Getting to max contract range in 2013-2014...

[glazeduck]

Granted, you're catching me after summer league game 2, but I think we need a Center.

Worth remembering that we're talking next offseason, for the 2013 season, and beyond. Which means that Leonard will have more than a year to get stronger and develop before the window of this conversation really even opens, and even then, if you're being realistic, we're looking at the future of the franchise. Very limited sample size to go off of here, but if our offensive core looks something like Nico, LMA, Lillard a max $ FA wing, 2013 lotto pick, Freeland, Claver, and Ewill and/or Nolan chipping in a few per night, we really only need Leonard to develop defensively, and I've seen no reason why that couldn't happen fairly easily...

 

[glazeduck]

You are barking up the wrong tree.

I posted over a year ago that the OKC would not be able to keep all 4 guys. I already know this and see it as a major challenge for OKC in the near future.

But, that doesn't change the fact that at the new Mini-Max rate Harden will be a very valuable asset. If the OKC are in the Finals again, I think OKC ownership would have no problem paying the luxury tax for just one season. That allows them extend Harden and Ibaka. In two years they would need to trade one of the big 4.

There is simply NO WAY they allow Harden to just walk next summer. If the ownership group refuses to allow the payment of the lux tax, then MAYBE the team decides to move early on Harden and/or Ibaka in a trade. In which case they will be asking for a lot in return. They wouldn't want Hickson as the centerpiece of a Harden trade when the have Ibaka.

Either way, we or any other team with cap space is not going to simply snag Harden as an RFA next summer.

Again, you're focusing on the tree, please step back and discuss the forest with the rest of us. This is not a thread about James Harden, please stop trying to make it one.

 

[Masbee]

For those who missed it, Storyteller had a great article on blazersedge. I'm using his spreadsheets in this post...

I think it's entirely possible that, especially if we suck as much as a lot of us think we will this season, we could see Wes and Babbitt traded at the deadline for future picks/cheap assets in order to be able to give a max offer Harden next offseason. I imagine teams in contention would love to have either a cheap, young 3pt specialist or a defender who can shoot like Wes off their bench for the stretch run. If we need to sweeten the pot, adding either/both of our Greeks would also save us a bit of $ I believe.

See the bolded part.

Where is the forest?

 

[JfizzleBlazer]

Some interesting names include iggy, kevin martin, monta ellis, tyreke evans, bynum and pekovic

 

[glazeduck]

See the bolded part.

Where is the forest?

Read the title of the thread. He's the prize free agent at that position so I threw him out there, but if you can't understand the general idea behind the post (or the rest of the thread) then you need to work on some reading comprehension. Your literal interpretation of an abstract concept is bringing next to nothing to this conversation.

 

[Nikolokolus]

See the bolded part.

Where is the forest?

Read the title of the thread. He's the prize free agent at that position so I threw him out there, but if you can't understand the general idea behind the post (or the rest of the thread) then you need to work on some reading comprehension. Your literal interpretation of an abstract concept is bringing next to nothing to this conversation.

It's time for the rhetoric police to step in. As a minutiae Nazi, I'm afraid I have to rule in favor of Masbee's fully intact reading comprehension. Glazeduck used a specific name (Harden) thus rendering his abstraction argument null and void. Point, set and match to Masbee.

 

[glazeduck]

It's time for the rhetoric police to step in. As a minutiae Nazi, I'm afraid I have to rule in favor of Masbee's fully intact reading comprehension. Glazeduck used a specific name (Harden) thus rendering his abstraction argument null and void. Point, set and match to Masbee.

Funny, seems as though everyone else got the gist of the post. Heaven forbid ANY thread NOT be hijacked by a stupid, personal vendetta.

 

[OregonHuskerMan]

So, you guys actually think OKC is gonna commit 59 million to 4 players...? Leaving them 10 million (approximately) to fill out the roster - and then they'd take the bullet for Lux cap tax in the following years with the new CBA? As a matter of fact, I think in 2015, they'd use nearly their entire salary on Westbrook, Durant, Harden, and Ibaka, given the raises...

At any rate, I'd love to go after Tyreke, Pekovic, Jefferson, Harden or Paul George (if they somehow didn't pick up the team option for him.)

 

[Nikolokolus]

Funny, seems as though everyone else got the gist of the post. Heaven forbid ANY thread NOT be hijacked by a stupid, personal vendetta.

Vendetta? What did I miss?

 

[Nikolokolus]

So, you guys actually think OKC is gonna commit 59 million to 4 players...? Leaving them 10 million (approximately) to fill out the roster - and then they'd take the bullet for Lux cap tax in the following years with the new CBA? As a matter of fact, I think in 2015, they'd use nearly their entire salary on Westbrook, Durant, Harden, and Ibaka, given the raises...

At any rate, I'd love to go after Tyreke, Pekovic, Jefferson, Harden or Paul George (if they somehow didn't pick up the team option for him.)

I honestly don't know what I think. As an outsider I'd say no, but I guess it all boils down to how much the bottom line is going to dictate business in OKC and that's something that only Clay Bennett can answer.

 

[JfizzleBlazer]

If im okc, I trade harden for a lotto pick and resign ibaka.

Top 6 lotto pick

 

[OregonHuskerMan]

I honestly don't know what I think. As an outsider I'd say no, but I guess it all boils down to how much the bottom line is going to dictate business in OKC and that's something that only Clay Bennett can answer.

I guess thats true, but in 2015 (also the year when the repeater tax would kick in) is the year that they'd be most above the luxury cap with 67 million or so committed to 4 of at least, 12+ players? They'd be looking at astronomical luxury cap penalties. Not sure if you can justify paying at least 10+ million, quite possibly way more, in luxury cap tax. You'd essentially be paying a max salary every year for a non-existent player.

 

[Pinwheel1]

So, you guys actually think OKC is gonna commit 59 million to 4 players...? Leaving them 10 million (approximately) to fill out the roster - and then they'd take the bullet for Lux cap tax in the following years with the new CBA? As a matter of fact, I think in 2015, they'd use nearly their entire salary on Westbrook, Durant, Harden, and Ibaka, given the raises...

If I am them I spend what it takes to keep Durant, Westbrook and Harden. Sure you want to keep Perkins and Ibaka too, but these three are your core.

Drafting Perry Jones may help if they lose Ibaka or Perkins. But I most definitely keep Harden as long as he gets along with Durant and Westbrook.

 

[OregonHuskerMan]

If I am them I spend what it takes to keep Durant, Westbrook and Harden. Sure you want to keep Perkins and Ibaka too, but these three are your core.

Drafting Perry Jones may help if they lose Ibaka or Perkins. But I most definitely keep Harden as long as he gets along with Durant and Westbrook.

So essentially you keep 3 of the 4, and get rid of Ibaka?

Goes against common logic, getting rid of your best defender and big guy, over keeping your 6th man.

That makes since - either way, I think its only logical for them to trade one of them. No way I'd let them walk.

 

[Pinwheel1]

So essentially you keep 3 of the 4, and get rid of Ibaka?

Yeah i would. I like Harden's game a lot. It is not easy to find good defenders, but i think it is easier then finding another Harden who was the 3rd pick in the draft. I do not break up those three. Of course i would hope Ibaka would stay for less money, but if not, Perry Jones...... come on down.