Harden's Future

[Sħãlïq™]

James Harden's future hangs over Thunder training camp

OKC's SG uncertain future in Oklahoma City has cast a heavy shadow over the Thunder this preseason. How will it end?

 

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OKLAHOMA CITY -- Russell Westbrook needed only to catch a fraction of the conversation, after spotting Kevin Durant in the hallway cornered by one of those nosy media pests, to know he wanted no part of it. Just outside the door to the home team's locker room at Chesapeake Energy Arena, seeing Durant's predicament and then hearing where the discussion was going, Westbrook never broke stride as he speedwalked away from the interrogation.

 

"Same questions for 30 days," Westbrook said with an unmistakable tone of annoyance, shaking his head as he left poor Durant behind.

 

Westbrook isn't wrong. There are plenty of worthy developments at Thunder camp this month that merit inspection, whether it's the more vocal leadership that team insiders say is coming from KD and Russ … or the promising return from an ACL tear by backcourt stabilizer Eric Maynor … or the way Perry Jones III forgot he was a rookie who plummeted on draft night by starting his drive out at the 3-point line in Tuesday's preseason clash with Charlotte and taking Tyrus Thomas for a ride all the way to the rim -- needing only two dribbles -- before rising up to throw it down over Thomas' futile stretch with his right hand.

 

Eventually, though, James Harden's uncertain future becomes the focus again, as it's basically been in Loud City from the moment big man Serge Ibaka agreed to a four-year deal worth nearly $50 million in mid-August.

Source

[Warren2ThaG]

did u guys know that he's classic as they come?

[Check my Stats]

I'd like to say he isn't going anywhere, but the fact they haven't gotten to an agreement is pretty frightening as an OKC fan (if you are). There is only one number worth discussing, and its the max. Everyone and their grandmothers know that he is going to get it, if not from OKC, but from somewhere else. And how are you going to pay a clearly inferior player (Ibaka) potentially more than Harden. It is ridiculous that they are crying about not being a lux tax team, after paying Perkins and Ibaka 25% + more than they are worth. I suggest you read this grantland article from Simmons, its actually a decent read.

 

http://www.grantland.com/story/_/id/8486795/the-harden-dilemma

 

It would just be a brutal breakup for both sides. Harden isn't an alpha dog, and he fits in perfectly in OKC. I would trade Ibaka 100 times before I even thought about moving Harden once. Regardless, they should be able to afford the entire core, at least for a bit longer once they amnesty Perkins.

 

OKC is just going to have to be shrewd through the draft (like they were this year) and try and pick up ring chasers each year. I have no doubt that they can keep this core together for a couple more years at least.

Edited October 20, 2012 by Check my Stats

[Real Deal]

If Perry Jones turns out to be a starter-level player (and it's not like I'm stepping out on a limb here, he could do it), Ibaka becomes a guy you can trade.

 

But, Perk has to go first. You try and keep your four (Durant, Westbrook, Harden and Ibaka) together for as long as possible, since Ibaka is a key ingredient to your defense.

 

Does Harden really deserve the max, though? I don't think he does. When I look at him, I don't see a franchise player, and I definitely don't see a superstar. It's hard for me to say a non-franchise player deserves a max deal, and while I know someone will overpay, I don't see why a team would go for broke over him. Doesn't make sense to me.

[kingfish]

If Perry Jones turns out to be a starter-level player (and it's not like I'm stepping out on a limb here, he could do it), Ibaka becomes a guy you can trade.

 

But, Perk has to go first. You try and keep your four (Durant, Westbrook, Harden and Ibaka) together for as long as possible, since Ibaka is a key ingredient to your defense.

 

Does Harden really deserve the max, though? I don't think he does. When I look at him, I don't see a franchise player, and I definitely don't see a superstar. It's hard for me to say a non-franchise player deserves a max deal, and while I know someone will overpay, I don't see why a team would go for broke over him. Doesn't make sense to me.

Do you think Westbrook deserves the max?

[Nitro]

I said this was gonna be a problem early last year. Giving out 2 max deals and giving Perkins that awful contract made not only keeping the current core group intact extremely difficult, but improving the rest of the roster to keep up with the likes of Miami (and now LA) nearly impossible. Ibaka is overrated to most, but fact of the matter is he is still young, a nightly double-double threat, and blocks shots at an insane rate. All that equates to a big contract, even if in actuality he probably isn't worth it. And Harden, while not a franchise player IMO, can put up 20/5/5 or a little better as a #1 option on a mediocre team, which will equate to a huge contract as well (especially now that he's getting a lot of media exposure and becoming a household name). Now that the new luxury tax penalities are getting ready to take into effect, it makes things that much harder to keep this team together.

 

For some reason I got the feeling he's gonna stay, but OKC's gonna have to get creative in how they spend their money to give this team a real shot at winning a title.

[Real Deal]

Do you think Westbrook deserves the max?

I'd rather give a max deal to Westbrook. Personally, I don't think a lot of players deserve the money they have gotten while in their primes, but it's hard to answer a question like this because, quite frankly, I have to consider all other contracts given out.

 

If I consider what others have made over the years, then Westbrook deserves it. If not, I wouldn't say he does...close to the max deal, though, but if it was all up to me, I would never give a non-superstar a max contract, even if he's a big man.

 

A franchise player that's not a superstar (ex. Andrew Bynum) can be an exception, although I would have declined him as well, because of his injuries.

 

Then you have a guy like Danny Granger, who was brought in to be a franchise player, but is more of a second option scorer on a contender...and I would not consider giving him the max.

 

I don't think Westbrook is there yet. CP3, Rose, Williams, and now Rondo...those guys are different (and Rondo is that non-superstar exception, because I believe he's a franchise player at this point), but Russ still has a lot to learn.