OKC Trade is a glimpse into our future

[zman1527]

I agree that Harden got greedy. Houston is a train-wreck. The GM has no idea what he is doing. He runs the team like it is a monopoly (buying a property and the then selling it). Harden is going to wish he had just accepted the $55 million contract once he starts losing 50 games a year in Houston.

I think OKC has strengthened their bench and if Lamb is worth his lottery selection then I think it is a great move for OKC. I am 50/50 on Lamb as an NBA player but I haven't see him play in the NBA so I will hold off with any final judgment until I see him play a few season in the NBA.

I think OKC did the right thing. You have to do what is best for your franchise. They made a decent offer and now they have moved on. I think the Jazz can keep their four core guys if they are smart and don't overpay for other free agents. If Harden fails in Houston he will become the poster child for all franchises when they negotiate with their players. Hopefully, the Jazz will have a championship caliber team in 2 years to remind their young players about taking a little less money to play with a team who can compete for an NBA championship.

I hope the Jazz are talking with the kids about re-signing sooner before they are in their contract years. However, very few players are irreplaceable. Sometimes you have to cut your losses and get the best deal for the franchise like OKC did.

This cuts both ways. If Harden was greedy for wanting another 5.5 million and was foolish for going to Houston, the same can be said for OKC. To me it looks like they have given up a key part of their team to save 5.5 million, and they may regret when they get bounced out of the first or second round. Both sides were foolish.

 

[franklin]

Why it is dumb? Was it dumb for somebody to predict that LBJ will be best NBA player at one point before he played single game in NBA? Anything can happen, Lamb has great size and skills to be better then Harden IMHO, why it is dumb? Harden is good, but does not mean Lamb can't surpass him.

Because LeBron.

I'm hoping for Holiday. He can distribute, spread the floor, and defend. nightmare43534564756 posted a link in another thread saying that Philly will most likely let Holiday enter free agency, and with the amount of cap space we have, I'm optimistic we can acquire him.

Why wouldn't Sixers match? Why would we overpay to make sure they don't?

 

[DutchJazzer]

This cuts both ways. If Harden was greedy for wanting another 5.5 million and was foolish for going to Houston, the same can be said for OKC. To me it looks like they have given up a key part of their team to save 5.5 million, and they may regret when they get bounced out of the first or second round. Both sides were foolish.

maybe 5.5 mill was more on the books
tax consideration etc.
so it might seem like 5.5 but who knows those 5.5 might cost way more

 

[bjunior]

It's all about winning championships.

With this trade OKC made a step back. You can have a good team and potential for 50 years and win nothing. Like we do ))

Draft picks is 50/50 for future and rookies won't win you anything.

They have a good team anyway, but with Harden they had more chances to win titles.

 

[NUMBERICA]

This shows the downside to the 'Thunder model'. When you have 4 good young players who all want big money something's got to give.

Navigating the contracts of the core four down the road is the elephant in the room right now.

I'm sorry, but this is abso****inglutely stupid. The "downside" of the 'Thunder model' is that you have 4 max-ish players? How terrible.

And The Four as a whole haven't proven anything. If they all turn into max-ish players, we should all be thrilled. Anyone that disagrees is too sentimental or has an extra chromosome.

 

[Sneakers]

Yeah okay so they haven't proves anything now.

But they're all going to get better, they all have agents, and they're all going to want to get paid. The point is if you don't do it right this is what happens. I'd say it's absolutely ****ing stupid to close your eyes and pretend we won't have some crucial tricky financial waters to navigate down the road. Who are you kidding?

 

[Sneakers]

Do you think OKC fans are thrilled they traded their 6th man Olympian and took a huge step back in the title race? That's what I thought

 

[8]

I think they did not take any steps back. K.Mart is more then capable to provide scoring punch of the bench and J.Lamb will be better then Harden IMHO.

I agree. I think harden is kinda overrated. Lamb is already a better shooter, and can already play off the ball more effectively than harden IMO. Thunder already have two of the best playmakers in the game

 

[Dr. Jones]

I agree. I think harden is kinda overrated. Lamb is already a better shooter, and can already play off the ball more effectively than harden IMO. Thunder already have two of the best playmakers in the game

I think it's a little early to be making definitive comparisons between Lamb and Harden when Lamb hasn't played his first game yet, that counts.

 

[NUMBERICA]

Yeah okay so they haven't proves anything now.

But they're all going to get better, they all have agents, and they're all going to want to get paid. The point is if you don't do it right this is what happens. I'd say it's absolutely ****ing stupid to close your eyes and pretend we won't have some crucial tricky financial waters to navigate down the road. Who are you kidding?

The bad position is to have a bunch of players that have shown flashes and have "potential" enter free agency and you're forced to match toxic offers for players you're not sure of or let a player you like walk.

The Thunder have an annual DPOY candidate, an annual MVP candidate, one of the most athletic and productive players in the game, and had the most efficient player in the NBA. I haven't the foggiest idea how in the **** there's a downside in there. Especially since OKC got 4 good chances to replace the role of Harden (bench scorer). Having too many good players is one hell of a problem to have.

 

[Sneakers]

The bad position is to have a bunch of players that have shown flashes and have "potential" enter free agency and you're forced to match toxic offers for players you're not sure of or let a player you like walk.

The Thunder have an annual DPOY candidate, an annual MVP candidate, one of the most athletic and productive players in the game, and had the most efficient player in the NBA. I haven't the foggiest idea how in the **** there's a downside in there. Especially since OKC got 4 good chances to replace the role of Harden (bench scorer). Having too many good players is one hell of a problem to have.

Um so what I said was that the downside to having the good young players is the high stakes financial dire straits you find yourself in... one bad contract and the whole thing blows up. Your point is that it's not bad to have a multitude of good players? Gee that's great but its completely unrelated to the point I'm trying to make... financial prudence. Amazing insight though.

 

[cowhide]

It's all about winning championships.

With this trade OKC made a step back. You can have a good team and potential for 50 years and win nothing. Like we do ))

Draft picks is 50/50 for future and rookies won't win you anything.

They have a good team anyway, but with Harden they had more chances to win titles.

Magic Johnson would argue with you. I get your point but one player doesn't win a championship. Harden is a good player and may become a great player but 16.5 points a game certainly isn't deserving of a MAX contract.