80 replies to this topic

[Rahat Huq]

http://espn.go.com/n...-8-james-harden

 

Sounds about right.  I had him as the 7th best player in the league a few months back, but I had put him ahead of Westbrick, who I'm sure they put ahead.

[phaketrash]

http://espn.go.com/n...-8-james-harden

 

Sounds about right.  I had him as the 7th best player in the league a few months back, but I had put him ahead of Westbrick, who I'm sure they put ahead.

 

I agree. I had Harden at 8 actually, but I did NOT have Westbrook ahead of him. Even worse, Westbrook ahead of Tony Parker. What the...

[PKM]

Russell Westbrook is ahead of Harden, Melo, Wade, Parker, and Duncan.  At least.

 

I have no words for this utter travesty.

[Rahat Huq]

Westbrook as most overrated player in the league?  If he was in some other situation, on his own team, I don't think he'd be any more highly regarded than someone like Tyreke Evans.  

[2016Champions]

I actually think Westbrook got overrated so much last season that he has become underrated this season, if that makes sense. So many people realized he was overrated and they got over the initial hype, then they overcompensated by underrating him. I don't think he's better than Parker, but I do think he has been a big pain in the ass for a lot of defenses out there for reasons not pertaining to his long 2's. 

[phaketrash]

I just can't fathom an nba where Westbrook is a top 5 player.

[DrewinAbilene]

Just wait until the Rockets knock the Thunder out of the playoffs. That'll make everyone turn on him again, and spark the "Did OKC trade the wrong player?" conversations. 

 

(Protip: Harden > Westbrook)

[rockets best fan]

I just can't fathom an nba where Westbrook is a top 5 player.

kinda blows my mind too. westbrick is not top 5 (IMO)

[phaketrash]

Just wait until the Rockets knock the Thunder out of the playoffs. That'll make everyone turn on him again, and spark the "Did OKC trade the wrong player?" conversations. 

 

(Protip: Harden > Westbrook)

 

I already know the answer to that question. Yes, yes they did trade the wrong player (from their point of view). From ours, it was a glorious trade.

[phaketrash]

btw, if you read the twitter comments featured in the espn pages for Westbrick and Kobe, they are quite ridiculous. I think they are only featuring the die-hard tunnel vision fans haha. So many saying Westbrook at #5 "sounds about right."

 

Kobe at 4 sounds okay to me, but what blew my mind were all the comments that said he should be ahead of CP3 and KD. People claiming his rings matter when determining "the current quality of each player." smh

[rockets best fan]

if I were GM of OKC I would have signed harden and traded perkins. what perkins is giving them this year makes it a no brainer

[phaketrash]

if I were GM of OKC I would have signed harden and traded perkins. what perkins is giving them this year makes it a no brainer

 

Kinda hard to trade Perkins, but yeah, they could have amnestied him I believe. They had options, and the one they chose was the worst one cuz it dealt Harden out hahaha.

[Steven]

Just wait until the Rockets knock the Thunder out of the playoffs. That'll make everyone turn on him again, and spark the "Did OKC trade the wrong player?" conversations.

(Protip: Harden > Westbrook)

I have already stated that they did. Now Skip and Stephen A. Will just be taking my punch line.

[ale11]

OKC traded away Harden because it's hard to pay max money to a player that, even though has starter minutes, is playing as a 6th man, kind of what we were talking about a good reason for not pulling the trigger on Gordon. We all agreed that Ibaka was more necessary to them than Harden, mainly because of what he provides on the other side of the ball. So...I don't think they are regreting the trade, maybe they are thinking they could have gotten a lot more knowing what they know now about Harden.

[thejohnnygold]

It's true...still, Kevin Martin is performing very well for them shooting 42.1% on three's and posting a TS% of 60.1....also averaging 1.39 points per shot...not bad.

 

Plus Lamb and the draft pick...it could have been worse....I forget what washington offered, but they might have liked Martin for his veteran abilities and the fact that they are in win-now mode.

[ale11]

I know they landed on their feet, but still...I think Beal and Thompson had more value to them that Martin, who can fulfill that 6th man, bench scoring, but it's not something to be considered long term. I don't think Martin is back in OKC next season. And Lamb isn't proving much really....besides, that Toronto pick isn't as good as they thought it would be. That's why, besides Harden exploding, I think OKC got a bit screwed in the deal. If Harden is a Rocket now it's because GSW and Washinton passed on him, but OKC was asking more from them, IMO.

[Sir Thursday]

I'm really not a fan of NBA Rank's methodology. Just looking at the analysis of the voting here makes it clear that they're letting some people cast a vote who are clearly unqualified for the task. For example:

 

Excluding injured players, the player with the largest standard deviation was J.J. Hickson, who had a high rating of 8, a low rating of 1, a median of 6 and a  standard deviation of 1.27. So good luck trying to calculate what his contract will be this offseason.

 

That's right, somebody gave JJ Hickson a rating of 1. The guy who is #8 in the league in rebounding (and #3 if you go by rebounds per minute). Personally I don't feel a ranking system that includes the scorecards of people who clearly haven't been watching (or at least following) enough basketball to have an educated opinion holds much water.

 

ST

[2016Champions]

I think we made the best offer. I think Lamb will eventually become a rich man's Kevin Martin, and who knows what that Pheonix Suns 1st round pick could turn into.

[2016Champions]

It's true...still, Kevin Martin is performing very well for them shooting 42.1% on three's and posting a TS% of 60.1....also averaging 1.39 points per shot...not bad.

 

Plus Lamb and the draft pick...it could have been worse....I forget what washington offered, but they might have liked Martin for his veteran abilities and the fact that they are in win-now mode.

 

I heard it was OKC that made the offer of Harden for Beal and Singleton, and the Wizards were the ones who foolishly turned it down.

[thenit]

I don't think OKC regret the trade, they have done well without Harden. No discussion that Harden is the superior player but OKC got a perfect 6th man who doesn't need the ball in his hands basically giving Durant and Westbrook more of the ball. Signing Ibaka was the right decision because he provides defence same with Perkins. You can't pay max and use him as a 6th man. OKC has no problem scoring so they had to shore up defence, and Martin has done a great job.

 

This is one of the rare cases where both teams benefited. We got a superstar they got cap space and a young player and a draft pick.