James Harden to Houston = Worst trade in NBA History

[che guevara]

This guy is amazing, they lost a true superstar.

Definitely. He's a better player AND better fit for OKC than Westbrook; one of the few decisions that Presti has blown. His game against the Thunder tonight was probably the best individual performance of any player so far this season.

He's been the best SG in the league this year, something I would never, ever have expected. And he's only 23, with basically no semblance of a midrange game. Can't wait to see how his career unfolds.

[imdaman99]

Dude... just no. You can't honestly believe that. He shot 43% for the series on 27 ppg, and that was hugely inflated by his game 4 (which was his only good, or even decent game in that series). Remove game 4 and he shot a mind-blowingly awful 36%. He was TERRIBLE in that series outside of game 4, and he was worse than his stats indicate - remember all those boneheaded plays he had in crunch time?

Durant, meanwhile, shot 55%, 39% on threes, and scored 31 a game. I hate to constantly "hate" on you, but this is the third time in the last week I've seen you make an outrageously stupid statement.

Sure, Durant wasn't doing anything that great outside his terrific scoring, but at least he wasn't actively hurting his team in crunch time like Westbrook was.

im sorry, you must be under the impression that basketball is 100% on the offense. pretty sure defense is a part of basketball as well who did dudrant (yes thats a typo) defend effectively? meanwhile westbrook was on wade, and wade had his worst finals. at some point, it felt as if the heat were feeding the ball to whoever durant was on. he was fine on offense though

[ProfessorMurder]

Harden is better than Westbrook, but didn't fit with Durant and Westbrook. They wouldn't have won like that.

They chose to keep Westbrook over Harden.

Houston got a great deal.

If I was OKC I would've signed Harden and gotten rid of Westbrook.

[LilEddyCurry]

Westbrook
Harden
Durant
Jeff Green
Ibaka

[b0bab0i]

Presti has done an amazing job with that squad any ideas to the contrary need to be squashed for bugs.
When he took over the Thunder was like 1-12 and they have built a league contender powerhouse. Yah everyone knew Harden is great but how much money do you pay 6th man?
1 trade and who knows how it will play out in the long run

Harden was a top 5 sg last year. He carried the bench in okc. He was worth the money.

[iamgine]

If they were serious about competing for a Championship, they would have kept the core together. They were more worried about the tax than they were about winning.

In the NBA, Your Window of opportunity is small. You have to take that opportunity when that window is there even at the cost of the tax. OKC decided that it wasn't worth it. And that's what they'll be remembered for as long as they don't win with their existing core.

Well how much would the tax cost them exactly? If it's something outrageous then surely it would be understandable for them to trade Harden.

[AussieG]

you think harden gets free reign to be the player he is for houston right now, on the thunder?

not a chance. he would still be a very good player, but 46 pts? not happening if he was on okc

Similar thing with OJ Mayo and Memphis, although Mayo is clearly playing nowhere near as good as Harden. Harden is off the charts.

[AussieG]

Gasol for Kwame, and Vazquez for Pondexter were worse.

Gasol for Kwame?

Do you know that Grizzlies also got MARC GASOL in the deal.. and also other filler.. and Kwame's capspace got them Z-Bo.

So Pau Gasol for Marc Gasol and Z-Bo......... and since that trade.. they have finally won playoff games.. playoff series.. and are still improving.. and some even call them a contender.

Why are people so stupid.

[che guevara]

im sorry, you must be under the impression that basketball is 100% on the offense. pretty sure defense is a part of basketball as well who did dudrant (yes thats a typo) defend effectively? meanwhile westbrook was on wade, and wade had his worst finals. at some point, it felt as if the heat were feeding the ball to whoever durant was on. he was fine on offense though

Yeah, as if that had ANYTHING to do with Westbrook. If you didn't notice, Wade was also having the worst season and playoff run of his career prior to the Finals due to injury and age. Wade averaged 23/6/5 in the Finals, and 23/5/4 through the first 3 rounds.

[Shepseskaf]

The way this board overreacts to one game is amazing. OKC handled the Rockets in their previous games, yet all of a sudden the Harden trade was a mistake?

As someone has already said, Harden would never have blossomed in OKC. He needed to get away, and they didn't need to tie up so much money in four players.

Good deal for both teams. Let's see what happens come playoff time. Will the Beard disappear again?

[che guevara]

The way this board overreacts to one game is amazing. OKC handled the Rockets in their previous games, yet all of a sudden the Harden trade was a mistake?

As someone has already said, Harden would never have blossomed in OKC. He needed to get away, and they didn't need to tie up so much money in four players.

Good deal for both teams. Let's see what happens come playoff time. Will the Beard disappear again?

People have been calling it a mistake since before the season even started. The point people are making is that Westbrook should've been traded, not Harden. Not many people are saying they should've kept all three.

[ralph_i_el]

Easily. He's Urkel, without the brains. The Ninja Turtles 5th, retarded brother they kept locked away from society.

Harden was the one pushing OKC in big games. Has less weakness than Durant, was their best playmaker, possibly their smartest player last year ... and ultimately the dimension that made them SO dangerous.

Houston traded a ton of pieces for him, but they got a steal. He might end up being the best player of the three before all is said and done. That sounds blasphemous given Durant's play. But the Houston situation is IDEAL for him to add and build a resume / legacy.

He doesn't have a second option as dangerous as UrkelBrook.

wow so much disrespect for westbrook.

Didn't you watch Harden blow it in the playoffs? Rockets play up tempo and he's the center of the offense so obviously he's going to look good

[Money 23]

Didn't you watch Harden blow it in the playoffs?

OKC wouldn't have even been IN THE FINALS w/o Harden's playoff performances.

[LilEddyCurry]

OKC wouldn't have even been IN THE FINALS w/o Harden's playoff performances.

And he was only 22 years old

[iamgine]

Gasol for Kwame?

Do you know that Grizzlies also got MARC GASOL in the deal.. and also other filler.. and Kwame's capspace got them Z-Bo.

So Pau Gasol for Marc Gasol and Z-Bo......... and since that trade.. they have finally won playoff games.. playoff series.. and are still improving.. and some even call them a contender.

Why are people so stupid.

That's not the way to look at trades.

Marc Gasol was a nobody and ZBo was not there.

The equivalent of today would be trading Lamarcus Aldridge for Andrew Nicholson.