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If you’re looking for good news on the James Harden front, here it is: With days to go before the deadline, the sides are talking.
According to Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports, Harden’s agent Rob Pelinka and Sam Presti have been meeting to discuss a deal before the Oct. 31 deadline.
Harden, 23, recently turned down a four-year offer worth about $52 million, league sources told Yahoo! Sports. Harden, last season’s Sixth Man of the Year, has been pushing for a maximum contract extension of four years, $60 million.
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As the Thunder did in Serge Ibaka’s four-year, nearly $50 million contract extension, sources said management will try to sell Harden on incentive clauses that could get his deal closer to the $60 million he wants.
Harden, who has remained confident in a deal getting done has used the word “sacrifice” when it came to his contract. Something in the $52 million range seems like a reasonable sacrifice, but evidently that’s too much for Harden to give up when it’s virtually a lock he’ll require a max contract on the restricted free agent market next summer.
Any pessimism about a deal getting done whether now or next summer should be dissipating though. As I’ve said all along, the Thunder didn’t “choose” Serge Ibaka when they signed him to a four-year $49 million extension. They simply got him done first. The Thunder are intent on locking up Harden too, but are trying to drive the price down to a place that saves them as much money as possible in the future. With the punitive luxury tax looming, even an extra dollar saved is an advantage for the Thunder.
By the sounds of it, Harden’s agent is determined to get his client a max contract and isn’t willing to budge for less. What it will likely take is Harden stepping in to the negotiations and demanding it be done with. Which is what the Thunder are probably banking on. One side is trying to make the other blink. I’m feel strongly that it one side will before the Oct. 31 deadline. There’s too much at stake here.
While a lot of executives around the league do indeed believe the Thunder would explore trades for Harden if he’s not signed by the 31st, that appears very unlikely to me. Breaking up the Thunder at the Feb. 21 deadline would be a mighty risk. Taking one more shot at it with Harden and then revisiting the situation after the season makes far more sense.
But remember: If it doesn’t happen by the 31st, the game isn’t over. It’s simply Round 1, and it would go to Team Pelinka. The Thunder likely won’t budge from the below-max number prior to the deadline because there’s absolutely no incentive to. Unless they can get Harden for less now, waiting to match on a max offer next summer is the play.
Pelinka is trying to squeeze the Thunder for every dollar he can, while the Thunder are trying to pinch every penny they can. The Thunder are willing to put an offer on the table for Harden, which means they’re willing to pay up. So the ball is in Harden’s court about what he values most: money, or the Thunder?
(One sidebar to this: Signing Harden to anything less than the max immediately makes him one of the most attractive contracts in the league. He’d be a VERY tradeable asset, meaning if the Thunder wanted to have him for another year or two or three and then dump him to jump under the tax line, they very easily could.)
The sell isn’t tough for the Thunder. Harden gets to remain on a contender, play with his best buds and have a $50+ million extension. It’s not all bad. Probably better than playing in Phoenix with an average roster making a couple more million a year.
Either way, here’s further assurance that the beard likely isn’t going anywhere. The Thunder desperately want him and by all appearances, Harden wants the same. That is, assuming he puts his money where his mouth has been.
I'll miss James, but this is a business. Lamb has interesting potential with that wingspan of a seven footer for a shooting guard. I would assume Kevin Martin is here for the one season only. I have no problem whatsoever with Cole, Cook, and Lazar being moved. We're top heavy at guard now. I'm hoping this means we see more of PJIII and the small ball lineup than we were thinking possible earlier this preseason. Hope those kids in Woodward who made The Beard video aren't on suicide watch. Hopefully-- Toronto will suck and that pick will be a lottery selection. Presti has lots of shit at his disposal if he wants to make another move, or two. I think Lamb is an interesting player down the road. I wonder if Skip Bayless will be pissing all over himself? Does this make Nick the backup center?
at the end of the day folks always bout the money
that offer was so fair given our cap issues...what a effing joke man
cant believe he sold out
I need a drink. Big drink.
Think we will make anymore trades? Thats a lot of guards...
OKC offered JH $55.5 million/4 years, $4.5 mill less than max he coveted & will get from Houston.
http://www.dailythunder.com/2012/10/thunder-trade-james-harden-to-houston/#respond
With this trade, all I see is "You aren't winning a championship this year."
Chris_Broussard OKC got a lot, I must admit, but I still would've gone for the ring with JH. Could've traded him next year. 10/27/12 10:20 PM
This whole night is going to pot
What would it take to get Tyson Chandler?
Are we at least getting anyone else? A center?
@Arent just Jeremy Lamb and Martin
WojYahooNBA Houston plans to give James Harden a four year, $60 million extension once deal is completed, league sources tell Y! Sports. 10/27/12 10:16 PM
Houston will "gladly" open their pocketbook for Harden sources say.
From Darnell
http://blog.newsok.com/thunderrumblings/2012/10/27/james-harden-traded-to-houston/
http://nbadraft.net/players/jeremy-lamb
WojYahooNBA Thunder pushed final offer to Harden to 4 years, $53M-$54M, sources tell Y! When that couldn't get deal done, Presti moved into trade mode. 10/27/12 10:14 PM
@tydude That was quick and covert
I blame Harden for this he wanted a max
@tydude Youd be different
Lamb is 6'5.25" with shoes and has a 6'11" wingspan. Potential lockdown defender type.
http://www.draftexpress.com/profile/Jeremy-Lamb-6380/
One of teh players I wanted was Lamb if we traded Harden. Im shaking right now. Love you Harden, hope you have a great career!
I love how you guys are still on this thread. Makes the comments come a lot slower.
The organization is going to get some backlash for this. Harden is (was) the most popular player outside of Durant.
Houston wouldn't take Perk?
and one of their picks back?
I wanted Cole, now hes gonna own Perk
Am I the only one pissed at Harden for being a damn greedy 6th man? Hope starting on a crap team was worth it
Well I always said I'd do anything to get Lazar off this team but I don't know about this.
Lamb will > Harden.
I wanted Lamb and a center. Lambs gonna be good
What a f#cking terrible sports day for Oklahoma.
WHy did we not get a center in teh deal??? We have to sign Orton now. Thank God Lazar is gone
@K-Dagger Plainview we cut orton today
@tydude yeah, cause we only had one spot open, we traded 4 for 2 guys
And this game is over
The Oklahoma City acquires Kevin Martin and Jeremy Lamb, two first round picks and a second round pick from the Houston Rockets in exchange for James Harden, Cole Aldrich Daequan Cook and Lazar Hayward.
From GM Sam Presti: "We wanted to sign James to an extension, but at the end of the day, these situations have to work for all those involved. Our ownership group again showed their commitment to the organization with several significant offers," Presti said. "We were unable to reach a mutual agreement, and therefore executed a trade that capitalized on the opportunity to bring in a player of Kevin's caliber, a young talent like Jeremy and draft picks, which will be important to our organizational goal of a sustainable team. We appreciate James, Cole, Daequan and Lazar’s contributions to the Thunder organization and this community and wish them the best in the future.”
Uh...fuck.
I doubt thabeet is in the rotation yet. I'll bet nick plays the back up center role and PJIII get some mins behind ibaka
ND just finished off OU as well. It keeps getting better.
ESPN just announced it on TV... Oklahoma fans all over just felt like they got kicked in the gonads
"You guys realize that the #Thunder could wipe $20 million from the books if they let Martin go as an UFA & use the amnesty on Perk? Amazing"
This is the only positive at all
@FREE_COLE Well that and the fact it's a great trade
@SB718 It's an awful trade, downgrade in every sense of the word, and a needless gamble
Is @Justin_mia already in a bottle of johnny walker on this news?
@Old Man Game @Justin_mia I have 151 Rum at my side
@Old Man Game @Justin_mia LMAOLMAOLMAOLMAOLMAO
WHAT THE FUCK!!!WHAT THE FUCK!!!!!
Hasheem Thabeet is the Oklahoma City Thunder's backup center....I think I'm going to throw up.