James Harden? and idea with NO

[jdub1660]

Just read something from Hoopshype rumoring that Harden could be the odd man out in OKC. Fairly obvious given his talent, role, and production from the KD/Westbrook duo plus you have to have a big man so Ibaka is more coveted...

Given that, plus Ray Allen eying a new championship contending home...

2 ideas:
1) Harden signed with extension to Boston
   Ray Allen(6 mil, 2 years) and both picks to OKC
2) 3 way deal with New Orleans:
Bos - Harden,Okafor, and pick 10(Rivers)
New Orleans - pick 22, Bradley, Steisma, JJJ, and Krstic rights
OKC - pick 21, 2nd rouders from both, Ray

[mqtcelticsfan]

This gets itself too complicated in a hurry. The NO part is completely superfluous. Further, if by some miracle we signed James Harden, drafting Rivers would be a huge mistake. Even further, I'd have to question how we could afford James Harden's would-be max deal and take on the Okafor contract.

I think the sign and trade scenario goes a little far here, as the Thunder have no real bargaining power if it's known they're signing Ibaka and letting Harden walk. I'd venture that they'd get at most a promise to exchange picks with Boston in a future draft if they draft higher. Sort of like the LeBron deal. It'd allow us to give Harden more money, and it wouldn't be us getting fleeced by Presti.

[slamtheking]

Just read something from Hoopshype rumoring that Harden could be the odd man out in OKC. Fairly obvious given his talent, role, and production from the KD/Westbrook duo plus you have to have a big man so Ibaka is more coveted...

Given that, plus Ray Allen eying a new championship contending home...

2 ideas:
1) Harden signed with extension to Boston
   Ray Allen(6 mil, 2 years) and both picks to OKC
2) 3 way deal with New Orleans:
Bos - Harden,Okafor, and pick 10(Rivers)
New Orleans - pick 22, Bradley, Steisma, JJJ, and Krstic rights
OKC - pick 21, 2nd rouders from both, Ray

so if I understand correctly, we get the 2 best players and the best draft pick for 2 late 1st round draft picks, a late second round pick, a second year player coming off surgery to both shoulders, 2 rookies (one of which barely got on the court and the other has foot problems), a player that's not even in the NBA nor necessarily returning AND a 36 year old SG coming off heel surgery?

looking at what both NO and OKC give up versus what they walk away with, why would you think this is anywhere near a realistic deal.  nevermind the S&T's involved.  there's no way they'd do it just based on the talent exchange.

[Moranis]

Just read something from Hoopshype rumoring that Harden could be the odd man out in OKC. Fairly obvious given his talent, role, and production from the KD/Westbrook duo plus you have to have a big man so Ibaka is more coveted...

Given that, plus Ray Allen eying a new championship contending home...

2 ideas:
1) Harden signed with extension to Boston
   Ray Allen(6 mil, 2 years) and both picks to OKC
2) 3 way deal with New Orleans:
Bos - Harden,Okafor, and pick 10(Rivers)
New Orleans - pick 22, Bradley, Steisma, JJJ, and Krstic rights
OKC - pick 21, 2nd rouders from both, Ray

so if I understand correctly, we get the 2 best players and the best draft pick for 2 late 1st round draft picks, a late second round pick, a second year player coming off surgery to both shoulders, 2 rookies (one of which barely got on the court and the other has foot problems), a player that's not even in the NBA nor necessarily returning AND a 36 year old SG coming off heel surgery?

looking at what both NO and OKC give up versus what they walk away with, why would you think this is anywhere near a realistic deal.  nevermind the S&T's involved.  there's no way they'd do it just based on the talent exchange.

besides the fact that both of those trade are impossible since you can't sign players until long after the draft. 

[chambers]

If you are either OKC or NO do you really do this?
Please think about what the other team would do if you approached them with a deal like this.

They'd be insulted if Danny Ainge called up suggesting anything of the sort. Sorry to be negative but it's a little ridiculous to suggest any of this is even remotely possible.

[BDubs]

This deal is definitely one sided & too difficult to do on draft night due to the need to have Ray signed, but after the draft the idea of a 3 team trade with Okafor & Harden going to Boston & Ray & high picks going to OKC with NO getting cap relief could work.  This idea tweaked looks a little more realistic.  Again assuming that OKC picks Ibaka over Harden for an extension.

OKC deals Harden and a future 1st round pick in 2013 (most likely very late 1st round) and receives Ray Allen & an unprotected future pick from NO in 2013(almost guaranteed to be a lottery pick) as well as the Celtics 2014 pick

Boston deals two future 1st round picks (2013 to NO & 2014 to OKC)Ray Allen(signed for whatever amount it takes to make the numbers work) and JuJuan Johnson and receives Harden, Okafor.

The C's might have to take on Ariza too if that gets NO to bite on being involved since if being done after the draft and the Celtics having cap room once every free agent but Ray, KG & Bass are renounced & Ray Allen being shipped out in the deal.  KG would need to be resigned before the deal and the team should still be under the cap if he takes no more than 10-11 per year on a new deal based on the roughly 25 or so million available in cap room after all of the expired contracts come off the books.  Ariza & Okafor's contracts are not huge deals since an extension on Harden would not start until 2013 - 2014 if signed before the season.  Plus in this scenario the C's still have their two picks in this upcoming draft.  Rondo, Avery, Harden, Pierce, & Garnett over the next two years make the loss of the 2013 and 2014 picks not that big a deal since with the addition of Harden and two picks in 2012 they have already added youth to this group.

NO deals Okafor, a future 1st round pick in 2013, and possibly Ariza (if that's enough cap relief to make them say yes) and receives the Celtics 1st round pick in 2013 and OKC's 1st round pick in 2013. 

NO would rid themselves of all their bad contracts, immediately giving them the cap room to compete for young talent coming up a restricted free agents this summer and next, pick up some future picks and not need to lose the 10th overall pick this year in order to move on or both of these bad deals.

So to sum it up. . .

Celtics receive Harden, Okafor, & Ariza
lose 2013 & 2014 picks, Ray Allen, JJJ

OKC receives Ray Allen, 2013 1st round pick from NO, & 2014 1st round pick from Boston
lose Harden, 2013 1st round pick

NO receives JuJuan Johnson, 2013 1st round pick from OKC, & 2013 1st round pick from Boston, & nearly 20 million dollars off their cap.

This would seem to work for everyone.  An interesting twist to this would be that with keeping both picks in this draft and having Okafor on the books would make the Celtics financially able to pull off a Dwight Howard deal late in the offseason if Dwight were to force himself here considering that all the glamour teams are full, DWill most likely taking up the cap room in Dallas, and Brooklyn/NJ being a wasteland.