Several league execs believe Presti could begin to explore trades for Harden...

[LarBrd33]

That means a team like Utah who has Favors and Kanter as their future bigs... probably doesn't hesitate for a second at trading Big Al for Harden. 

Yeah, that would be really interesting. Give OKC that young low post option to add to their squad.

Or maybe Paul Millsap and Gordon Hayward for Harden. I think Hayward would be really good sandwiched in between Westbrook and Durant. Millsap would be a force off the bench.

Of course... any Harden for Big Al trade would probably also involve OKC dumping Perk's salary... poor Big Al and Perk can't get reunited even in my hypotheticals. 

OKC probably needs some size to deal with Pau and Dwight.

[Who]

That means a team like Utah who has Favors and Kanter as their future bigs... probably doesn't hesitate for a second at trading Big Al for Harden. 

Yeah, that would be really interesting. Give OKC that young low post option to add to their squad.

Or maybe Paul Millsap and Gordon Hayward for Harden. I think Hayward would be really good sandwiched in between Westbrook and Durant. Millsap would be a force off the bench.

Of course... any Harden for Big Al trade would probably also involve OKC dumping Perk's salary... poor Big Al and Perk can't get reunited even in my hypotheticals. 

OKC probably needs some size to deal with Pau and Dwight.

I don't really like Big Al for OKC. I don't think he fits their team well. Big Al is a high usage offensive player on a team that already has two high usage guys in Durant and Westbrook (too hard to find everyone touches) + Big Al is still a major defensive liability.

I meant the Kanter or Favors idea. That was really interesting (not with you on Big Al). I think that's a great idea for Oklahoma. Give them a young low post guy to pair with Durant and Westbrook for the next 10 years. Both guys have the size to play the center position alongside Ibaka too.

Very good point on matching up against the size of LA with Pau Gasol and Dwight Howard. I think that hurts the Millsap/Hayward idea. Millsap struggles too much against Pau's size and length. So scratch that.

[LarBrd33]

That means a team like Utah who has Favors and Kanter as their future bigs... probably doesn't hesitate for a second at trading Big Al for Harden. 

Yeah, that would be really interesting. Give OKC that young low post option to add to their squad.

Or maybe Paul Millsap and Gordon Hayward for Harden. I think Hayward would be really good sandwiched in between Westbrook and Durant. Millsap would be a force off the bench.

Of course... any Harden for Big Al trade would probably also involve OKC dumping Perk's salary... poor Big Al and Perk can't get reunited even in my hypotheticals. 

OKC probably needs some size to deal with Pau and Dwight.

I don't really like Big Al for OKC. I don't think he fits their team well. Big Al is a high usage offensive player on a team that already has two high usage guys in Durant and Westbrook (too hard to find everyone touches) + Big Al is still a major defensive liability.

I meant the Kanter or Favors idea. That was really interesting (not with you on Big Al). I think that's a great idea for Oklahoma. Give them a young low post guy to pair with Durant and Westbrook for the next 10 years. Both guys have the size to play the center position alongside Ibaka too.

Very good point on matching up against the size of LA with Pau Gasol and Dwight Howard. I think that hurts the Millsap/Hayward idea. Millsap struggles too much against Pau's size and length. So scratch that.

Good call.  Harden for Favors or Kanter makes sense for both teams.   

[RJ87]

Yeah I'm gonna guess they trade Perk (8.3 mil) + Harden (5.8 mil) for an allstar big man making 13-15 mil. 

Worst case is someone like Josh Smith or Big Al.  I'm sure the Knicks would wet their pants at the chance to dump Amare.

The Josh Smith trade would make sense if Serge Ibaka wasn't already in the mix - especially from Atlanta's perspective.

[Kane3387]

Is there honestly a better duo in the league to defend Pau and Dwight then Serge and Perk? No one Defends Dwight like Perk. Presti and everyone I believe knew Dwight would find his way to LA replacing Bynum. I think that was a huge reason he wanted Perk.

Don't see Perk going anywhere. They will likely sign Harden and pay the luxury tax. The boys running OKC aren't dumb. They are making a lot of money off that team and they won't let the luxury tax scare them off from making money and competing for titles. It's not like they will be paying a ton of the tax.

See Simmons article.

Given Oklahoma City's economics, they'd be losing eight figures a year (allegedly) to keep their best four players. And really, even if Harden takes a little less — say, $57 million instead of $64 million — that doesn't really help the Thunder. Or so they say. Thanks to the latest labor agreement, they're arguing publicly that no small-market team can pay three max contract guys (in this case: Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and Harden) AND avoid the prohibitive luxury-tax penalties AND field a good enough supporting cast. Although this seems like a good time to mention that Oklahoma City …

1. Sold out the past four seasons.
2. Fielded a popular/marketable/likable contender for the past three years.
3. Hosted 19 playoff games over the past two seasons (free money).
4. Didn't pay the luxury tax in any of the last four years.
5. Will remain under the tax if they don't extend Harden until next summer.
6. Wouldn't be the first "small market" team to pay the luxury tax. Check out this splendid piece of "Who paid the luxury tax since 2002?" research from Sham Sports — you'll notice Sacramento (2003-04: $30 million), San Antonio (2009: $8.8 million), Minnesota (2004: $17.6 million) and Cleveland (2008-10: $43.1 million) on there.

So for the Thunder to say, Yeah, we can't pay the tax, we're a small-market team, that would be financial suicide — it's not totally genuine. Businesses have ebbs and flows. You can't complain about losing a reasonable amount of money for the next few years (if that's even true — more on that in a second) after raking in profits for five straight years. Nobody feels bad for you, Billionaire Dudes Who Hit The Jackpot With Durant, Hijacked The Sonics From Seattle And Have Been Raking In Money In OKC Ever Since. Seriously. Can it already.

http://www.grantland.com/story/_/id/8486795/the-harden-dilemma

[Fan from VT]

Best move is for OKC to suck it up and extend him. Or, let him hit RFA and just match. Fine.

If they really want to trade him, the move is probably to Utah for either Favors or Kantor, straight up. For Utah, this un-gluts their PF/C spot and gives them their best 2 guard in...ages. Really rounds out their lineup. If Harden agrees to an extension as part of the trade, then Utah also gets a great player locked up in a place that has a hard time attracting FAs and had to send D-Will away because he wouldn't stay as a FA and they didn't want him to leave for nothing.

For OKC, with Favors they get 1 more cheap year and get a real defensive big; with Kantor they get 3 cheap years to avoid the tax. They start Sefalosha, and look to fill in SG with a sniper from the scrap pile.

[Who]

I'd love to see Harden leave OKC and go to Dallas next summer.

Harden and Dirk playing the two man game in the pick and roll would be an incredible sight. Darren Collison at the point. Shawn Marion at SF. Need to find an upgrade at center but that team could be a title contender next year.

[action781]

Best move is for OKC to suck it up and extend him. Or, let him hit RFA and just match. Fine.

If they really want to trade him, the move is probably to Utah for either Favors or Kantor, straight up. For Utah, this un-gluts their PF/C spot and gives them their best 2 guard in...ages. Really rounds out their lineup. If Harden agrees to an extension as part of the trade, then Utah also gets a great player locked up in a place that has a hard time attracting FAs and had to send D-Will away because he wouldn't stay as a FA and they didn't want him to leave for nothing.

For OKC, with Favors they get 1 more cheap year and get a real defensive big; with Kantor they get 3 cheap years to avoid the tax. They start Sefalosha, and look to fill in SG with a sniper from the scrap pile.

Utah has the cap space to sign Harden out right next offseason. 

Would they give up one of their top-level prospects just for that guarantee?  I'd rather overpay Harden and keep Favors than to trade away Favors to get Harden (at a price that appears to be no less than $13M per year).

I agree that trading with Utah would be the best move for OKC, but I'm not sure if its a good move for Utah.  Is there any chance that Sacramento is willing to trade away Cousins (if attitude problems persist) or T. Robinson for him?

Would Charlotte trade Biyombo for him?

Would Cleveland trade Dion Waiters + T. Thompson for him?  (I think they would.  What a backcourt that would make.)

[celticmania]

James Harden is so over-rated. He's good but he is not worth a max deal. What the Thunder offered seems fair. 16.8 ppg 4.1 rpg 3.7 spg 1.0 spg is not max contract worthy.

[indeedproceed]

Harden and Perkins for Big Al, Hayward, and a 1st sounds like a deal for both teams

[syfy9]

James Harden is so over-rated. He's good but he is not worth a max deal. What the Thunder offered seems fair. 16.8 ppg 4.1 rpg 3.7 spg 1.0 spg is not max contract worthy.

He plays on a team with the best healthy scoring PG in the league and the best scoring player in the league. Put him on the Bobcats and he's top 8 in scoring and vastly improves statistical wise.

[Celts Fan 92]

after dat NBA finals dat had him on milk carton status i aint surprised some wack team will give him a max contract tho

[staticcc]

I'd love to see Harden leave OKC and go to Dallas next summer.

Harden and Dirk playing the two man game in the pick and roll would be an incredible sight. Darren Collison at the point. Shawn Marion at SF. Need to find an upgrade at center but that team could be a title contender next year.

He's a restricted free agent. OKC will match before Harden sniffs Dallas.

[Who]

I'd love to see Harden leave OKC and go to Dallas next summer.

Harden and Dirk playing the two man game in the pick and roll would be an incredible sight. Darren Collison at the point. Shawn Marion at SF. Need to find an upgrade at center but that team could be a title contender next year.

He's a restricted free agent. OKC will match before Harden sniffs Dallas.

Not so sure about that.

I think there is a fair chance they let Harden leave if he receives a max contract offer given OKC's suspect cap situation / luxury tax concerns.

[craigsagersuit]

Oklahoma City has traded James Harden to the Houston Rockets, league sources tell Y! Sports.

The Rockets send Kevin Martin, Jeremy Lamb and future draft considerations to the Thunder for Harden, sources tell Y! Sports.

oh wow..