This topic contains 17 replies, has 14 voices, and was last updated by AvatarAvatar Hitster 14 years ago.

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  • Posted on: Sat, 06/16/2012 - 9:32am #682498
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    Tyrober
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     Harden isn’t going anywhere. OKC will match anything he gets offered.

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  • Posted on: Sat, 06/16/2012 - 9:32am #40330
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    jozoaoakesa
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    I don’t really think that James Harden is a max contract player, but there is no reason to think that he cannot be a high salaried 2nd option player. What teams ( other than OKC of course) are in the best position to throw $$ at him? or which team do you think he would fit best with?

    Here are a few ideas that I was thinking of .

    Utah- They don’t have the cap space to sign him, but they do have plenty of trade chips that I expect them to dangle for others teams. Harris, Millsap , Kanter etc. If they can off one of these players they should have just enough to offer him a lucrative deal. having a scoring punch of Harden, Hayward, and Jefferson going forward + raja bell, derrick favors, alec burkes, and w/e they get back from a trade would make them a scary team. not contenders, but a threat to steal a series or two.

    Cleveland- Will have plenty of cap room once Jamison’s casket is in the ground. If the Cavs can draft MKG or Harrison Barnes + bring in Harden as a Fa, they suddenly look to have a formidable 1-2-3 with Kyrie-Harden-draft pick. They will be lacking any legit bigs. IDK anything about the draft really, but is Andre Drummond slated to still be on the board come the 4th pick? Perhaps the Cavs would be better of drafting him. If Thompson steps his game up, the cavs could find themselves in the playoffs with ease.

    Portland- My personal favorite. Portland has basically no one locked up long term other than Lamarcus and wes matthews. They have two picks in the lottery and will have a bunch of cap space. Add Harden to go with LA and wes + whichever players they take with their picks, and I think the team can get scary good.

    Any others?

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  • Posted on: Sat, 06/16/2012 - 9:33am #682499
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    Tongue-Out-Like-23
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    Look for the Bobcats to throw some money at Harden, he’s the 3rd best SG in the L and will eventually be the best.  Moving forward with Walker-Harden-(Possibly Barnes/MKG)-Biyombo looks pretty bright.

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  • Posted on: Sat, 06/16/2012 - 9:33am #682500
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    Tight Butthole
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    Completely agree about the Cavs throwing money at him. While I dont think he’ll leave OKC, and I dont believe Cleveland has a chance at landing him, I would least like to see the Cavs attempt to sign a player of his caliber. I get Cleveland arent going to be big playmakers in free agency, but they should at least make attempts. If they get him, its an obvious win. If the dont get him, at least you tried and convinced the fan base youre trying to rebuild a successful franchise.

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  • Posted on: Sat, 06/16/2012 - 9:40am #682504
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    Tyrober
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     Harden is obviously a better player, but Cavs should go after OJ Mayo. He is cheaper and will be easier to get.

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  • Posted on: Sat, 06/16/2012 - 9:45am #682502
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    mamadou
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    PHX, maybe the only player i would be ok to seriously overpay. 

    An all star, a team usa player, and  you don’t need a true floor general with him in the starting 5.

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  • Posted on: Sat, 06/16/2012 - 11:03am #682524
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    Chewy
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    Amnesty Boozer’s terrible contract and give it all to Harden?

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  • Posted on: Sat, 06/16/2012 - 11:06am #682521
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    benny15
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    i’d add indiana on your list. if they can sign Harden before they take care of their restricted free agents, then they can have a solid 6-7 solid players with Hibbert, West, Granger, Harden, Hill, George and Collison. add to the rotation Hansborough, sign some veteran big men on minimum deals such as Mahinmi/Mohamed/Thomas/Collins to round out a rotation of 9 players deep and you build on the success they had this past season. a very good direction for them to go towards.

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  • Posted on: Sat, 06/16/2012 - 11:18am #682527
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    DatLeftyBoy7
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    Def the suns should!

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  • Posted on: Sat, 06/16/2012 - 11:25am #682529
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    bloodshy
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    Although Utah is currently tight on cap space, they will have over $40M available after next year.  Next year contracts of Milsap, Jefferson, Bell and Harris all drop off their books.  When Harden becomes a free agent, Utah could easily offer him max money if they chose to.

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  • Posted on: Sat, 06/16/2012 - 11:46am #682531
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    Truett
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    … The only that can negotiate w/ him is the thunder on an extension… facts people… pay attention to them.

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  • Posted on: Sat, 06/16/2012 - 11:46am #682532
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    Truett
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    … The only team that can negotiate w/ him is the Thunder on an extension… facts people… pay attention to them.

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  • Posted on: Sat, 06/16/2012 - 12:06pm #682538
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    JustaFan
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    OKC’s not letting Harden go anywhere. They have their inhouse Big 3. I don’t think anyone has drafted better than them in the last 5 years, KD, Russ, Harden and Serge. Serge is up next get an extension.

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  • Posted on: Sat, 06/16/2012 - 12:28pm #682543
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    iceman21
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     Bulls would be a dream for me but I could also see Minny offering him a big contract.

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  • Posted on: Sat, 06/16/2012 - 12:41pm #682544
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    benny15
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    oh man, cant believe i actually thought that. sorry guys my bad, dint think there and realised that Harden is not a free agent this off-season and that no team can actually offer harden $$$$. this thread is one year premature unless the thunder are able to settle on an extension.

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  • Posted on: Sat, 06/16/2012 - 2:08pm #682555
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    fastdan
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    Harden won’t be a UFA until next summer. Meaning it’s impossible to predict rosters and cap space with 2 drafts, a trade deadline, and a summer of free agency happening between now and when a team can offer him a contract.

    OKC will sign him this summer. 13-15mil a year will likely do the trick. And that won’t kick in until the July 1, 2013. Meaning OKC won’t have an issue with payroll until that date. So, basically, at that point they decide if they can afford to pay him. If they can, they they keep him. If they can’t they deal him. No way they let him walk. Teams will give a lot for a guy like Harden.

    Worst case scenario, he believes he’s a max player, and refuses to sign for anything but, and OKC decides he’s not worth it. So they do what Denver did with Nene. Pay him enough to stay, they deal him at the deadline and get a good return. Much better then those sign and trade type deals where CLE/TOR got late first rounders from LBJ/Bosh deals, respectively. He’s an UFA and an allstar quality player at 22, if you think Presti is going to let him just walk then you guys don’t understand anything.

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  • Posted on: Sat, 06/16/2012 - 2:39pm #682557
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    benny15
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    he’ll be a restricted free agent next off-season if he doesnt sign an extension before then. he will be an unrestricted free agent if he only signs the qualifying offer or a one year deal in next years off-season.

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  • Posted on: Sat, 06/16/2012 - 2:48pm #682561
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    Hitster
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    Harden isn’t going anywhere, the Thunder are fairly sure to offer him a deal this summer which could be hard for him to turn down. Also I’ll throw in the curveball that the Thunder have perhaps held back his production for the good of the team due to his excellent 6th man role so Sam Presti can use this to his advantage in negoiations.

     

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