James Harden a Houston Rocket

[Phrazbit]

I guess they needed an elite scorer to come back. I'd love to know what we offered them. I can't imagine they wouldn't have taken a deal that would have started with Gortat and change going to them with Harden and Perkins coming back.

That Houston package is better than potentially getting Gortat and I dont think its really close. Lamb is a more attractive young player than any on our roster, Martin is a huge expiring deal that they could move again during the year and get great value, and that Toronto pick is a beauty. OKC gains phenomenal value down the road and picks up virtually no guaranteed salaries. I dont see how the Suns could have competed with that offer unless we were willing to really screw ourselves by shipping off lots of unprotected picks.

[Bishnoff]

I dont see anyone this summer who really makes us a title contender or helps us really build for the future, iggy would be good but he wouldnt make us better than the top teams in the west, obviously we all know about tyreke, josh smith would fit well in our style of play but not with the players we have (and he'll probably resign), al jefferson? Millsap? i say we hold on to our wallet and wait for a big trade or a player that really puts us over the hump, easier said than done but patience is a virture and i like how we are rebuilding right now

I agree.

[TU Times]

Houston is going to be bad, and Harden is going to waste a good portion of his prime playing for them.

[mdm692]

Amen I hope he realizes this and pulls a D12 or a LBJ.

[king4day]

There are no silver medals in superstar sweepstakes.

The Suns went for the gold in trying to negotiate a deal to acquire James Harden from Oklahoma City, but Houston landed the gold medalist Saturday.

The Suns have assets of salary-cap space, draft picks (10 in the next three years) and players on good contracts but no offering struck Oklahoma City’s fancy, and the Thunder sought more than Phoenix was willing to give.

“We were engaged in discussions on numerous occasions,” Suns President of Basketball Operations Lon Babby said. “We most recently met in person when we played them (in Tulsa, Okla., on Oct. 19). At the end of the day, there wasn’t a deal that was workable for both sides.”

Babby said no proposal “got a whole lot of life.” He did not specify the pieces or the time frame of the talks but mentioned that the deliberations were not a one-sided pursuit.

Houston now has the All-Star it had been seeking in a roster makeover that included using its amnesty waiver on Luis Scola, who Phoenix claimed with the top bid. The Rockets sent Oklahoma City a package of Kevin Martin, Jeremy Lamb and two first-round picks. They will sign Harden to a maximum five-year deal worth nearly $80 million.

Martin and Lamb address immediate and long-term off-guard needs in Harden’s absence.

Houston has four players remaining from last season, when Scola and the Suns’ Goran Dragic played there. Only Patrick Patterson remains from 2010-11.

“They were looking for an All-Star,” Scola said. “I think they have one in James Harden.”

It gave a shake-up to the West, where Oklahoma City is a contender and teams like Houston and Phoenix battle to get into the top eight.

“It was a great trade for both teams,” Suns coach Alvin Gentry said. “Houston gets a really, really good player that’s on his way to being a superstar. Oklahoma City gets a good young player (Lamb) and a really established player in Kevin Martin, and they also get some draft picks.”

http://www.azcentral.com/sports/suns...es-harden.html

I really wish we could find out what we offered.

[sunsfan88]

I bet they wanted something like Gortat/Dudley/picks for Harden/Perkins.

And that would have been a horrible trade for us. I'm glad we passed

[Bishnoff]

Houston is going to be bad, and Harden is going to waste a good portion of his prime playing for them.

If Houston can't bring in another big name then they are in trouble.

On the other hand, OKC has Perry Jones and Jeremy Lamb. If those two live up to their potential then OKC will be ridiculously good in a few seasons.

[TU Times]

If Houston can't bring in another big name then they are in trouble.

I don't think they want to do that, though, I think they want to be bad so they can be good a few years.

[Bishnoff]

I don't think they want to do that, though, I think they want to be bad so they can be good a few years.

Haven't they traded away most of their picks though?

[sunsfan88]

Harden, 20 points, 5 assists on 8-13 shooting in his first game with Houston and having never practiced with the team....oh and the game is barely in the 2nd QTR.

They are playing the crappy Pistons but its also a road game and like I said earlier, very first game for Harden with no practice or ever having played in HOU's system or players.

[TU Times]

Haven't they traded away most of their picks though?

For 2013, yes, they've traded all of them for Harden.

[Bishnoff]

Massive debut game by Harden.

[mdm692]

^^^That is an understatement lol. Makes me even more pissed x(.

[PHX2daDEATH]

Shabazz 2013....

[mdm692]

We wont be that bad specially with a pretty good defense.