Horns247 Board

I think it's a bad deal for this year, but a great move long term. Lamb looks like he can be a pretty good player, and the draft picks will be valuable.

For the Rockets, I think it is good for this year, but WTF are they thinking giving up the picks? Unless they can sign a legit player this offseason, they will be top 10 picks. I don't see Harden as a max contract guy that can carry your team deep into the play-offs.

Agree with ktroot. Rockets gave up way too much for a guy that isn't what you build your team around.

The Rockets gave up draft picks that they acquired specifically for the purpose of trading them for a franchise type of player. I realize that they have already traded their own away but were they going to get a star player to build around with their own picks which if the pattern holds would be in the early-mid teens?

Take a look at the Rockets roster, almost all of the players are in their first 3 yrs in the league. Do they really need another middle of the 1st round rookie or 2nd rounder to add to an already young team?

While it would have been nice to have the Raptors pick if was towards the front of the lottery, the pick is protected for the next three yrs and has to fall 4-14 in 2013, 3-14 in 2014 and 2015, 2-14 in 2016. If the Raptors make the playoffs for the next five yrs they keep their pick and the Thunder will get the pick no matter what the next yr. Harden was the #3 pick in the draft by the way and is a proven commodity. The other pick is Dallas' 1st rounder which is top 20 protected. At this point, there is no telling exactly what the Thunder got here other than to say two 1st rounders sometime between 2013 and 2017 and the Bobcats 2nd rounder. Might be a high lottery pick, might not.

Martin won't be with the Thunder after this yr, his contract expires and he makes too much for them to keep him. Lamb could be a good one, but the operative word is "could".

I really like the deal. I think Harden is player that will continue to grow as his role and responsibilities do. The Rockets still have a long way to go but where else were they going to get a player of Harden's caliber? Maybe they'll be able to attract another big piece in free agency now that they have some foundational players to build around.

Pretty good deal for the Thunder, they got some pretty good pieces in return for a player they were going to lose and avoided the yr long circus that was sure to accompany the situation. The only issue I would have if I was Thunder fan is the loss of a proven player for one yr rental of a one dimensional player and the unproven potential of a rookie and three draft picks that always come with risk. Presti is damn good at drafting, so that lessens the risk but only so much.

The interesting thing about this trade from an evaluation stand point is that it is all comes down to how you feel about Harden. I think he is a guy who can take the next step. He's a guy who was capable of carrying the Thunder from time to time but didn't have to because it was needed with KD and Westbrook there. In Houston, it will be expected. I like the deal because I think he will, although the Rockets will struggle at times due to youth and a lack of across the board talent. Those that think Harden is strictly a complementary piece think less of the deal.

Saying he was the 3rd best player on the team is a bit unfair when he is being compared to the second best player in the league and the team's primary ball handler who is an athletic freak. I'd rather have Harden than Westbrook, but then I am partial to PG's that distribute more than jack.

Neither of the 1st round picks the Rockets gave up are theirs, and both are protected.

Toronto's is 3 protected for 4 years, while Dallas's is top 20 protected this year. The 2nd is from Charlotte so there is a good chance it's 33/34 next season.

So the Rockets will still have their own picks to do whatever they want with a young nucleus and a lot of money. Smart decision by Morey to trade away assets for an established star.

OKC made the mistake of extending Perkins, and it cost them a really good player.

I like the deal for both teams.

Anyone arguing that Rockets gave up too much and OKC got good players back simply aren't informed on the players or contracts involved. Kevin Martin is the most flawed SG in the ENTIRE NBA. He's a huge liability on defense and that's the scouting report on Jeremy Lamb as well. Martin is an efficient scorer and a team as deep as OKC can probably live with his glaring deficiencies, but no Rockets fan will miss Martin, and Lamb is vapor wear at this point.

Hardin is the best player the Rockets could get via trade and brings a lot of positives to what was before the worst roster in the Western conference. Now, they have a formidable 1 and 2 with some all star potential, youth, and most importantly, MONEY LEFT TO SIGN A MAX CONTRACT IN THE FOLLOWING OFFSEASON. That's why this move was made.

Would the Rockets have preferred a top 10 NBA player? Well of course. They tried several times and failed, so are now taking a bit of a gamble on a young guy in the next tier who possesses everything you want from a player from a talent and basketball IQ standpoint. By all accounts, Harden is a great team mate and isn't trouble off the court.

The Rockets have been stuck for 3 years and are having to take some risks on players like Lin (still not sold he can be good) and Harden. Now, they hope that both players take their games to the next level, Royce White gets his head right (arguably the most talented player in the draft last year), and someone in the pool of Terrance Jones, Marcus Morris, and Chandler Parsons emerges. If if they don't, they will still be in a position to offer max contract money to a top tier player next season and the Harden deal make Houston that much more attractive.

This is a good deal for the Rockets. Makes too much sense from a talent and dollars/cents standpoint.

Spot on. It means they won't be competing for the championship this year but it sets them up long term. Durant and Westbrook are young enough and the lakers and heat can get older.

How do the Rockets have bad contracts? They will be able to sign another max contract next yr. They seem to be in a pretty good position contract wise, seems like they have a good deal of flexibility going forward. Lin and Asik aren't close to max contracts. The rest of the team are pretty much on their first contracts.

The picks the Rockets gave up are the almost certainly the dreaded middle of the round picks you just described. If the Rockets absolutely suck they will keep their own pick, it's top 14 protected. The Raptors pick that they gave up will most likely be at the back end of the lottery.

This move was made for the very reason you stated, you either have to be at the top or bottom, the middle is purgatory. They now have a player who they can build around. I'm not totally enamored with Lin, but he can be a good piece around Harden. Asik gives them good rebounding and D. They still have a lot of needs, but have a very young team and salary cap room to go with a star player that other players respect and will want to play with.

Love it.

A friendly reminder from John Hollinger, "The Rockets are looking good. Reeeeal good. They gave up some choice assets they'd accumulated to make a deal just like this one, and in return they finally have a go-to star on the wings. Harden will have a max extension faster than you can say "beard," and Rockets GM Daryl Morey can finally move forward with the post-Yao strategy he's been working so hard to initiate.

And here's the really scary part: Did you know that Houston still has max cap room next year, even after giving a max deal to Harden? You don't think the Rockets might be an attractive destination with a Harden-Lin backcourt and all those kids (Terrence Jones, Donatas Motiejunas, Royce White, Patrick Patterson, Chandler Parsons)? Yowza."

BINGO

Actually this trade makes it much more likely that they would be in that area again. However they are a lot more attractive to the 2013 FA class. As they have a solid backcourt with Lin and Harden, and a lot of young guys athletic guys in their rookie contracts and enough room for another max contract.

Depending on how Jones, Do-Nuts, White, and Parsons look will probably determine in what way they want to go in FA. I can guarantee it will be a forward, just not sure whether it will be a SF or a PF.