To the Oklahoma City Thunder: What were you thinking when you traded away James Harden? He is the third-best shooting guard in the NBA, the reigning Sixth Man of the Year and an Olympic Gold Medalist.
Those credentials should mean big money. But no, you would rather offer him less cash ($14 million) than what he was asking ($14.5 million), and then trade him to Houston? What is $500,000 more for one of the NBA’s best?
What did you get out of it? An unproven rookie in Jeremy Lamb, an injury-prone Kevin Martin and draft picks? Are you aware of how weak next year’s NBA Draft will be?
The Lakers acquired Dwight Howard (the best center in the NBA), and Steve Nash, one of the greatest, pure point guards in NBA history. You were the only team in the West who could match up to their stardom.
How you expect to do that now is beyond me.
You made it to the NBA Finals with a young, but talented team. Now you will have to deal with the wrath of Thunder fans for making a terrible move.
Harden is a much bigger difference maker than Serge Ibaka, who you were so quick to re-sign this offseason.
Good luck against the Lakers and the Heat, because without Harden, beating them seems very unlikely.
