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David Locke on James Harden/Jazz

Here is the big question: Is Parker/Randle/any other player than Wiggins better than Harden? Is any player on the Jazz better than Harden? I don't know. So, if we end up with any player in this draft outside of Wiggins, then we made a mistake in not trading for Harden.
 
Core4 said:
I got the impression from what Locke said that the Jazz FO was too slow in okaying the package and Houston was quick to seal the deal.
Harden is a fantastic player but let's review the trade specifics:

"The Thunder acquired guards Kevin Martin and Jeremy Lamb, two first-round picks and a second-round pick in the surprising deal that was completed Saturday night. Oklahoma City also sent center Cole Aldrich and forwards Daequan Cook and Lazar Hayward to Houston."

Houston gave up NOTHING of consequence. Martin is a good vet, but he's on the decline and very expensive. Lamb was a #12 pick. I'll bet the Thunder wanted Kanter (center is their weakness), Burks and picks. If Utah had traded Kanter, I'm positive Jefferson would have been retained. I'll bet there was serious reservation over giving up Enes.

Does a team of Favors, Jefferson, Hayward, Harden and Mo Williams contend for a championship?
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Championship, no. The core of Hayward, Favors and Harden has potential to be a contender. It is the Mo and Jefferson portion that ruins it.
 
Core4 said:
Yes, but he never said the Jazz actually had a deal on the table. Jazz were "heavily involved in discussions." That's a far cry from offering X, Y and Z. He said they hadn't decided if they wanted to give Harden a max deal, which is what he wanted. So Jazz tell Harden they're only going to offer him $12M. Harden says he'd rather become a FA. Utah backs away from the deal and OKC re-opens talks with Houston or calls other teams. Or maybe OKC wanted Enes and Hayward. Utah says that's too much and they'll come back with a counter.

This was NEVER presented by Locke as OKC and Harden making a decision between offers from Houston and Utah.

Anyway, my argument isn't with you..I guess it's with Locke. I think he contradicts himself. First he states his opinion that if Harden weren't a Rocket, he'd be with the Jazz. Then he states Utah was in "discussions" but had a lot of decisions that had to be made (assets to give up and salary to offer Harden).
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He does this a lot. I believe that before the draft he was bashing Burke saying that there are a lot of ? marks and don't buy into the hype. Then the Jazz draft him and suddenly Lindsey is a genius.
 
green said:
Here is the big question: Is Parker/Randle/any other player than Wiggins better than Harden? Is any player on the Jazz better than Harden? I don't know. So, if we end up with any player in this draft outside of Wiggins, then we made a mistake in not trading for Harden.
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Parker and Randle (Wiggins too of course) have the potential to be game/franchise changers as much if not more than what Harden has done for Houston.
 
Core4 said:
Do we have a C6 yet? Or do you mean the end of next year?
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I think the FO has plans on building around Favors, Kanter, Gobert, Hayward, Burks and Burke. So I call them the C6. We will see which ones remain standing in a year or two. But right now I include all 6.
 
Something that people need to understand is that Harden was not seen as the game changer he became when he went to Houston. Very good yes, but not a franchise player which he now is.

If people knew he'd have this impact, OKC would not have let him go and if they still wanted to for money reasons they would have gotten a much better package.
 
Durrrr said:
Something that people need to understand is that Harden was not seen as the game changer he became when he went to Houston. Very good yes, but not a franchise player which he now is.

If people knew he'd have this impact, OKC would not have let him go and if they still wanted to for money reasons they would have gotten a much better package.
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I think OKC clearly see's it invested in the wrong player. They should have chosen Harden over Westbrook.
 
Beantown said:
I think OKC clearly see's it invested in the wrong player. They should have chosen Harden over Westbrook.
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I think their decision was between harden and ibaka, but ya they should have chosen harden.

I think westbrook and Durant were the two that they were 100% sure that they would keep.
 
Durrrr said:
Something that people need to understand is that Harden was not seen as the game changer he became when he went to Houston. Very good yes, but not a franchise player which he now is.

If people knew he'd have this impact, OKC would not have let him go and if they still wanted to for money reasons they would have gotten a much better package.
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Some understand that clearly and others do not.
 
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