Should Orlando make a trade offer for James Harden?

[pepe1991]

Why would Orlando pay Harden 250M over 5 years to NOT win a title?

Well, to be fair, you will be burning lot of money to not even make playoffs or win playoff series for other guys, so money really shouldn't be deciding factor why not get superstar that moves probably more merch from stores than whole Orlando Magic 2013-2021 rosters- -- in one year.

[Bensational]

Fultz + Bamba + Fournier + 2021 1st + 2023 1st (+ Aminu if needed for salary)

Vuc/Birch
Gordon/Okeke
(Isaac)/Ennis/Bacon
Harden/Ross
Cole/MCW

Need a backup PG, but I think that team has the juice to battle most teams in the East on any given night. If Isaac can become DPOTY and Cole can become another scoring punch, that could make them a contender. Vuc/Gordon/Harden is a solid combo to begin with.

[GelbeWand09]

We would have only this season to win anything with him & this without Isaac. The year after would be all about if we trade him at the deadline or whats his next team in free agency. I woudnt give up more than 1 pick for that outlook & the small chance he signs a extension, but they probably want 3 at least.

Its one thing to do that if you have a 50 win team already in place, like the Raptors & no future burden in giving up picks.
As a sub 50% team, meh.

[JBSouthpaw]

So between Vuc and Isaac, you'd rather give up Vuc and keep Isaac?

What is the ceiling of Isaac? All Star? Super Star? Defensive first team? I don't know...

But what I know is that Vuc is an all-star in his good years and one of the best Center in the league

Nope, my proposal was Evan, Fultz, Chief and unprotected 2021 1st, and the 2 second rounders we just got.
They get a young player and a draft pick, plus Evan's expiring. Never mentioned Vuc.

Houston will want more. PHI offered them Ben Simmons and Miami offered Tyler Herro. They are way better than Fultz. I think in order to entice Houston, we may need to give up either Vuc or Isaac

I don't care what Houston would want. I said what I would offer.
IMO Houston is going to get bent over on this, the best they can hope for is cap relief after this year.
James isn't going to help a top team if that team has to trade everyone. He needs to be able to run a team.

[jonbob17]

Magic have most important assets Rockets should be after: picks, young players and expiring contract. A deal around Fournier, AG, Bamba and unprotected 1st round pick is a offer worth considering.

Unprotected firsts don't mean as much if Harden is on the team.

They can get a young star + additional players or picks with Harden. Simmons, Jamal Murray, Brandon Ingram types.

i dont think Harden gets you Murray or Simmons.

Simmons allegedly has already been offered, and apparently wasn’t enough for Houston, but that is more them just them being greedy.
Simmons > Murray. Someone on the trade boards here suggested Murray + Michael Porter Jr, which sounds like a lot, but might make sense for both.

Top 5 players are not traded often, but get crazy returns, like AD getting Ingram + Ball and a bunch of firsts, not a bunch of Magic trash players and a bad first round pick

[p0peye]

Right, actually trading superstars rarely brings that big of a return as it may seem. Anyway, that should be our offer and we definitively should pick up a phone to make it.

[JBSouthpaw]

Unprotected firsts don't mean as much if Harden is on the team.

They can get a young star + additional players or picks with Harden. Simmons, Jamal Murray, Brandon Ingram types.

i dont think Harden gets you Murray or Simmons.

Simmons allegedly has already been offered, and apparently wasn’t enough for Houston, but that is more them just them being greedy.
Simmons > Murray. Someone on the trade boards here suggested Murray + Michael Porter Jr, which sounds like a lot, but might make sense for both.

Top 5 players are not traded often, but get crazy returns, like AD getting Ingram + Ball and a bunch of firsts, not a bunch of Magic trash players and a bad first round pick

Harden isn't a top 5 player (Bron,AD, Durant, Steph, Kawhi, Luka at minimum better than he)
AD was 25 or 26 when he was traded Harden is 31.

[jonbob17]

i dont think Harden gets you Murray or Simmons.

Simmons allegedly has already been offered, and apparently wasn’t enough for Houston, but that is more them just them being greedy.
Simmons > Murray. Someone on the trade boards here suggested Murray + Michael Porter Jr, which sounds like a lot, but might make sense for both.

Top 5 players are not traded often, but get crazy returns, like AD getting Ingram + Ball and a bunch of firsts, not a bunch of Magic trash players and a bad first round pick

Harden isn't a top 5 player (Bron,AD, Durant, Steph, Kawhi, Luka at minimum better than he)
AD was 25 or 26 when he was traded Harden is 31.

You are underestimating his greatness. Now he probably is not the most valuable in terms of a trade where dollars and age factor in. Doncic almost certainly is based on his rookie contract, age, and years left of team control. Tatum is probably up there too.

I get it it, I don't particularly enjoy his game, and I wouldn't trade for him either if I were the Magic, not that they have the resources to get a deal done, but Houston will get a haul for him assuming they trade him before the deadline this year, and that is with his trade value being reduced by him forcing his way out.

[drsd]

Nope, my proposal was Evan, Fultz, Chief and unprotected 2021 1st, and the 2 second rounders we just got.
They get a young player and a draft pick, plus Evan's expiring. Never mentioned Vuc.

Harden would have to play PG (again) and the team would be:

Harden/Carter-Williams/Anthony/Bone
Ross/Mané
Bacon/Ennis
Gordon/Okeke/Clark
Vučević/Bamba/Birch

Clearly the team needs an immediate SF addition. And that team would suck.

But it has assets to be interesting for 2021/22.


(( And you had me at "trade Aminu" ))

..

[MasterGMer]

Now according to some report saying Raptors and Boston are the favorite to land James Harden.

Siakam or Jaylon Brown.

Houston is trying to reload.

And Nets and Houston have restarted negotiation. And a 3rd team possibly involved

[purpleswordfish]

I think every front office would probably at least make the phone call and see if there's any interest on Houston and Harden's end. But, I can't imagine the Rockets or Harden have much interest in what the Magic have to offer. Even if you got the Rockets on board for some sort of transaction, do the Magic really want a star player that doesn't want to play here? Moreover, even if you plugged Harden in with the full Magic roster as it stands today - is that a championship team? Probably not.

I can't recall a scenario where that worked out for a team long-term. Maybe you could use Kawhi and Raptors, but that would be considered a failure if they hadn't won a championship the one year they had Leonard. I'm not totally in love with the current roster, I don't even think the front office is. But, hard to justify clearing out the cupboards for a player you'd either lose for nothing or have to trade for considerably less compensation.

[OrlMagic05]

Funny how so many of you are saying no to one of the best scorers in the league, especially since the major thing we lack is a SCORER! I wouldnt trade J.I. for him, but I would do a package of Bamba, AG and an unprotected pick or two for Harden.

[cedric76]

Funny how so many of you are saying no to one of the best scorers in the league, especially since the major thing we lack is a SCORER! I wouldnt trade J.I. for him, but I would do a package of Bamba, AG and an unprotected pick or two for Harden.

That wouldn't be enough

[OrlMagic05]

Funny how so many of you are saying no to one of the best scorers in the league, especially since the major thing we lack is a SCORER! I wouldnt trade J.I. for him, but I would do a package of Bamba, AG and an unprotected pick or two for Harden.

That wouldn't be enough

I'm not saying we have enough to trade for him, I am more so commenting at those who say they wouldnt want Harden at any cost.

[tiderulz]

Unprotected firsts don't mean as much if Harden is on the team.

They can get a young star + additional players or picks with Harden. Simmons, Jamal Murray, Brandon Ingram types.

i dont think Harden gets you Murray or Simmons.

Simmons allegedly has already been offered, and apparently wasn’t enough for Houston, but that is more them just them being greedy.
Simmons > Murray. Someone on the trade boards here suggested Murray + Michael Porter Jr, which sounds like a lot, but might make sense for both.

Top 5 players are not traded often, but get crazy returns, like AD getting Ingram + Ball and a bunch of firsts, not a bunch of Magic trash players and a bad first round pick

like i said.

Read on Twitter

[fendilim]

Weham should be fired if they never made an offer.

[MasterGMer]

Season is tonight. Can't wait...

Just hope more juice on the trade front.