NBA Offseason 2020: 5 blockbuster James Harden trades
If the Houston Rockets actually consider trading James Harden, here are a few deals that would make sense.
James Harden’s faith in the Houston Rockets is a ticking time bomb. He’s been the centerpiece of an analytics-driven movement in Clutch City for years now, but his co-innovators are no longer around to help him sustain it. Mike D’Antoni is gone. So is Daryl Morey, and so is the best teammate he had in Houston — Chris Paul — who nearly helped him usurp arguably the greatest team in NBA history.
True enough, it was Harden’s friction with CP3 and ensuing support of the Russell Westbrook that proved to be the final nail in the coffin of this Rockets era, but ever since owner Tillman Fertitta took over, it’s been nothing but a precipitous descent for this team. The ultra small-ball experiment was a last resort to make Morey’s vision work, and it ended in a second-round playoff defeat.
After that unceremonious exit, it wasn’t surprising to hear a 32-year-old Westbrook and a 31-year-old Harden express their doubts about the direction of the franchise, nor was it stunning when that cascaded into Russ wanting out of Space City altogether. Likewise, it won’t be a shock when Harden eventually asks out, especially once the (likely) underwhelming return package for Westbrook rolls in. Harden has publicly stated he’s all in on running it back in Houston for the upcoming season, but the Rockets are imploding; now is the time to abandon ship if either former MVP ever wants to win a ring.
According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, Harden is already considering potential trade destinations, with the Brooklyn Nets topping his list. Even before that, Sports Illustrated’s Farbod Esnaashari reported the Nets had engaged with the Rockets on trade talks and that although nothing had been finalized, it was looking like a real possibility Harden would be dealt.
Whether it’s within the next 12 months or the next 24 hours, it’s only a matter of time before James Harden — an eight-time All-Star, seven-time All-NBA selection, three-time scoring champ and one-time MVP — is playing elsewhere. This, of course, begs the question: Which teams have the best chance of putting together a blockbuster offer for a certified top-five player?
We’re here to lay out five potential deals for the Beard, but it must be noted that trade scenarios are an inexact science. They almost never play out as expected or predicted, and for the team giving up the star, the return is almost never as good as the fanbase hopes for.
A reminder for fans whose teams are involved in star trade talks: you are never going to get the return you think you do because that player is more valuable to you and you want equal return. It’s never going to happen because your leverage is automatically compromised.
— Hardwood Paroxysm (@HPbasketball) November 14, 2020
Even so, let’s try and trudge through some blockbuster deals that would make sense for a Rockets team trading away its perennial MVP candidate still in his prime, starting with a few honorable mentions that just missed the cut.
Honorable Mentions
Boston Celtics: Jaylen Brown, Marcus Smart and Nos. 14, 26 and 30 in this year’s draft
Miami Heat: Kelly Olynyk (player option), Duncan Robinson, Tyler Herro, multiple draft picks
New Orleans Pelicans: Jrue Holiday, Lonzo Ball, Jaxson Hayes and 2021 first-round draft pick (via Los Angeles Lakers)