OKC Thunder trade James Harden to Houston

[Death2CasselFans]

Jim Presti pulls a Pioli

The Oklahoma City Thunder have traded James Harden, Daequan Cook, Lazar Hayward and Cole Aldrich to the Houston Rockets for Jeremy Lamb, Kevin Martin and future draft picks, a source told ESPN The Magazine's Chris Broussard.

The Thunder were unable to come to terms with their star swingman Harden on a contract extension and chose to break up their star trio of Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and Harden.

Link

[okcchief]

There's already a thread.

It's Sam Presti.

It's far from a Pioli.

Kill yourself.

[Death2CasselFans]

Originally Posted by okcchief

There's already a thread.

It's Sam Presti.

It's far from a Pioli.

Kill yourself.

want to bet this thread will have more people because its actually titled correctly.

[NJChiefsFan]

Originally Posted by Death2CasselFans

want to bet this thread will have more people because its actually titled correctly.

I will take that bet, considering it

A) Has 5 more pages
B) Is the Official NBA Season Thread and will have eleven billion more posts than this thread by the end of the year

[Al Bundy]

Originally Posted by Death2CasselFans

want to bet this thread will have more people because its actually titled correctly.

I'll take that bet....

[RunKC]

He had no choice. Shooting G's are way easier to find than big defenders. Two 1st round picks in return is great compensation.

But honestly, being from OKC, I've never seen such whiney fans. Maybe it's because OU got their shit rocked, but my God. People in Oklahoma are calling Harden greedy and selfish because he wouldn't stay in OKC.

Really? A guy gets his dream shot to start, plus he's leaving a podonk town for Houston with millions more in his pocket?

[okcchief]

Originally Posted by RunKC

He had no choice. Shooting G's are way easier to find than big defenders. Two 1st round picks in return is great compensation.

But honestly, being from OKC, I've never seen such whiney fans. Maybe it's because OU got their shit rocked, but my God. People in Oklahoma are calling Harden greedy and selfish because he wouldn't stay in OKC.

Really? A guy gets his dream shot to start, plus he's leaving a podonk town for Houston with millions more in his pocket?

I still like Harden. I think it's more about wanting to be the guy than money. I'm honestly not sure he's good enough to be the guy.

The worst thing about Thunder fans is many are OU fans, and yes they are whinny bitches. That goes for pretty much all fan bases though.

[vailpass]

Originally Posted by okcchief

I still like Harden. I think it's more about wanting to be the guy than money. I'm honestly not sure he's good enough to be the guy.

The worst thing about Thunder fans is many are OU fans, and yes they are whinny bitches. That goes for pretty much all fan bases though.

Be interesting to see how Harden does when he is running with Jeremy Lynn and whoever else Houston has instead of Durantula and Westbrook.

[BWillie]

Sam Presti doesnt make mistakes. If you dont understand this trade now. You will in two yrs and youll be like eureka dat dude a genius

[CoMoChief]

As long as OKC has Durant and Westbrook...that team is a NBA finals contender.

[kcxiv]

its a good trade in the long run. short term maybe not. HE did NOT pull a Pioli.

[DJ's left nut]

Originally Posted by Fruit Ninja

its a good trade in the long run. short term maybe not. HE did NOT pull a Pioli.

He pulled a Belichick.

When Belichick traded Richard Seymour, he really hurt his team's chance to win a championship that year (and potentially undermined it altogether). He got very good value for the player, a guy he knew was likely to walk anyway, but in the process he took a very valuable contributor from his roster and diminished his championship chances substantially that season.

Presti did the same here. I'm not convinced that the Thunder a championship caliber team without Harden. Just like that Patriots team, they still have their motor and they still have his top dog running mate. They still have the look of a team that can win it all.

But the Pats desperately needed Seymour down the stretch and his absence was glaringly obvious against the Pats toughest opposition.

I applaud Presti for getting nice value for his player (though it's the NBA; first round picks past 10 are about like 3rd round picks in the NFL). That said, I almost wonder if he shouldn't have just held onto Harden, made his championship push and then done a sign/trade for less overall value in the offseason (but get one more season of Harden out of it).

[58-4ever]

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

He pulled a Belichick.

When Belichick traded Richard Seymour, he really hurt his team's chance to win a championship that year (and potentially undermined it altogether). He got very good value for the player, a guy he knew was likely to walk anyway, but in the process he took a very valuable contributor from his roster and diminished his championship chances substantially that season.

Presti did the same here. I'm not convinced that the Thunder a championship caliber team without Harden. Just like that Patriots team, they still have their motor and they still have his top dog running mate. They still have the look of a team that can win it all.

But the Pats desperately needed Seymour down the stretch and his absence was glaringly obvious against the Pats toughest opposition.

I applaud Presti for getting nice value for his player (though it's the NBA; first round picks past 10 are about like 3rd round picks in the NFL). That said, I almost wonder if he shouldn't have just held onto Harden, made his championship push and then done a sign/trade for less overall value in the offseason (but get one more season of Harden out of it).

These are all strong points. However, one of those first rounder picks is a guaranteed lottery pick, so who knows how well that will go.

Secondly, Harden was valuable because he was a strong scorer when Westbrook and Durant needed a breather. He became "the man" during those times and often opened up the game because of his ability to dish the ball.

Overall, I agree with your point that the Thunder are probably a little worse now, but Martin will score and provide a punch off the bench, and I'll rely on the past and future success of Presti in the draft. He did get Serge in the 20s.

[okcchief]

Originally Posted by Fruit Ninja

its a good trade in the long run. short term maybe not. HE did NOT pull a Pioli.

Presti reached for Russell Westbrook, Serge Ibaka, and James Harden.

Pioli reached for Tyson Jackson, Dexter McCluster and Dontari Poe.

I dream if the day that the Chiefs get their Sam Presti.

[Bump]

I hope Cole gets some PT in Houston