http://sports.yahoo.com/news/nba--thunde...The Oklahoma City Thunder have traded James Harden to the Houston Rockets after they were unable to agree to a contract extension with the star guard, league sources told Yahoo! Sports.
The Rockets sent Kevin Martin, Jeremy Lamb and future draft considerations to the Thunder for Harden, sources told Y! Sports. Along with Harden, the Thunder will send Cole Aldrich, Lazar Hayward and Daequan Cook to the Rockets.
Houston also sent two 2013 first-round picks (from Dallas and Toronto) to Oklahoma City, sources told Y! Sports, as well as a 2013 second-round pick (via Charlotte). The Thunder will receive the Toronto pick this year if it's slotted Nos. 4-14. That pick also is top-three protected in 2014, top-two protected in 2015 and top-one protected in 2016.
Contract extension talks between the Thunder and Harden broke down, and Thunder general manger Sam Presti moved quickly to trade the guard. Harden rejected a four-year offer that would have paid him a base salary of $53 million to $54 million, league sources said. That offer would have pushed OKC's payroll to $95 million, and Thunder officials weren't willing to go any higher.
The Thunder are already paying franchise stars Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook on maximum contracts. The trade breaks up OKC's young core, which carried the franchise into last season's NBA Finals. The Thunder agreed to a four-year contract extension worth about $50 million with forward Serge Ibaka after the season.
Houston hasn't been allowed to discuss a contract extension with Harden's agent Rob Pelinka yet, but will start immediately once the deal is officially completed. Houston can choose to give Harden a four or five-year maximum contract extension.
The Rockets are expected to make a max offer of four or five years before Wednesday's deadline for the class of 2009 extensions, sources said. Harden is expected to come to terms and never see restricted free agency in the summer of 2013.
Harden, 23, averaged 16.8 points, 4.1 rebounds and 3.7 assists last season and was named the league's Sixth Man of the Year.
2 first rounders (Toronto's will be pretty high), KMart, Jeremy Lamb and a second rounder?
Did Houston give up too much?
Jeremy Lin's gotta be happy with this.
What a trade for OKC Kmart fits that team so much better than Harden. Getting Kmart is like getting a ray allen/h20 in their prime. Plus all the picks! For a combo guard! Unbelievable!
I think they gave up too much. I was watching the world series, checked twitter and tried to come here and the site was down. I think Morey is in Walsh mode. However, if you are giving away Martin, your lottery pick and two first round picks you need to get back a little more in my opinion. The Rockets just got back to the level of last years team. If your a fan you hope for the eigth seed in the west. Scola, Lee, Lowry, Dragic, Lamb, Martin, two first round picks and a second round pick switched out for Harden, Lin and Asik. Not sure that there is an improvement there.
Houston has expressed willingness to make Harden a max player next year...WOW
Not at all Morey is a moron. He should just change his name to Moron
Sidenote: what is up with Houston always collecting forwards.
Morey has definitely used the new cba to get guys that other teams wanted to keep but wtf. Lamb, Martin and 2 first rounders? He is all in like Billy King but he doesn't have Deron and JJohnson to show for it. Lin was undrafted. Asik was a second round pick. FYI rocket fans, the Knicks went all in on character guys and second round picks when Scott Layden was the gm. It doesnt work.
The way people talk about Asik he may be there best move. I don't know but we will see. I think the key to there season is the growth of Parsons. If he starts shooting better they will be pretty good.
Good trade for Houston but I think OKC took a step back, Martin is a great shooter but very one dimensional and injury prone, Harden could play the 1, 2 and even 3 and was a great shooter and could take you off the dribble as well as facilitate the offense , he was very versatile .
Man Morey has now turned that Chicken and Rice stand into a Chinese Buffet Restaurant....He's eatin and eatin well these days.
Mray20 wrote:Good trade for Houston but I think OKC took a step back, Martin is a great shooter but very one dimensional and injury prone, Harden could play the 1, 2 and even 3 and was a great shooter and could take you off the dribble as well as facilitate the offense , he was very versatile .
Harden/Westrook is redundant. Scared to think of the amount of open 3's Kmart will get playing with Durant & Westbrook. OKC can legitimately beat LA and Miami now
CrushAlot wrote:I think they gave up too much. I was watching the world series, checked twitter and tried to come here and the site was down. I think Morey is in Walsh mode. However, if you are giving away Martin, your lottery pick and two first round picks you need to get back a little more in my opinion. The Rockets just got back to the level of last years team. If your a fan you hope for the eigth seed in the west. Scola, Lee, Lowry, Dragic, Lamb, Martin, two first round picks and a second round pick switched out for Harden, Lin and Asik. Not sure that there is an improvement there.
There is very good protection on the picks...
OKC receive the Mavericks' 2013 first-round pick. (top 20 protected until 2017)OKC receive the Raptors' 2013 first-round pick (Top 3 protected and 15-30 in 2013, top 2 protected and 15-30 in 2014 and '15, Top 1 protected and 15-30 in 2016 and '17, and unprotected in 2018
So the Mavericks have to have the 9th best record in order for OKC to get the 1rst
So if the Raptors land in the Top 3 lottery or becomes a playoff team this summer OKC doesn't get the pick
So if the Raptors land in the Top 2 lottery or become a playoff team in 2014 or 2015 OKC doesn't get the pick
So if the Raptors land the #1 pick or becomes a playoff team in 2016 or 2017 OKC doesn't get the pick
So no matter what happens OKC gets the pick in 2018
Another way of putting it OKC gets picks
Via Dallas(1 pick)
21-30 from 2013 or 2014 or 2015 or 2016 or 2017
Via Raptors(1 pick)
4-14 in 2013
or
3-14 in 2014 or 2015
or
2-14 in 2016 or 2017
or
1-14 in 2018
Oh and OKC will have to retain K-Mart or trade him or lose him for nothing. I actually like the trade for both teams BTW. Good job by 2 of the best execs in the business.
Rockets still have their own picks. Keep in mind, they have a lot of bodies on their team. They can't keep all their players and all their picks going forward. They have a very young team to build a core from now...
Lin
Harden
Parson
Jones
Asik
All positions covered for starters and young. Only 1 player(Harden) on a major until 2yrs from now. Still under the cap next year if Harden is extended. I forgot his extension wouldn't kick in until next year.
I'm not a big fan of James Harden, and I'm not sure why the media started touting him as a max contract player. He choked in the finals and was a non entity in the Olympics- I haven't seen him play well in a while. Houston is going to have a lot of money tied up in 2 years time in Lin, Asik and Harden- is that anyway near enough? Can Harden carry a team? Morey was desperate just to trade some young player/picks for a max contract, just to give the illusion that his 'plan' has worked.
OKC makes the best of a bad situation- Kmart gives them some bench scoring this year (plus no defense and many injuries) while Jeremy Lamb develops, plus two picks is good for them if they want to keep payroll down.
I can't get over how brilliant a move this is for OKC. They have my respect from now until the end of time!
Harden is a good player but so is Martin. Harden isn't worth Martin and 2 first rd picks. Houston got fleeced, but it still can work out real good for Houston as Harden compliments Lin well and can take a TON of pressure off of Lin.
They could have gotten more then Harden dangling Martin and 2 first rd picks around the league.
I agree they gave up too much, especially after watching the finals. He will be a starter now so it will be interesting to see if he can make successfully make the transition.
What OKC did is how you perpetuate to be a contender for a long time. The CBA requires this now as an economic necessity which can make dynasties harder to accomplish but if you pear down your talent you can spread this run out for a long time.
If you are close they can always use the assets to do a reverse and obtain a player that can put them over the top.
They had to spend the money on Ibaka to keep size.
I guess we can compare it to the Melo trade?
HOw good will the Rockets be?
I like how OKC likely was working this for some time and decided to pull the trigger early to not make this a dramatic situation.
smackeddog wrote:I'm not a big fan of James Harden, and I'm not sure why the media started touting him as a max contract player. He choked in the finals and was a non entity in the Olympics- I haven't seen him play well in a while. Houston is going to have a lot of money tied up in 2 years time in Lin, Asik and Harden- is that anyway near enough? Can Harden carry a team? Morey was desperate just to trade some young player/picks for a max contract, just to give the illusion that his 'plan' has worked.OKC makes the best of a bad situation- Kmart gives them some bench scoring this year (plus no defense and many injuries) while Jeremy Lamb develops, plus two picks is good for them if they want to keep payroll down.
Agreed. No way do I believe Harden is worth the max. OKC did the right thing getting good value for him and moving on.
