James Harden traded to Brooklyn

[Pastor Dillon]

This is dumb. We’ve unloaded a ton of future draft picks, you don’t go into rebuild mode when an MVP in his prime and haven’t lost a first round series in 4 years. 
 

unless the Celtics want to give us Tatum, Brown and Walker for harden and Westbrook, I’m staying pat. 
 

I’ll trade Westbrook for anyone but who the heck is gonna take him?

[Pastor Dillon]

4 hours ago, NYRaider said:

That's true. But their owner is apparently strapped for cash and has made it clear that he won't go into the luxury tax to improve the team. They have Harden under contract for at least two more years but he's already 31 and their championship window is closing fast. Over the next three seasons between Harden, Westbrook, and Gordon they have to pay them $99M in '20-21, $105M in '21-22, and potentially $113M in '22-23 if Harden/Westbrook both opt in to their contracts. 

Obviously they'd need a kings ransom to let go of Harden but their flexibility to improve the team as they're currently structured seems almost impossible. 

When did the owner make it “clear” he wouldn’t pay the tax? He’s repeatedly said he would and so has daryl Morey. We’ve made minor moves to avoid it the last 2 years and none of the moves made have hurt the team on the court. This is a false narrative. 

[Texansfan713]

2 minutes ago, Pastor Dillon said:

When did the owner make it “clear” he wouldn’t pay the tax? He’s repeatedly said he would and so has daryl Morey. We’ve made minor moves to avoid it the last 2 years and none of the moves made have hurt the team on the court. This is a false narrative. 

leave it up to the people who dont follow the rockets to say stupid stuff like that.

[NYRaider]

7 minutes ago, Pastor Dillon said:

When did the owner make it “clear” he wouldn’t pay the tax? He’s repeatedly said he would and so has daryl Morey. We’ve made minor moves to avoid it the last 2 years and none of the moves made have hurt the team on the court. This is a false narrative. 

https://www.radio.com/sportsradio610/sports/houston-rockets/rockets-are-hampered-by-fertittas-refusal-to-spend

Your owner also just took out a $250M high interest loan to keep his other businesses afloat. 

[Pastor Dillon]

1 hour ago, NYRaider said:

https://www.radio.com/sportsradio610/sports/houston-rockets/rockets-are-hampered-by-fertittas-refusal-to-spend

Your owner also just took out a $250M high interest loan to keep his other businesses afloat. 

So we didn’t give Ariza 15 million, we didn’t want to pay Anderson 20 million for nothing and we elected to trade melo instead of cutting him. Those all say that feretti isn’t willing to spend? Those were all sound moves. 
 

he’s said that he isn’t paying the tax just to pay it but if it gets us over the hump, he’s willing to pay. 

[CWood21]

Should they?  Sure.  But will they find a package that's even remotely close?  Absolutely not.  The Rockets already shot their shot when they sent all those draft picks to Houston so rebuilding seems at best a poor idea.  But the problem is another team who wants Harden is going to have to gut their roster.  Which team is going to gut their roster for a guy who has never really made it past the WCF.

[seminoles1]

56 minutes ago, CWood21 said:

Should they?  Sure.  But will they find a package that's even remotely close?  Absolutely not.  The Rockets already shot their shot when they sent all those draft picks to Houston so rebuilding seems at best a poor idea.  But the problem is another team who wants Harden is going to have to gut their roster.  Which team is going to gut their roster for a guy who has never really made it past the WCF.

Lots of teams would gut their roster for Harden, especially in the East.

New York, Chicago, Charlotte, Orlando, Cleveland, Detroit, and Sacramento would trade anything for Harden. Atlanta would trade anything except Trae Young. Minnesota would trade anything except KAT. And there's plenty more.

It's James Harden. The majority of the league would be calling Houston night and day if he were made available.

[Pastor Dillon]

Harden is worth too much money to trade. He brings in the revenue even without championships. He keeps us on national TV, he keeps fans in the stands. We’ve won at least 1 playoff series in 4 straight seasons, have the longest playoff streak in the league and are represented at all star weekend. 
 

it doesn’t make sense from a business or basketball sense to trade harden

[NYRaider]

On 9/16/2020 at 11:36 PM, seminoles1 said:

New York, Chicago, Charlotte, Orlando, Cleveland, Detroit, and Sacramento would trade anything for Harden. Atlanta would trade anything except Trae Young. Minnesota would trade anything except KAT. And there's plenty more.

Minnesota, Atlanta, and Chicago could probably put together the two most competitive offers for him. 

Minnesota: D'Angelo Russell, Jarrett Culver, #1 pick, #17 pick, 2022 1st round pick 

Chicago: Zach LaVine, Lauri Markkanen, Thad Young, #4 pick, 2022 1st round pick, 2024 1st round pick 

Atlanta: John Collins, DeAndre Hunter, Kevin Huerter, #6 pick, 2022 1st round pick, 2024 1st round pick 

Edited September 18, 2020 by NYRaider

[CWood21]

On 9/17/2020 at 1:36 AM, seminoles1 said:

Lots of teams would gut their roster for Harden, especially in the East.

New York, Chicago, Charlotte, Orlando, Cleveland, Detroit, and Sacramento would trade anything for Harden. Atlanta would trade anything except Trae Young. Minnesota would trade anything except KAT. And there's plenty more.

It's James Harden. The majority of the league would be calling Houston night and day if he were made available.

And then what?  You've got James Harden and trash.  That's a 5-8 seed in the East and a one and done in the playoffs.

[seminoles1]

46 minutes ago, CWood21 said:

And then what?  You've got James Harden and trash.  That's a 5-8 seed in the East and a one and done in the playoffs.

I mean...says you. It's James freaking Harden. Teams would line up with offers for him.

[NYRaider]

Bring this one back with Harden trade rumors heating up.

[QBIso]

Absolutely get rid of him if you’re  Houston. They need an infusion of youth. They aren’t gonna be able to do that with their current setup. Not good enough to win it all, but not bad enough to improve whatsoever. Dump him. 

[turtle28]

I think the Rockets should trade Harden, but they should wait until they get a deal that is amazing which might not come until the trade deadline. I wouldn’t just trade Harden bc he wants to be traded. You only trade him for an amazing blockbuster deal that sets you up to with now w/ Wall, Gordon, Cousins & Wood but also gets you picks and young players for your future too.

[QBIso]

15 minutes ago, turtle28 said:

I think the Rockets should trade Harden, but they should wait until they get a deal that is amazing which might not come until the trade deadline. I wouldn’t just trade Harden bc he wants to be traded. You only trade him for an amazing blockbuster deal that sets you up to with now w/ Wall, Gordon, Cousins & Wood but also gets you picks and young players for your future too.

I don’t think the Rockets have a chance with that roster anyways. Burn the thing down. Cousins and Wall are gonna play a combined 7 games this year before getting injured. They still have the worst defensive potential in the NBA. Their star player wants out. 
 

Just gut it while you can and rebuild a young group. I have a feeling Harden is gonna be considered used up goods after a year or so anyways. Sell high.