The James Harden Sweepstakes: Brooklyn, Philly, and the Wild Card
As soon as the Russell Westbrook issues surfaced, it felt inevitable that James Harden would be on the move, too. While there have been multiple reports that Harden is committed to the Rockets and “locked in” for the start of next season, that idea is becoming less and less likely.
In all reality, the market for Westbrook can’t be that great considering his contract, so whatever Houston gets back won't be enough to help them compete for a championship with Harden. If that’s the case, why would Harden want to stay? He’s been fighting to get back to the Finals his whole career, so why spend time on a rebuilding team? His value is at an all-time high, and both parties would benefit from a trade.
Harden has even gone as far as naming Brooklyn and Philadelphia as the places he’d most like to go to. Here’s what some potential Harden deals could look like.
The Brooklyn Deal
Nets Receive: James Harden
Rockets Receive: Caris LeVert, Spencer Dinwiddie, Jarrett Allen, Taurean Prince, 2020 FRP (via PHI), 2021 FRP
Just when everyone thought the super-team era was over, a new one could be just on the horizon. If Harden teamed up with Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant in Brooklyn, they might be the most talented trio in NBA history. Now whether or not they would be the most successful is a different question, but in terms of pure talent, it’s hard to name many that compare.
Brooklyn’s Perspective
There are definitely some question marks that go along with this deal such as if the three would be compatible considering how ball-dominant they each are. We’ve seen times super talented trios have worked when people thought it wouldn’t, such as in Golden State. However, we’ve also seen times when “over talented” teams fail because there’s too much going on, with a prime example being the 2018-2019 Celtics. Regardless, if there’s one thing I’ve learned while watching the NBA is that you get the talent and figure it out from there. These three guys are so extremely talented that I’m almost 100% sure that they’d figure out a way to win together.
As for the package they’d be giving up, it would definitely kill their depth. In order to get a guy as insanely valuable as Harden you have to throw in insanely valuable assets. LeVert showed out in the bubble so his value is at an all-time high, making this trade a bit easier to facilitate. Losing Dinwiddie hurts, but if you’re getting Harden in return the deal has to get done. Allen is looking less and less important to the Nets as the days go on, with DeAndre Jordan being so close with Irving and Durant, as well as the potential courting of Serge Ibaka. Last of all, Prince is simply to match the contract, and the two picks are something the Nets should willingly part ways with since they would immediately be one of the favorites to win it all for the next couple of years.
Houston’s Perspective
The star of this trade package is LeVert along with the picks. Even if, and when, the picks end up being late first rounders, that’s still a couple more shots Houston has at drafting a nice sleeper guy to come in and blossom in a rebuilding system. As I mentioned, LeVert’s value is at an all-time high, and he would be able to be the leader of the offense in Houston. You never know, maybe that’s all he’s needed to flourish in the NBA. Dinwiddie would provide some nice depth for the Rockets, but in my opinion it’s far more likely they move him to a contender for draft capital.
Finally, bringing in Allen provides them with a center which they would desperately need if Harden and Westbrook leave. Allen is bordering on elite defender status, if he’s not there already, so he’d have an opportunity to shine as a starter in Houston alongside LeVert.
The Philly Deal
76ers Receive: James Harden
Rockets Receive: Ben Simmons, Matisse Thybulle, Shake Milton, 2021 FRP
The Sixers are in a very interesting position. The hirings Doc Rivers and Daryl Morey were great moves by the front office, but they have a lot more ground to cover before they make up for the Al Horford and Tobias Harris signings. Something I always like to say is that instead of trusting the process, Elton Brand decided to rush the process. Look where it got them.
Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons are an elite duo in the NBA. No matter what you think about the spacing, fit, or overall play style of the two, there’s no denying that they’re both All-NBA level players. Regardless, there have been reports in the media that Simmons isn’t exactly the best person to work with, but the same could be said about Embiid. At this point, the process is already rushed, so they might as well rush it some more and trade for Harden.
Philadelphia’s Perspective
Like I said, the process is already over. If the Sixers had truly “trusted the process” they would have let Simmons and Embiid grow with each other and put a bunch of shooters around them. Instead, they let the pair play two-ish, injury plagued season together before bringing in backup to try and compete immediately. Trading for Butler may have seemed like a good move, but they lost him after one season and it cost them two of the better floor spacers on the roster in Robert Covington and Dario Saric. Hindsight is always 20/20, though, and Butler is one of the best players in the league, so you can’t hate on them too much I suppose.
Anyways, my point is that the time for a pure rebuild around Simmons and Embiid is over. There are too many bad contracts on the roster and not enough floor spacers, which is what the Sixers desperately need. Simmons has shown a complete unwillingness to even attempt threes, and in this league that’s borderline unacceptable. If any role player tried to pull that card, I guarantee you that they’d be a free agent, or traded, within weeks. Simmons’ passing, driving, and defensive abilities make up for it, but at what point do the Sixers get tired of having two stars that interfere with each others’ game?
Harden playing next to Embiid feels like a match made in heaven. Harden is one of the best ball-handlers, shooters, and overall players in the entire league. Meanwhile, Embiid would be able to dominate the post without having to constantly worry about interrupting the flow of a guy who can’t do anything but drive. Defenses could no longer just camp the lane waiting for Simmons drive or Embiid post-up, because there’s the constant threat of Harden hitting a nasty step back in their face. The loss of Thybulle and Milton definitely hurts the depth on the team, but just like I mentioned for the Brooklyn deal, bringing in a guy like Harden is worth it.
Houston’s Perspective
Yes, losing a top five player in the NBA sucks, but if you’re getting back one of the best young guards in the NBA it doesn’t seem so bad anymore. I’ve always felt that while Simmons has definitely stunted Embiid’s potential, the same can be said for vice versa. I love Simmons, jump shot or no jump shot. One thing I’ve been on record saying is that if you put Simmons on the Bucks in place of Giannis Antetokounmpo he’d be in MVP conversations. He’s just never had the type of environment in Philadelphia that allows him to drive to the paint at will.
Well, if he got traded to Houston that’d be exactly the type of environment he’d be going into. The Rockets built their roster so that Harden and Westbrook could freely drive to the rack without anyone getting in their way. They even dealt Clint Capela, their starting center, for more depth at the wing position to free up the paint. If you put a 6’10” point guard who’s elite at attacking the basket in that situation, I don’t see any way that he can’t average 25 a night at the very least.
Do I think the Rockets would remain in title contention with a Simmons lead team? No. Do I think that this would set them up perfectly for the future? Absolutely.
The Wild Card
Nuggets Receive: James Harden
Rockets Receive: Michael Porter Jr., Gary Harris, Will Barton, Bol Bol, 2020 FRP (via HOU), 2024 FRP
Alright, it’s time to get a little bit wild. The Nuggets are coming off a season where they made their first Western Conference Finals appearance since the 2008-2009 season, when Carmelo Anthony was dropping buckets. Now, with Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray at the helm, the future looks bright. All signs point to them running it back with a similar squad and letting the players grow together, which is probably the smart move; but what if they decide to get risky?
Denver’s Perspective
Porter Jr. looked incredible in the bubble. He seems like a guy who can give you 20 points and 10 rebounds a night, while also shooting it at a super efficient clip from deep. The same can be said for Bol. While he’s still most likely regarded as a project right now, there were some real bright spots when he got playing time in Orlando. That being said, we’ve seen so little from either of them, so could it be worth it to cash-in while the value is high and get someone like Harden?
Adding Harden to this team would immediately catapult them into title contenders. I mean, they were able to make it to the WCF last season, so bringing in a former MVP has to mean improvement, right? While they would be sacrificing some depth in Barton and Harris, neither was a vital part of their run in these past playoffs anyways. Barton was injured throughout, and while Harris did end up coming back, he was pretty easily replaced in the time he was out.
The Nuggets have stated that they are unwilling to trade Porter Jr. at this time, but if the Rockets come knocking at the door and dangle Harden in front of Denver’s face, it’d be pretty hard to turn down. A super-team of Harden, Murray, and Jokic would be elite. Harden would easily be the best player either of the other two have ever played with. As for Harden, I would argue that Jokic would be the best guy he’s ever played with since turning into an MVP caliber player.
Houston’s Perspective
This deal brings a youth movement to Houston. While I think the return in the Philadelphia deal may be a little better, I would take this one over anything Brooklyn can offer. Like I mentioned, Porter Jr. has the potential to be a lethal scorer in the league, and can seemingly shoot 40% from deep at 6’10”. He’s only 22 years old and would be able to have his own team with the Rockets, giving him free reign to develop into an offensive juggernaut.
Then there’s Bol, who while he may not be ready to start, would be able to get significant bench minutes at the very least on a rebuilding Houston team. Harris and Barton are mainly for the purpose of matching salary, but I still think Harris has the potential to revitalize his offensive game. He’s an elite defender, that’s well known, but people forget that he once averaged nearly 18 points a night for the Nuggets. A new situation may be able to help him get back to that point.
Where do you think Harden ends up this offseason? Will he stay in Houston, or is a trade inevitable? Let me know down below in the comments!
