Trade Announced:
Pistons send: James Harden, 9.11
Blazers send: Tony Allen, Jared Dudley
Awful trade by Detroit. Steal for Portland.
I actually like the trade for Detroit. If they put Jeff Green to the bench it makes their starting 5, Wall/TA/Dudley/Smith/Okafor. That's some great defense with a good 6th man in Green.
I think James Harden is too valuable to give up for role players.
Star quality only.
Why? He's a role player. Harden and TA are 2 of the best star quality role player SGs.
I don't think it was THAT bad for Detroit. They basically took their super-duper running lineup of Wall, Smith, and Green, and added another fast-break-beast in TA, while staying very good defensively. I don't think Green is a good enough shooter to start next to TA and Wall, but they're still the best fast-break team in the league (especially now that Nash/Jrich/Ariza got broken up).
Harden is not a role player. He is a third wheel.
A part of one's core.
So is Tony.
Whatever word you want to attach to Harden, TA is at least on the same level.
No GM would straight up trade Harden for TA. TA has peaked and Harden just finished his second year.
I didn't trade them straight up.
In DeRozan and Harden I had too young scorers who filled a similar need for my team. I also had only the ancient Anthony Parker to back up Jeff Green. Now I have an elite defender to back up an emerging scorer. Then another good veteran defender and three point shooter to back up Green.
I plan to play excellent defense and run a lot. Without good depth you can not continually run. This allows me to play the style I like.
Topic: 2011 CelticsBlog Draft Board (Read 764294 times)