harden and Russell Westbrook. And I think it is possible too since Houston had reached a ceiling with these two players and Harden is already 31 years old.

Could Magic come up with a plan to trade for Harden? Is this even possible?

Who knows. Houston only has 2 first round picks in the next 5 years. Maybe a package with Vuc and Our pick could entice Houston. Like I said, who knows

Rockets beat writer just said Russ and Harden aren’t being moved this summer.

Of course, he was going to say that. That is his job to clear out the rumors.

Not sure about Harden, but Westbrook is a goner if Rockets decide to rebuild.

They have reached a ceiling with this combo and both of them are not young any more

They still made the western conference semi finals though. Hard to throw that away right now.

[jonbob17]

I would think Harden would bring back a young Star+, something the Magic currently lack (maybe if JI was healthy). Harden should be able to get a recent successful high draft pick and maybe a pick or other positive player, e.g. Ingram, Mitchell, Simmons, Booker.

[pepe1991]

any Harden trade will include established young star ( Ingram, Brown, Adebayo, Sabonis, Mitchell...) and army of draft picks.
it doesn't matter how Harden sometimes looks in playoffs, that guy is one man offense and in right system is leathal. No brainer top 5-7 player in whole league.

[MasterGMer]

Miami will have 50M in cap space this offseason. And Jerami Grand is rumored to join Miami Heat with a 4 year 68M deal. Miami Heat is also saving cap space for summer of 2021 to chase Giannis.

Will you trade Isaac and Gordon for Harden? If Houston wants a star in return?

[fendilim]

Miami will have 50M in cap space this offseason. And Jerami Grand is rumored to join Miami Heat with a 4 year 68M deal. Miami Heat is also saving cap space for summer of 2021 to chase Giannis.

Will you trade Isaac and Gordon for Harden? If Houston wants a star in return?

I’ll trade the whole team for Harden

[basketballRob]

Harden will likely go to a team that he chooses.

Sent from my SM-G950U using RealGM mobile app

[BlueBlazer]

Harden to Orlando in any fashion has exactly 0% chance of happening

He’s also 31.

[Catledge]

any Harden trade will include established young star ( Ingram, Brown, Adebayo, Sabonis, Mitchell...) and army of draft picks.
it doesn't matter how Harden sometimes looks in playoffs, that guy is one man offense and in right system is leathal. No brainer top 5-7 player in whole league.

All of the guys in that list are loved by their current organizations. I suspect that Sabonis is the only one in that bunch whose current team would want to give up in exchange for Harden.

Harden is past his prime, a notoriously terrible defender, and a difficult player to coach. I think his value is closer to where Westbrook was when he was traded for CP3.

[Bensational]

There's a lot I've come to really dislike/hate about Harden's game, but still so much of it which I've always loved. If the Magic wanted to try make a run in the next 4 years, trading for Harden could be a smart move.

Isaac + Fultz + Bamba + Fournier + #15/future FRP + 2022 FRP

for

Harden


Vuc/Birch
Gordon/Aminu
Ennis/Okeke
Harden/Ross
DJ/MCW

That would be a bold, Raptors/Kawhi like move, except we don't have an ECF calibre team and leaders for Harden to join. Still, that's a top 5 team in the East among the Bucks, Heat, Celtics and 6ers.

As far as a return for the Rockets, I think it would be up there as far as interesting rebuilding packages go. Fultz and Isaac being on their final year rookie deals isn't ideal, but could be seen as a bonus if the Rockets can retain them on cheap deals.

If we were smart, we'd position ourselves to move the likes of Aminu, Ross and only have our new PGs on 1 year deals, expirings, vet min deals. That way we could get close to freeing up enough cap space to make a run at Giannis, whilst also having Gordon as a s&t option for a little extra leeway. I think a trio of Vuc/Giannis/Harden could get a ring. As Harden starts to decline, Giannis is young enough to carry through into the next gen lineup.

/fantasy

[pepe1991]

any Harden trade will include established young star ( Ingram, Brown, Adebayo, Sabonis, Mitchell...) and army of draft picks.
it doesn't matter how Harden sometimes looks in playoffs, that guy is one man offense and in right system is leathal. No brainer top 5-7 player in whole league.

All of the guys in that list are loved by their current organizations. I suspect that Sabonis is the only one in that bunch whose current team would want to give up in exchange for Harden.

Harden is past his prime, a notoriously terrible defender, and a difficult player to coach. I think his value is closer to where Westbrook was when he was traded for CP3.

Harden is past his prime? what?
His current 34,5 ppg ranks him as 15 greatest single season points per game accomplishment and only 7 players ( including Harden) achived that in whole nba history.

This "past his prime" just because somebody turned 30 is no longer truth. If you look around the world, with improved medicine atlhets flat out last way longer than they used to , and more often than not, their prime is their early 30s.

Just look at list of greates current athletes:
Lebron 35, Durant 32, Curry 32, Harden 31, Messi 33, Ronaldo 35, Nadal 34, Serena Williams peaking in mid 30s, Stipe Miocic 38, Comier 41 and list goes on and on.

Harden NEVER had any serious injury, for last 8 years he never even missed more than 14 regular season games.

Westbrook and Harden don't even belong in same universe when it comes to baketball value. This is really laughable debate to even entertain, Westbrook's real plus minus this year is +1,5, Harden's is +9,6.
Westbrook's TS% for career is 53% ( 3% below league average) , Harden is 61%, with makes him one ( if not only) non C in whole damn NBA who is doing for whole lenght of his career. Guy is lethal. You might not like his " points or free throws" offense but it's definition of great possession, where player almost always gets what he wants.

Main reason why Harden never played in nba finals is fact that for whole lenght of his Houston career other teams were breaking parity with superteams on west like Curry, Klay, Durant, Green or now Davis and Lebron. While he never had teammate better than aiging Chris Paul ( who just happend to miss game 7 of WCF in 2018, when Houston ended up being only team that even challenged Warriors ).

Any GM knows Harden is woth your whole team. On East he is so much better than any other player ( including Giannis) that it's not even worth debating. Where Giannis is better all around player because of his defense, Giannis also can't be trusted with a ball in last min as he can't shoot FTs and can't shoot in general. Where Harden will blow up some defensive assigments but there is nobody you would want, on East ( maybe outside now Durant) to set last few offensive plays. Guy shoots 35,5% for 3 while having 4% of threes assisted. Magic players can't even hit 35% of wide open 3s.

[VFX]

Harden isn’t coming to Orlando. /topic

[Ducklett]

Saw the 3 page long Isaac trade thread on the T&T board. Wonder if it might be smart to move him.

[zaymon]

[youtube][/youtube]

Saw the 3 page long Isaac trade thread on the T&T board. Wonder if it might be smart to move him.

For a mid frp ? We would have to be insane. Since when we are contenders next year ? If there is a team that can wait for him its us.

[pepe1991]

MagicMatic serving noobs and teaching them to learn the game.

Fry cry for tanking and rebuild via draft, with lottery changes that do not reward worst teams any more, incomming inflaction of highschool kids on board that will result (once again) with way more busts in lottery and players jumping ships and deciding where they want to go after 4-5 years makes drafting as "strategy" as much of a strategy as finding wife by clicking on "hot moms in your area".