Ducks Attack Message Board Forum

https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/271 ... ckets-paul

The Oklahoma City Thunder have agreed to a blockbuster trade to send Russell Westbrook to the Houston Rockets to reunite him with James Harden, league sources told ESPN.
The Rockets will send guard Chris Paul, two protected first-round picks (2024 and 2026, both protected Nos. 1-4) and two pick swaps (2021 and 2025) to the Thunder, league sources told ESPN.

So, this is my reaction: The 2 players I dislike the most in the league are now on the same team; so now its easier to detest both of them. It is interesting in how they play completely different games; Harden the slow down dribble in place shoot to draw a foul contrasted with Westbrook who plays with the proverbial, "pants on fire" mentality. How will this work, which one will cede control of the ball?

Westbrook cannot play off the ball. Harden can, but doesn't want to. Hard to say what will happen. But I will say, the ceiling is very high, as Houston definitely upgraded from what CP3 has become at this point in his career.

only one ball, gonna be a dumpster fire...

I'm sure Harden had to sign off on this trade, which makes me think there is a plan regarding ball distribution, etc. I think it's a very interesting trade in terms of measuring Westbrook's diminishing value around the league. 34-year-old Chris Paul (with three years of cap-crippling salary left on his contract) and a couple of picks several years from now that seem likely to be outside the lottery doesn't seem like much for a guy who averaged a triple-double two years in a row. I really don't understand why OKC agreed to this deal, unless they just couldn't drum up offers anywhere else.

The thinking was that Harden & Paul had discussed and could make it work at Houston; of course it ended up with Paul watching, along with the other players, as Harden played Iso ball. The benefit from the trading of Paul for all of us it could mean the end of the Harden-Paul "State Farm" commercials

Phalanx wrote:I really don't understand why OKC agreed to this deal, unless they just couldn't drum up offers anywhere else.

I think they feel they can move Paul and others and get under the luxury tax line so as not to repeat with a non contender. They are 5M over the line currently is what I've read.

It'll certainly be interesting. Westbrook is borderline useless off the ball.

If I had to guess I would imagine the Thunder are banking on a desperate contender dealing a bunch of shorter contracts to get Paul, easing the long-term burden of CP's albatross of a deal.

OKC got a pretty good haul from George, and once they lost him, they were going to be 7th-10th in the West. Getting something that at least brightens their future prospects makes sense. Given Russ' enormous contract and their relatively weak leverage, I think OKC got a good bargain.

If I'm OKC, I don't buy out Paul unless he's willing to accept pennies on the dollar. Instead, I run him out there, sell some Paul jerseys, and put a mildly competitive product on the court instead of full-on tanking.

According to Woj...OKC & Paul began trade discussions as soon as the deal for Westbrook was finalized...first on the list is Miami.

Merganzer wrote:According to Woj...OKC & Paul began trade discussions as soon as the deal for Westbrook was finalized...first on the list is Miami.

Sounds like maybe Miami is hesitant to take Chris Paul's contract on. I wonder if OKC is starting to regret this trade yet.