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2012 NBA Preseason |OT| The Rich Get Richer, The Poor Get Rasheed Wallace

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Ninja Scooter

Member
Gigglepoo said:
On second thought, OKC probably made a smart decision. Relying on a guy who cares so much more about money than winning wouldn't be good for long-term success. How much more is he getting now? Couple million? Surely, endorsements are easier to get when you're on a good team, right? Stupid move by Harden.
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Why didn't Durant and Westbrook leave some money on the table to help the front office absorb having all 3 guys on the team? Do they care more about money than winning? People need to stop expecting athletes to have the same mindset as fans. These guys are highly skilled athletes. James Harden is legitimately one of the top 20 or 30 guys at his job in the entire world. He doesn't have to act like a desperate OKC Thunder life long.
 
I

iamblades

Member
Zep said:
Have you seen the lakers bench?
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True enough. I'm just saying..

There are plenty of reasons for OKC not to want to give Harden the max. Only questionable thing is that they got lots of pieces in return, but nothing that really helps them win now, which is why I anticipate further moves.
 
N

Ninja Scooter

Member
Puddles said:
Rashard Lewis was worth the max? Come on.
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No but Rashard Lewis wasn't delusional for taking that money or asking for it, if a team is willing to give it to him. Harden and his agent smartly knew that if he hit free agency there would be any number of teams waiting at his doorstop with a max contract. Why would he have to settle for a penny less? The teams might be delusional, but I'm not gonna begrudge a player for taking money.
 
D

DY_nasty

NeoGAF's official "was this shooting justified" consultant
Gigglepoo said:
On second thought, OKC probably made a smart decision. Relying on a guy who cares so much more about money than winning wouldn't be good for long-term success. How much more is he getting now? Couple million? Surely, endorsements are easier to get when you're on a good team, right? Stupid move by Harden.
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Why are we blaming the players when that owner jumped the gun on Westbrook's contract AND gave Ibaka a hat full of money? They cheaped out on Harden.
 
K

KingGondo

Banned
The real problem is that Harden played so damn well this season.

- 6th Man of the Year
- Huge performances in playoffs (except the finals)
- Made Team USA, won gold medal

If he doesn't have that season, he's flattered to get Manu money.
 
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Canuck76

Banned
This is just dumb to me.

Keep your core together and keep everyone happy. This team went to the finals, really only maybe needs some tweaking at this point.

I just don't understand. Kevin Martin is a fraud. Lamb won't be what they need this season.

Why would you set this team back a few years (if Lamb gets better?)

Yeah theirs the money thing, but so what kid wants money. Holy cow there's a surprise. Pay him and move on with your solid, young core of stars.
 
S

SamuraiX-

Member
1llsd.png


FEEL BETTER YET, GONDO?
 
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ItWasMeantToBe19

Banned
KingGondo said:
The real problem is that Harden played so damn well this season.

- 6th Man of the Year
- Huge performances in playoffs (except the finals)
- Made Team USA, won gold medal

If he doesn't have that season, he's flattered to get Manu money.
Click to expand...

If he didn't develop into that, the Thunder don't make the Finals.
 
P

Puddles

Banned
Ninja Scooter said:
No but Rashard Lewis wasn't delusional for taking that money or asking for it, if a team is willing to give it to him. Harden and his agent smartly knew that if he hit free agency there would be any number of teams waiting at his doorstop with a max contract. Why would he have to settle for a penny less? The teams might be delusional, but I'm not gonna begrudge a player for taking money.
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I get what you're saying, and maybe delusional was the wrong word.
 
S

Smokey

Member
Really don't know how I feel about this fucking rockets were on the way to a lottery pick and still will be with harden... Had kmarts deal coming off the books too...

MEH
 
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ItWasMeantToBe19

Banned
I kind of have to wonder if the Thunder explored the Jazz at all in these trades. Favors, Kanter, and Millsap are the exact type of players that the Thunder need and we have too many bigs compared to minutes. A trade of Harden for one of those guys and maybe some picks might have made sense for both teams but instead they traded Harden for a poor man's Durant and are rolling with Perkins-Ibaka as their frontcourt of the future...

charsace said:
What? Lamb is quick and has an elite first step.
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He's not nearly as quick as Durant and got cut off a lot off the dribble in college.
 
C

Canuck76

Banned
Might there be a follow up trade here?

Maybe L.M.A for Lamb and those firsts?

I just can't imagine you'd want to keep those firsts and not trade for a proven talent when your a near finals lock.
 
B

Black Mamba

Member
Holy shit!!!

harde is definitely worth the max. Name me a better two guard under 30. And don't you dare name Gordon.

Martin is a big downgrade IMO. It doesn't seem so in be stats but we all know he's an empty stats player. I do wonder if there is another move here with he Toronto pick. At worst next draft they can try to make a big move.

But okc probably gave up their chance at a title this year. Sure lamb may pan out but I don't trade a sure thing for the unsure. How often does that even work?

It's a big gamble short and long term. I can't believe they downgraded for this season.

Love the move for Houston. Dumped bad contract for all-star. Gave up a bit much with he Toronto pick too but you make this move every time.

Some of you underrating harden a lot. Also I can't believe okc wouldn't sign him for $1 mil per season. Insane
 
D

darkside31337

Tomodachi wa Mahou
Smokey said:
Really don't know how I feel about this fucking rockets were on the way to a lottery pick and still will be with harden... Had kmarts deal coming off the books too...

MEH
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He was the 2nd/3rd best player on a team that made it to the finals and would have kept doing so for years.

Is he going to be the number one franchise guy? Maybe, but probably not. But the point is your franchise just got a young guy locked up for a long time who is still really damn fucking good.

Eric Gordon. Roy Hibbert. Brook Lopez. Harden is a max deal player, I honestly don't think there is a debate there. Not every guy who is getting the max is a number one franchise kind of guy simply due to the fact that there are a lot less of those than the available max deals.

Rockets fans should be excited about this deal. It honestly didn't cost them a ton. That Mavericks pick was worthless and that Raptors pick won't be as good as people think it will be. Jeremy Lamb -could- be as good as Harden but chances are that he won't be.

I'd be giddy as shit if my franchise managed to land a 23 year old as good as Harden for what they ended up giving up.
 
I

iamblades

Member
Canuck76 said:
Might there be a follow up trade here?

Maybe L.M.A for Lamb and those firsts?

I just can't imagine you'd want to keep those firsts and not trade for a proven talent when your a near finals lock.
Click to expand...

I imagine they'd be moving Martin and the firsts and keeping Lamb, but that's my theory as well. They need some kind of offensively skilled big.

I imagine they'd have to do that to trade for an established player just to make salaries work.
 
C

charsace

Member
ItWasMeantToBe19 said:
I kind of have to wonder if the Thunder explored the Jazz at all in these trades. Favors, Kanter, and Millsap are the exact type of players that the Thunder need and we have too many bigs compared to minutes. A trade of Harden for one of those guys and maybe some picks might have made sense for both teams but instead they traded Harden for a poor man's Durant and are rolling with Perkins-Ibaka as their frontcourt of the future...



He's not nearly as quick as Durant and got cut off a lot off the dribble in college.
Click to expand...

He got cut off on the dribble because his handles are average not because he lacks quickness. He has really good quickness, especially laterally and shows it on defense.

Anyone that thinks this trade was made for Kmart is crazy. They gonna let Martin walk in the offseason. Lamb was the target of this trade. As long as Lamb comes in and plays defense and knocks down the 3 this trade will be good for OKC.

And there are people that think Harden is better than Eric Gordon? Harden isn't better. Gordon is a straight up mass murderer when he's on. He has better range than Harden, is the more explosive athlete and more explosive scorer.
 
I

ItWasMeantToBe19

Banned
iamblades said:
I imagine they'd be moving Martin and the firsts and keeping Lamb, but that's my theory as well. They need some kind of offensively skilled big.

I imagine they'd have to do that to trade for an established player just to make salaries work.
Click to expand...

I really hope Martin for Al isn't next.

Please, no...
 
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