Which young star can the Rockets get for Harden?

[Kings4win]

I would be making a move for Zion if I were Houston

[planetmars]

Ideally a young allstar caliber player:

Simmons
Siakam
Middleton
Murray
Ingram
KAT
Adebayo
Booker
Mitchell

Siakam would be interesting. Wonder if the Raptors would risk the bad fit

Most Raptor fans would be okay with it.. I don't think Masai would though.. Even though he traded DeMar for Kawhi it was well after he gave DeMar a few chances in a few playoff rounds.

The best realistic offer Toronto would offer is Fred Van Vleet via a sign and trade. But I don't think that will happen either.

[Mauro Pedrosa]

Contracts aside. Who would you rather have?

Levert/Allen or Vanvleet/OG?

Super close but I’d take the Raptors guys

[Mauro Pedrosa]

Knicks and Bulls might be able to convince him to stick around

[scrabbarista]

Simmons or Ingram would be the ideal, if you ask me.

I think the Rockets really need picks, draft capital, and youth more than they need good players, though.

You don't want to get stuck on The Treadmill of Mediocrity, and you're not raising your championship ceiling the day you trade away James Harden.

[Ducksplatt]

Ideally a young allstar caliber player:

Simmons
Siakam
Middleton
Murray
Ingram
KAT
Adebayo
Booker
Mitchell

Siakam would be interesting. Wonder if the Raptors would risk the bad fit

Most Raptor fans would be okay with it.. I don't think Masai would though.. Even though he traded DeMar for Kawhi it was well after he gave DeMar a few chances in a few playoff rounds.

The best realistic offer Toronto would offer is Fred Van Vleet via a sign and trade. But I don't think that will happen either.

If Masai thought he could get Giannis next year this would be a good trade as I think Harden/Giannis is a better fit than Siakam/Giannis IMO

There. I said it. That should give some posters the whole weekend to rant about that take

[kobyz]

other than Nets and Sixers which both appear hesitant to make a deal, Warriors and Spurs only teams who could build a package for him and becoming a contender over night... Spurs cold offer young, promising assets of Murray, Walker, Luka, Vassell, rights to Milutinov best big overseas, Gay/Mills(or s&t Poeltl )to match salaries, two future firsts...

[celtics543]

I think the market for Harden is going to be smaller than expected. He kind of needs the system that Houston runs to maximize his value, he's over 30, he makes huge money, and he has routinely come up small in the playoffs. Are playoff teams going to give up Tatum, Luka, Giannis, Jokic, Bam, Mitchell, etc for Harden? Probably not.

Are teams that missed the playoffs going to give up their young guy for Harden? Booker, Trae, Ja, etc? I doubt it because Harden isn't putting them over the top. Trading for a superstar is tough because you have to have the young guys to send out to make it worth it for the other team while still having the team in place to win a title.

Superstar trades that worked out are pretty rare. Kawhi worked out. KG worked out. Pau worked out. But how many other big time superstar trades worked out to a title?

[Mauro Pedrosa]

Simmons or Ingram would be the ideal, if you ask me.

I think the Rockets really need picks, draft capital, and youth more than they need good players, though.

You don't want to get stuck on The Treadmill of Mediocrity, and you're not raising your championship ceiling the day you trade away James Harden.

Maybe get a super young guy like LaMelo and let him play through his mistakes

[Metallikid]

Nothing. They're going to get swindled for Harden regardless.

I would do Fred VanVleet, Serge Ibaka and OG Anunoby for Harden straight up. That's the best they'll get.

[scrabbarista]

Simmons or Ingram would be the ideal, if you ask me.

I think the Rockets really need picks, draft capital, and youth more than they need good players, though.

You don't want to get stuck on The Treadmill of Mediocrity, and you're not raising your championship ceiling the day you trade away James Harden.

Maybe get a super young guy like LaMelo and let him play through his mistakes

Two things about that:

1. I think Harden would make more sense in a situation that can win now (PHI, NOP, e.g.).

2. I think Harden is worth a lot more than an unproven player who hasn't played a single game yet. Some analysts were saying (on a pod I listened to yesterday) that LaMelo would be like the eighth pick or something in a "normal" draft. Whether that's true or not, maybe the point is that we have no idea whether it's true!

Not saying I wouldn't want a LaMelo, Wiseman, etc..

Just saying I don't think it gets you particularly close to completing the deal by itself.

[The_Hater]

Simmons. Outside chance on Brown if the Celtics surprisingly change direction. I fully think Denver should approach Houston with a Porter Jr package but it doesn’t look like it.

LeVert and Allen are nice players but I don’t see allstar games in either of their futures.

[LoveMyRaps]

Contracts aside. Who would you rather have?

Levert/Allen or Vanvleet/OG?

Super close but I’d take the Raptors guys

It's really not close...

[scrabbarista]

I think the market for Harden is going to be smaller than expected. He kind of needs the system that Houston runs to maximize his value, he's over 30, he makes huge money, and he has routinely come up small in the playoffs. Are playoff teams going to give up Tatum, Luka, Giannis, Jokic, Bam, Mitchell, etc for Harden? Probably not.

Are teams that missed the playoffs going to give up their young guy for Harden? Booker, Trae, Ja, etc? I doubt it because Harden isn't putting them over the top. Trading for a superstar is tough because you have to have the young guys to send out to make it worth it for the other team while still having the team in place to win a title.

Superstar trades that worked out are pretty rare. Kawhi worked out. KG worked out. Pau worked out. But how many other big time superstar trades worked out to a title?

Shaq to Miami. Kareem to LA. Moses to PHI. Drexler to HOU. Probably plenty more. That took me like three seconds.

[Nites]

There just isn't any star up side youngins available for Harden.

[The_Hater]

Nothing. They're going to get swindled for Harden regardless.

I would do Fred VanVleet, Serge Ibaka and OG Anunoby for Harden straight up. That's the best they'll get.

You can’t trade free agents quite that easily my friend, let alone 2 in the same package.

As it is, I do think Philly would trade Simmons for Harden in a deal tomorrow if the opportunity was there from the other side.

[Optms]

Simmons or Ingram would be the ideal, if you ask me.

I think the Rockets really need picks, draft capital, and youth more than they need good players, though.

You don't want to get stuck on The Treadmill of Mediocrity, and you're not raising your championship ceiling the day you trade away James Harden.

Maybe get a super young guy like LaMelo and let him play through his mistakes

Would rather take my chances on a young guy that we know can play. LaMelo can be a huge bust for all we know. Zero assurance there. In fact, I wouldn't trade a player of Harden's caliber for any rookie.

[Alonzo_Morning]

Erling Haaland

[scrabbarista]

Simmons. Outside chance on Brown if the Celtics surprisingly change direction. I fully think Denver should approach Houston with a Porter Jr package but it doesn’t look like it.

LeVert and Allen are nice players but I don’t see allstar games in either of their futures.

I agree that PHI and BOS (along with NOP in my opinion - and GSW, but I don't expect them to be interested) are the most attractive potential partners for a win-win trade.

I disagree on Denver. Not a good fit for either side, imho. Brooklyn really doesn't have the assets, unless HOU wants to get robbed.

[Optms]

If I'm Houston, these are the guys I'm going after primarily, in no order:

Simmons
Embiid
Murray
Mitchell
Booker
Ingram
Beal
Ja Morant
Jaylen Brown

I don't see the Pels moving Zion so he's out but outside of that, I'm not taking anyone seriously unless I'm getting back a stud. Some of these Levert/Allen only packages are laughable. People really think they can get a top 5 MVP player for role players.