James Harden seems surprised about the trade from his statements
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ShadyWorldOrder
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James Harden plans to sign a long-term extension with the Houston Rockets before the regular season begins.
The reigning Sixth Man of the Year joined his new team Sunday after he was traded to the Rockets from Oklahoma City late Saturday. The Thunder acquired guards Kevin Martin and Jeremy Lamb, two first-round picks and a second-round pick in the surprising deal. Oklahoma City also sent center Cole Aldrich and forwards Daequan Cook and Lazar Hayward to Houston.
''It happened so fast, it happened very fast,'' Harden said. ''But this is the position I'm in in now. Just have to make the best out of it. I'm with Houston now. I just have to come in here and play hard and win games.''
The Rockets nabbed Harden on the night before holding a public practice at the Toyota Center. An hour before the practice started, fans peered into the shaded, street-level glass windows to catch a glimpse of the new arrival on the Rockets' practice court.
The 23-year-old Harden says he'll have to adjust to a rebuilding team after playing for a contender in Oklahoma City.
The acquisition of Harden completes an offseason overhaul for the Rockets, who've missed the playoffs the last three seasons. Houston cut or traded every veteran player, including point guard Kyle Lowry, backup Goran Dragic, shooting guard Courtney Lee and popular forward Luis Scola.
The Thunder, meanwhile, are one of the favorites to win the Western Conference after losing to Miami in last year's finals.
''This is definitely different,'' Harden said. ''But it's something that we have to learn to deal with. This is a business and everything happens for a reason. I'm going to just to play hard, try to play hard and do whatever it takes to win.''
Harden was a first-round pick by Oklahoma City out of Arizona State in 2009. He started only seven games in three seasons, but he became an indispensable reserve. Last year, he averaged 16.8 points, 4.1 rebounds and 3.7 assists in the regular season.
But Harden struggled in the NBA finals, shooting 37.5 percent from the field and 31.8 percent from 3-point range. He scored 19 points with five assists in Game 5, a 121-106 Miami victory that clinched the championship.
He'll also have to adjust to a starting role in Houston, joining Jeremy Lin in the backcourt.
''It's going to take some time,'' Harden said. ''Obviously, not starting and not having as much attention on me, but it's going to take some time. I think I'm ready for it.''
Harden and his new teammates arrived at the Toyota Center in a limousine just moments after Martin drove away.
Martin has averaged 18.4 points and 2.1 assists in eight NBA seasons, most of them with Sacramento. He played 2 1/2 seasons in Houston and averaged 23.5 points in 2010-11 under coach Rick Adelman. The Rockets and Adelman parted ways after that season, and Martin's numbers dipped in Kevin McHale's first season.
He was in the final year of his contract and is due to make about $13 million this season.
The 6-foot-2 Lamb was the 12th overall pick in the draft. Lamb helped Connecticut win the 2011 Final Four and led the Rockets' summer-league team in scoring, averaging 20 points.
http://msn.foxsports.com/nba/story/james-harden-expects-to-sign-long-term-deal-with-houston-rockets-102812
Judging from Harden reaction in the article he wasnt happy about the trade or really wasnt expecting it. Just by reading his comments maybe OKC had their own deadline and wasnt gonna wait until Wed to make a deal. IDK it just looks like judging from his comments he didnt wanted be traded and probably was playing a lil hardball. Presti didnt want to play those games and sent him packing but it just a theory.
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This would have been a distraction all season....after every game, media will bring up comtract.....it was a decent trade
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Its the business.....Presti wasnt gonna ? his self over like Dolan he gonna make sure this team get something out of Harden getting paid elsewhere
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He played "Hardball" wit the wrong gm.I guess he forgot about them trading jeff greens ? ass.Anybody not named durant or westbrook is expendable
Lol @ thinkin holdin out for that extra 5 mil was worth it ibaka took a discount,durant took a discount and westbrook took a discount ALL of them are more valuable than harden.He got his wish tho he'll get the max playing on a team who prolly wont get out the 1st round for the next 4 years -
okc has conceded the west, might as well now they have their built in excuse like the celtics did when they traded perkins. now their fans will have a cop out when the nuggets, clippers,grizz, lakers and now due to this trade possibly the spurs as well smash them out the playoffs.
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i think they will miss harden for this year when they get booted out the second round
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kanggoodie wrote: »i think they will miss harden for this year when they get booted out the second round
c/s its gonna be long transition....there gonna miss his clutch scoring and defense
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feelings and regret
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should have taken that pay cut, he would have been apart of a contender for the next 4-5 years
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lmaoooo @ clutch defense
ive seen harden get worked
Sef is their defensive wing -
They already callin the Harden/Lin fastbreak "Rush Hour"
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thunder missed out on a chip with the youngest core ever, sad!!! anyway...bring back the nike puppets
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It's not a good look for either party involved.
OKC ? themselves because the one edge they had vs alotta teams was having a guy that can give you 20 off the bench plus his chemisty with Durant and Westbrook probably wont be able to be dupricated by K Mart and Lamb (give me a break! Pshh). Harden was instrumental in him and Sefolosha tryna wear down Kobe and Ginobly in 4th quarters. Kiss the finals trip goodby Oklahomians!
And Harden looking like a Money hungry chump that got sent to a team of nothing but scrubs. Shoulda took that original offer. Now only ring ol boy finna get this year is if he marry trina lol. You go from cookin wit Westbrook and Kevin to tryna help Jeremy Lin win 20 games this year and looking forward to the next lottery. He shoulda wanted to come back to OKC to prove his disapearing act inthe finals was just an aboration. Now the ? gona get his Ramon Sessions on and aint gettin no where near no playoffs!
Poor Mumo must be on suicide watch right now lol -
How is lamb 6'2 now?
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thunder missed out on a chip with the youngest core ever, sad!!! anyway...bring back the nike puppets
For what when you think the Celtics are meeting yall in the Finals lol. -
? really thought he could play that bargaining for extra 4-5 mill game with Presti who learned all his drafting and GM skills from the Spurs GM R.C Buford. Opposing coaches will read scouting reports and we will really see if this ? can drop 20+ ppg in the West as a lot of you claim he will against the elite SG's and defenses.
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one_manshow wrote: »? really thought he could play that bargaining for extra 4-5 mill game with Presti who learned all his drafting and GM skills from the Spurs GM R.C Buford. Opposing coaches will read scouting reports and we will really see if this ? can drop 20+ ppg in the West as a lot of you claim he will against the elite SG's and defenses.
they dont exist -
damn, that trade just came out of nowhere
i'm guessing the rockets realized, they shot themselves in the foot by getting rid of 2 top 20 PG in dragic n lowry for Lin overrated ? ass
that ? , down sydrome, akward ass christian ? was all NY hype.
NY can make a fly look like a gorilla.
now lin is getting swatted all over houston , them ? is getting back 2 what dey suppose 2 do. making my eggrolls
if i'm harden, i ain't signing ? , he should realize, he'd look great in a BROOOOOOKLYN jersey
Houston done traded all their good players in scola, dragic, lowry, martin. who the ? they got left? -
infamous114 wrote: »
lol truuuuuuuuue. got me there -
He's in for a serious reality check
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Bawse D.Lox wrote: »damn, that trade just came out of nowhere
i'm guessing the rockets realized, they shot themselves in the foot by getting rid of 2 top 20 PG in dragic n lowry for Lin overrated ? ass
that ? , down sydrome, akward ass christian ? was all NY hype.
NY can make a fly look like a gorilla.
now lin is getting swatted all over houston , them ? is getting back 2 what dey suppose 2 do. making my eggrolls
if i'm harden, i ain't signing ? , he should realize, he'd look great in a BROOOOOOKLYN jersey
Houston done traded all their good players in scola, dragic, lowry, martin. who the ? they got left?
Yea I know, scola and lowry got us sooo far. Too bad we got rid of those guys who were getting us deep into the playoffs every year.... -
t_m_a_c_f_a_n73088 wrote: »Bawse D.Lox wrote: »damn, that trade just came out of nowhere
i'm guessing the rockets realized, they shot themselves in the foot by getting rid of 2 top 20 PG in dragic n lowry for Lin overrated ? ass
that ? , down sydrome, akward ass christian ? was all NY hype.
NY can make a fly look like a gorilla.
now lin is getting swatted all over houston , them ? is getting back 2 what dey suppose 2 do. making my eggrolls
if i'm harden, i ain't signing ? , he should realize, he'd look great in a BROOOOOOKLYN jersey
Houston done traded all their good players in scola, dragic, lowry, martin. who the ? they got left?
Yea I know, scola and lowry got us sooo far. Too bad we got rid of those guys who were getting us deep into the playoffs every year....
Deep in the playoffs every year?
I know you ain't referring to Houston -
Bawse D.Lox wrote: »damn, that trade just came out of nowhere
i'm guessing the rockets realized, they shot themselves in the foot by getting rid of 2 top 20 PG in dragic n lowry for Lin overrated ? ass
that ? , down sydrome, akward ass christian ? was all NY hype.
NY can make a fly look like a gorilla.
now lin is getting swatted all over houston , them ? is getting back 2 what dey suppose 2 do. making my eggrolls
if i'm harden, i ain't signing ? , he should realize, he'd look great in a BROOOOOOKLYN jersey
Houston done traded all their good players in scola, dragic, lowry, martin. who the ? they got left?
So racist. -
Shizlansky wrote: »t_m_a_c_f_a_n73088 wrote: »Bawse D.Lox wrote: »damn, that trade just came out of nowhere
i'm guessing the rockets realized, they shot themselves in the foot by getting rid of 2 top 20 PG in dragic n lowry for Lin overrated ? ass
that ? , down sydrome, akward ass christian ? was all NY hype.
NY can make a fly look like a gorilla.
now lin is getting swatted all over houston , them ? is getting back 2 what dey suppose 2 do. making my eggrolls
if i'm harden, i ain't signing ? , he should realize, he'd look great in a BROOOOOOKLYN jersey
Houston done traded all their good players in scola, dragic, lowry, martin. who the ? they got left?
Yea I know, scola and lowry got us sooo far. Too bad we got rid of those guys who were getting us deep into the playoffs every year....
Deep in the playoffs every year?
I know you ain't referring to Houston
Lol you obviously didn't get the sarcasm in my post....
