Obviously disappointed in what happened today, but if we look at the Harden deal in totality, I think we can be reasonably satisfied. Given how tied in their deals were on multiple levels, I’m going to look at the Harden-Tucker trades as if they were a single deal: 5 First Round Picks (2021 Bucks, 2022 Nets, 2023 Bucks, 2024 Nets, 2026 Nets) 5 First Round Swaps (2021 Nets, 2022 Heat, 2023 Nets, 2025 Nets, 2027 Nets) Exum (expiring) Leonard (expiring) Bradley (expiring) DJ Wilson (expiring) Augustine (1 year $7 million) for Harden Tucker 2021 2nd Round Pick IMO - this is one of, if not THE best return for a superstar ever. Is it fair value? No. But we now own the 2nd most picks in the league, plus a ton of unprotected swaps. Things could be much worse.
Remove the filler contracts and collapse that down into picks the Rockets may actually receive: Four first round picks from the Bucks and Nets (2022 Nets, 2023 Bucks, 2024 Nets, 2026 Nets). These teams are in the East, have the last two MVPs and neither player is declining. Three pick swaps (2021 Rockets 2nd for Bucks late 1st, 2025 Nets 1st, 2027 Nets 1st) For Harden and Tucker. This is an objectively terrible return. What’s the chance of a single lottery pick coming out of this? Let’s give you the benefit of the doubt and say the Nets have a 20% chance of falling into the lottery 2025-2027. You traded an MVP for a coin flip at a lottery pick? Two of those are swaps so you also need to subtract the chance that the Rockets themselves are bad, in the West, with no star players, and awful management. If I’m being honest I think the Rockets have probably a 20% total chance at getting a single lottery pick from this trade - other than their own from sucking.
I'm mad about everything right now, but in reality we cannot assess the Harden trade until a few years down the road. I understand that it is hard to feel good about our front office when the fans have no faith in ownership. It's totally understandable. At the end of day, if we trade those picks for a future superstar, or if the Nets go downhill quicker than expected, or if the Heat have unfortunately injuries that makes our pick swap next year better than thought, then maybe it's not so bad. I sound like a broken record, but really really really can't assess this Harden trade until we see how this manages the future of the team. Once again, I understand the lack of faith in ownership, so I get why everyone is just negative and sad.
Lots of r****ded takes on this forum, acting like the Rockets had any leverage at all. Plus the ceiling for the team under Harden had been met when the team missed 40 3 pointers in a row in Game 7 against the Warriors. Lets not overlook that Harden and Durant are both injured right now, and Irving only plays basketball because of the money he makes not because he enjoys it.
that´s why they keep bringing them picks. There is always going to be someone going for the long term value of hypothetical players.
This. All those Brooklyn FRPs and swaps aren't going to help greatly if they remain near the top. Ten FRPs and swaps sounds like a haul, but we could be easily looking at these... 5 First Round Picks (2021 Bucks, 2022 Nets, 2023 Bucks, 2024 Nets, 2026 Nets) 5 First Round Swaps (2021 Nets, 2022 Heat, 2023 Nets, 2025 Nets, 2027 Nets) ...being nothing more than 5 late-round picks, and 5 swaps we decline. That could be our rebuild.
Simmons + Picks would have been a better return from the let's remain contenders perspective. Nets and Heat will be good (without injuries of course) for the next 2-3 years so only the post 2024 picks have any potential to be valuable.
OP thinks a lottery pick is the same as a late first round pick. Lol. Those picks might as well be a second round pick. We basically got a bunch crap shots out of Harden’s trade. Not as exciting.
OP sound like a famous loser just a few months back trying to tell every American : "I am the only president in the history of this country that able to get more than 74 millions votes".
