Update 11:59pm:
Thunder trade James Harden to Rockets - Yahoo! Sports
James Harden trade by Thunder shows it's all about the money
While I'm not sure Harden is a Max player, I still really love this trade:
Positives:
He is only 23! He is younger than JLin
He has finals experience
He passes well 4.2 AST per 36
He is big and can defend
Great at finishing and getting fouled
His shooting is on par with Kevin Martin's
He is proven
Negatives:
Looks like he can slim down
Not the quickest
May not be a max player
Losing young talent and picks (caveat, Lamb showed flashes but is far from a sure thing, the draft is a crap shoot, who knows what those picks will turn out to be)
WHAT???!!!
ReplyDeleteIt's not April 1st, is it???
Hahahaha! This is GREAT news. Harden is the PERFECT compliment for Jeremy at SG. He can handle the ball, take some pressure off him scoring-wise, and teach him to flop (heh) against dirty players.
He's an All-Star caliber talent without a selfish ego (as far as I can tell).
*complement, not "compliment"!
DeleteI think Harden will be good alongside Jeremy. He can handle the ball and definitely take pressure off Lin. Hate to lose Lamb though who I think will fill the Harden's role nicely in OKC in a couple of years.
ReplyDeleteIt would've nice to move Kevin Martin without giving up Jeremy Lamb. I think the Rockets gave up a little too much. However, Kevin Martin didn't really gel with Lin and had to be moved eventually.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.dopewar.com
This is very interesting. It seems like a good deal for the Rockets because Kevin Martin is such a deadweight. And Harden is more versatile which is great news for Jeremy the Lin-Harden backourt will be Linsane.
ReplyDeleteAt the very least, the spotlight and pressure will be off Lin somewhat. Harden is now under more pressure to prove he's a legit starting quality star with this trade and a max deal.
ReplyDeleteThis turned out well for Jeremy. He wanted to slowly build up his skills. Although us fans may think he is ready to carry a franchise, Jeremy's timeline for himself was only to work into an NBA rotation!
DeleteHarden and Lin, that's one scary back court. Harden can obviously shoot the ball. He is great on the fast break. I also like his cutting and movement off ball. For Jeremy, he is definitely a better teammate than Kmart, though Kmart was a really good scorer.
ReplyDeleteI'm excited to see Lin, Harden, Asik! Harden and Lin could be a really dangerous duo. Specially since it will take pressure of Lin, spread the floor and open a lot more possibilities than with Martin.
ReplyDeleteGreat news!!! Woohoo. I've always liked Harden. This is going to be a very fun year. I hope the focus is more on Harden. Wow.
ReplyDeletethis is massive! wow. great move by morey.
ReplyDeleteGuys, I haven't been a big James Harden fan.
ReplyDeleteDo you have any suggestions on how I should eat my CROW?
I'm thinking soy sauce and sesame oil and Xiaoqing rice wine.
KHuang, you don't need to eat any cow. I think Lamb will turn out be good for OKC, but probably starting in the 2nd year when Martin is gone. Houston want a bigger name to attract other players to come there as well, Lamb and Martin couldn't do it but Harden might do. You have to look past the on court contribution. There is a reason the likes of Harden, Melo and Deron Williams was on US Olympics team and highly rated around the league. Houston hardcore fans are not happy with the Lin deal so they need a name to attract fans back to their stadium.
DeleteWhy do you need to eat your crow? James Harden still has to prove himself! Before the trade Rockets would have been 7-8th seed. Its on Harden to up the Rockets to 5-6th seed!
DeleteLol....Khuang,u funny.
DeleteNo need to eat crow yet! I really think Harden and Lin will play great together, but like Cara said, Harden still has to prove it as a starter and #1/2 option.
DeleteBTW, what do you think of Cole Aldrich? He's just a "throw-in" in this deal, but I always thought he was underachieving in OKC.
But with McHale to mentor him, do you think Aldrich could end up being a solid backup C? I'd say Jeremy could elevate his game...but I don't think they'll be playing together much.
Honestly, I have no idea what Cole Aldrich can do.
DeleteI didn't like his game coming out of Kansas, as I felt that he'd struggle athletically in the NBA.
I'm skeptical. James Harden is a quality guard, but he's a free agent next year.... There's NO guarantee he will sign an extension with Houston. The Rockets still need to trade away one of there dozen Power forwards to get a star big man scorer down low. Like a Josh Smith.
ReplyDeleteHarden is a RFA. He has to stay even if he doesn't want to, like an Eric Gordon.
DeleteJLin and Asik were an RFA too .... He did not stay.
DeleteRockets are expected to sign him to a 4-5 year max deal. Morey would not have traded for Harden other wise.
DeleteABC Baller, Lin and Asik did not stay because their previous teams did not pay. If they were willing to pay, Lin and Asik needed to stay even if they didn't want to. And Houston are happy to pay Harden whatever it takes or they wouldn't give up so many assets to acquire him. So 100% Harden stays even he's unhappy.
DeleteYou need to understand better how RFA works.
Harden is not going to go to a team for 1 year without an extension and max contract and a starting position. He knows Jeremy Lin is there and thus this is a playoff team that's young and has vast potential. Jeremy Lin is like the next Steve Nash, Omer is like the next Mutumbo, and Parsons is a great glue guy. Everyone on the Rockets now WANTS to be a Rocket unlike Martin who kept wanting to get traded. Now Martin on a playoff team, we get a superstar player plus a backup center. I just didn't want Jeremy Lamb moved but oh well, its a tough trade for one of the best shooting guards in the NBA.
DeleteApparently Kmart and Lamb were class acts:
ReplyDeleteJeremy Lin @JLin7
Really sad to see Kmart and JLamb go...both class acts and great teammates. Welcome Harden, Cook, Aldrich and Hayward to Houston!!
JLin would say nice things about anyone. He didn't even know who he was the first time around and up until last game didn't like passing the ball back to him. The injury prone black hole will not be missed and I don't think Lamb will be as good as some say. Cole Aldrich should be useful.
DeleteYes, it is typical JLin. He is the true class act!
DeleteAnd Dequan Cook is a pretty good 3 pt shooter, too. More
people to spread the floor for JLin.
Waaa!!!
DeleteI think Jeremy Lamb will become very good in a season or two once his body fills out.
Even though he's with OKC now, I'll still follow him because I really like his game!
Yeah, this also adds a center and 2 forwards to a roster that had too way many forwards. I hope the Rockets don't just cut a bunch of guys, they need to trade them for draft picks.
DeleteHmm, I'm not sure I like this move in terms of Lin. My impression of Harden is that he's a ball hog and likes to take over games. Which is great for a 6th man for change of pace. But now on the Rockets, he'll be the starting SG and probably jacking up a ton of shots. I'm just concerned for tension between Lin and Harden.
ReplyDeleteAnd now Lin will have wasted all the team camaraderie that was built up with Lamb and Martin, and will have to start over with Harden.
couldn't be much worse than kmart. he plays big in the clutch and less pressure off lin.
DeleteDisagree. Good for Jeremy because now teams can't key in on him anymore when they need to account for harden.
DeleteNo, teams will still double and triple Lin even with Harden on the floor.
DeleteJeremy Lin is dangerous with or without the ball. He'll either posterize people with nasty one on one moves or pass for easy baskets.
The one thing that Harden will help with is coming upcourt. With the Knicks, Lin had nobody to help him escape the trap because none of the Knicks shooting guards were ballhandlers.
I didn't really see much chemistry between Lin and Martin though. Nah I wouldn't worry about Harden shooting too much, you have to remember Harden played in OKC with Westbrook and Durant who by themselves take like 20 shots a game. If he can coexist with 2 of the biggest superstars in the NBA, I think he'll do fine in the Rockets. I just don't know how Martin will play now being a bench player.
DeleteWow! I'm glad I didn't shut my laptop off yet.
ReplyDeleteThe Rockets needed more pieces badly. Now they look much better. Another piece will be very fine.
And why give OKC the Toronto pick? That's a high first founder next year... And they traded Kyle Lowry for it.
ReplyDeleteWe will miss K-Mart... By far the best shooter on the team. Harden better shoot like Novak II this season.
anyone listen to chris broussard on espn? "I don't think Jeremy Lin will be a star."
ReplyDeleteWTF? Did J not light the world on fire last year? Did he not grace the cover of SI TWICE? Did he not single-handedly SAVE the new york knicks season last year? Did he not get them into the playoffs when Melo and STAT were out of the goddmam lineup?
What world are these brothers (DWill, Chris Broussard) living in? From Melo's 'ridiculous' contract remark to this, I don't get it - so racist.
Let's set aside the fact that Jeremy IS a star already. I can't wait for J to torch teams for 20 & 8 and humiliate these fools.
What about Rockets fans? "We FINALLY have a star! Lin is just an average point guard..."
DeleteMy advice? Just grab some popcorn and watch those fools be proven wrong as always. Jeremy has been making fools of racists, idiots and haters since high school...
Even Morey said that Harden is a franchise player and he never said this about Lin. Not surprising though. Lin will make them eat cow.
DeleteMorey is an idiot GM anyway. He will regret giving up Jeremy Lamb like he traded the Rudy Gay pick for Shane Battier.
I don't think Morey is high on JLin. I remember on one of the pre-season Rockets broadcasts the announcer asked him about the young players. Morey said several of the young players on the squad had potential of becoming future All-stars. After listing around 4-5 players, he left out JLin. I thought that he was just trying not to draw attention to JLin and create more pressure for him. But it was also possible that he wasn't high on JLin as an All-Star talent. It's more likely Morey just isn't impressed by JLin. Despite the stats he had on JLin's game, he was the guy who cut JLin the first time around. And if it weren't for owner Alexander's influence, I don't know if Morey alone would have wanted JLin.
DeleteIt will be difficult for JLin to earn credibility as the franchise player. This is not because he won't but up stats or he won't help his team win. It is because even if the Rockets win this season, the doubters will simply point to Harden. They will say Harden is the reason why the Rockets are a good team, not JLin.
I'm still not sure what Morey and McHale's "true" thoughts on Lin are.
DeleteThey know Jeremy is a quiet guy who plays with crazy amounts of scrutiny, so they probably don't want to put any added pressure on him. Keep expectations low and when Jeremy exceeds them...everyone will be thrilled.
But if they hype him as a "franchise player" after half a season of Linsanity, anything less than immediately putting up 18/10 or 20/8 will be considered a disappointment.
We know that Les Alexander really, really wanted Jeremy. And McHale always thought he was good, even before Linsanity. Now, does McHale think he's GREAT? I don't think any of us can say for sure.
DeleteWilc,
DeleteLin will face this unfairness his whole career, even NYK GM didn't like Lin even Lin essentially saved his job last year. But who cares anyway? Lin is not there to earn creditbilty among some non-important people like fans, GMs or even coaching staff. The most important people (owner) like him, that's what matters. I really believe at the end of the day, the top will always rise to the top, no matter the difficulties.
What a surprising news! I don't know about it. Hope it's a good trade, but I feel I m a little bit with Khuang. But I don't want to eat crow . Also I don't know about that twitter of Lin. He shouldn't twitt that, at least not now. That's my feeling. Don't know what u guys think though.
ReplyDeleteThere was nothing wrong with tweet? He complimented the departure of old teammates by calling them class acts, and welcomed the new...Something expected of leaders.
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteAs long as Harden knows his role on the team and is willing to let Jeremy lead the way, I'm good with that.
ReplyDeleteJeremy Lin IS the leader of this Rockets team. Houston fans should not expect otherwise.
Most Rocket fans and the media will now perceive Harden as "the main man" in Rockets, and this has good and bad aspects.
DeleteGood: Less pressure on Lin, more pressure on Harden to adapt and try to make it to playoffs. Harden is young enough and he has something to prove also, so that if he can adapt, good things may happen.
Bad: New arrival and need time to adjust. Might just jack up every shot and even dribble the ball up court, leaving Lin with less to do -- at least Kmart couldn't really create his own shots so he had to pass to someone, but Harden -- believe me, I watched him a lot and used to yell inside for him to pass the darn ball to Durant -- is used to shooting at any time and anywhere. With big money spent on Harden, will there be money for another big player whom Rockets probably need if they want to content for Championship in future?
My conclusion: The trade was more helpful to OKC.
I like to say Lin, Asik and Harden are *co-leaders" of the team; for better team chemistry and less resentment by the rockets' fans in general. Too much egos and Lin wouldn't mind sharing. Also, within the next 4 days Harden will be the highest paid player on the Rockets.
DeleteHaving the title "The leader" or "His team" is meaningless, especially when it's not a paper title, and in Lin's case isn't reflected in the paycheck.
Yeah I agree, Harden is a good backup point guard, not athletic enough to be a starting caliber shooting guard. Definitely not a max contract type of star player, he could tie up Houston's cap for years.
DeleteI am more interested in the potential backup center Cole Aldrich. He's got size and post moves.
I don't think Harden is this egoistic player you guys made him out to be nor do I think that he is some kind of superstar Morey and many Rockets fans seem to think so. It took a lot of humbleness for a No 3 pick to accept a bench role and be part of a supporting cast to Durant and Westbrook. Harden is far from selfish. If anything, his past role and action suggested the definition of unselfishness. Actually I believe that when Lin develops into a superstar, Harden is exactly the kind of prefect role player to play off Lin and isn't that we all here want?
DeleteLeaving OKC for just 5 million USD more over 4 years does not seem to be unselfish. If you have not noticed it, OKC has Durant and Westbrook playing, so what was Harden supposed to do but be a 3rd guy, it's not like they are so-so players. I saw Harden play during playoffs, and he might have been the reason with OKC lost to Miami. No, he's not the perfect role player, far from it. Anyway, we will find out soon.
DeleteYou GUYS are so pessimistic. Jeremy finally have someone who can also run the pick-n-roll so that it relieves some pressure off him.
DeleteThe Thunder may still be a great team but they actually became worse. First of all, MARTIN is a blackhole. Now, the Thunder have two of them (WESTBROOK and MARTIN).
You really think this does not help the SPURS and LAKERS. Ha!!!
Have you not seen Martin make decisions; he's terrible at that and Westbrook isn't the best floor general despite his scoring prowess. It might cost them in the playoffs. Can you imagine the SPURS forcing MARTIN to be a facilitator. Also, Harden is a glue guy while MARTIN is a ball hog; BALL HOG!!!! You really think he's not going to disrupt the chemistry. It took them years to build a championship caliber team.
Bottomline: The Thunder is still a top 3 team in the WEST but I can confidently say the SPURS are better than the THUNDER.
Not only did the Rockets help themselves but they also helped the my SPURS.
NBA FINALS 2013: SPURS vs HEAT or CELTICS
I don't know if Harden has the "alpha" mentality to be a MAX contact player, which is what he wants and will probably get from Houston.
DeleteHarden reportedly said in the past that he DOESN'T want to be the "main man" and prefers to be a complementary piece.
So Houston basically traded for a promising and multi-talented ... beta male. LOL.
Lol, what could Harden do when it's OKC's part that is not willing to pay the money? Why should Harden accept less money so that OKC could trade him later more easily? You must be the same kind of NY fan who thinks Lin should accept less money to stay there too?
DeleteI am far from a Harden fan but accusing him "selfish" to get the most money when it's the OKC owner acting cheap like a James Dolan is idiotic. OKC owner is lucky that he has such a great GM in Presti or he would just lose Harden for nothing like Dolan did.
OKC owner's action is very different. To equate their action with Dolan's action is truly idiotic. Offering 55 mill over 4 years is not cheap ass. This is equivalent to Knicks offering Lin 19 or so mill over 3 years.
DeleteIt's now truly Jeremy Lin's team.
DeleteThe Rockets and media have already crowned James Harden the "face of the franchise" before Harden has even worn a Rockets jersey, but the actual games will demonstrate that Lin is now THE unquestioned leader on the Rockets.
I don't think having James Harden will change a darned thing for Jeremy Lin. Lin will still receive the double and triple teams because everybody including Harden plays off Lin's decisionmaking. Like Kevin Martin did, Harden will have to attack in the gaps created by Lin's oversized court presence.
As far as the other players go, I have no idea if they'll make an impact or not.
Yes, owner OKC is as cheap as Dolan. I think you must have forgotten that the Knicks were willing to match Houston's 1st 19 million offer then. OKC not willing to pay up 6-8 million more is pretty in line of NY not willing to match a 7 million more contract for Lin.
DeleteThe only difference is that OKC at least still has a good GM who got value for his asset instead of NY losing Lin for nothing.
Harden will definitely benefit when teams quadruple and quintuple team Lin.
DeleteBut Lin will also benefit from Harden's presence.
Without Harden, Lin would have continued to face sextuple, septuple, and octuple teams. It would have been tough.
Nice try at flaming me, achondroplasiaphobia.
DeleteAs usual, you are just here to flame people.
It astounds me how much you dislike people here.
Lighten up Huang. Why so serious? :D
DeleteKHuang,
DeleteDid achondroplasiaphobia really say anything to flame you or anyone else?
Achondroplasia is taunting the my belief that Jeremy Lin will still be double and triple teamed with James Harden on the floor.
DeleteEven though he probably believes the same thing himself, his repeated history has been that he posts STRICTLY to flame me. For him, disrespecting people here is a sport.
That's cool. Usually he runs like a weenie because he can't take the heat when I fire back at him like I am now.
C'mon achondroplasiaphobia. You keep ducking me. You started this fight, and I want to continue it indefinitely.
Huang, you can't stop me from running free unless you triple teaming me, because I'm a better athlete than Derrick Rose and Russell Westbrook, and I have BAM scores to prove it.
DeleteGood retort, flameboy.
DeleteYou hate my guts, but I respect you because you fight me in the open.
I look forward to more flame posts from you. At least you can take the heat.
Dolan, who never offered any K for Lin, versus OKC who offered a close to the max deal for Harden are the same cheap ass? You are stretching it here. According to the article below, Rockets will offer 5 year $80 mill deal to Harden. If true, we now know why Harden left OKC. If it was a difference between $55 Mill and $60 Mill, I do not believe Harden would have left OKC.
Deletehttp://www.cbssports.com/nba/blog/eye-on-basketball/20716746/winners-and-losers-okc-trades-james-harden-to-houston
Most people seem to agree that Lin benefitted from this trade in that Lin will face less pressure mentally and from opposing teams. I am just afraid Harden will try to take over because that guy doesn't need to receive good passes to create his own shots, unlike Kmart. I am not sure of Field Goal percentage, but from what I have seen, Kmart has a higher shooting percentage.
DeleteHarden is a cancer of a player. Does not do the intangibles and puts the ball on the floor too much.
ReplyDeleteAre you sure you don't mean Westbrook? Harden is a glue guy.
DeleteThe Many Faces of James Harden
HELL NO!!!!
DeleteYou obviously did not watch him play.
This is a STEAL by the ROCKETS.
Playoffs here we come!!!
This comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteI cannot believe this!
ReplyDeleteI propose this trade on the previous thread and it actually came true!
THANK YOU MOREY!
Get Rid of the Blackhole and the no-defense Lamb
I noticed that! (;~O)
DeleteSo while ur at it, can u tell us what the next lottery numbers are? Lol awesome call.
DeleteYou should go out and buy lottery ticket right now.
DeleteMaybe Morey read my post and actually like the IDEA. LOL!
DeleteI also thought about this trade a while back, but didn't think OKC can afford Kmart's salary.
DeleteThat was a ridiculous prediction by Neph. I thought he posted that after the trade was announced/leaked.
Deleteneph , that was some prophetic insight , huh!
DeleteHa, ha, Kmart says he feels like it's dream, he's so happy. Good trade for him and Lamb actually.
ReplyDeleteMartin will obviously be part of a championship caliber team but he may cost them in the PLAYOFFS.
DeleteYes, My SPURS can now definitely beat the THUNDER with Harden gone.
SPURS to the Finals
Martin is not a glue guy unlike Harden!
DeleteMartin cannot run the pick-n-roll and he's a bad decision maker so the SPURS can force him to make plays for his team
I agree Harden is definitely an upgrade over Kmart, but whether this is good for Lin, I am not sure. Harden can take shots all night long, I am just saying.
DeleteHe's unselfish
DeleteHarden can take all the shoots in the world, as long as its not like Martin's crappy shots being defended by 2 people and shoots over them when Lin is open next to him. Harden has one of the best true shooting fg %s, not just chucking shots like Melo.
DeleteNow I'm convinced that the ROCKETS are a legitimate PLAYOFF TEAM
ReplyDeleteAll-Star Caliber:
Lin
Harden
Above-Average Players:
Parsons
Asik
Solid Contributors:
Jones
Patterson
Smith
Livingston
Douglas
Best Case: 5th Seed
Worst Case: 9 or 10th seed
Most Likely: 7th Seed
Sorry Lamb, if you played better defense and showed more dedication you could have remained as a ROCKET but instead you choose to be LAZY and take bad shots so GOODBYE!!
The Rockets should be happy since they got somebody who can also run the pick-n-roll efficiently. If now have two pick-n-roll options.
For those who prefer LAMB over Harden, Let me just say that HARDEN is a PROVEN STAR while the other cannot even play the slightest of DEFENSE.
This is a steal by the ROCKETS.
C'mon, Lamb is just 19 years old. Lin could be his dady, for pete's sake! Lamb baby will grow up big and mighty and then he'll be a one-man wrecking crew. (;~D)
DeleteAlso, I don't like some people (not saying it's you) calling Harden a selfish player because, well, there are so many players like that in the NBA since even the stupid pundits focus their attention to points scored. I look at it as normal and just hope the group gel and produce many wins. I'm also very relieved that JLin is out of NY where the environment for him was extremely and unusually toxic. JLin is happy. His discerning fans are happy. Lets not complain too much or else our complain about Carm_lo may appear to have no case - when there indeed was a major case.
NEWS:
ReplyDeleteROCKETS are planning to give Harden a 60 million extension
- I hope he signs it; SIGN IT HARDEN !!
Great! Now all the jealous haters can shut up about JLin's contract.
DeleteJLin's contract is not overly high at all: It's a little more than the league's average salary, which high 1st round picks get. And many of them turned out to be a bust or mediocre (Jeremy played 35 more NBA games than they have!!!). Could the Rockets offered Lin a bit less? Yes, but then Les *might* NOT have gotten him.
No, Harden at the max won't impact the haters hating on Lin's contract one bit.
DeleteIf anything, people will be saying that the Rockets should've signed a "real" point guard that produces less than Lin for more money.
Lin is Lin. People are going to trash him no matter what he does or how great he plays. Lin is smart enough to totally ignore everything and just play the game.
You're probably right, sigh.
DeleteLin really needs to visualize or imagine himself playing fantastic (positive visualizations), rather than be afraid of not playing well (which is actually focusing on negative visualization with the mind's eyes). Enjoy playing and see himself constantly improving, and play without pressure (which the haters wouldn't like him doing). He will be an elite of the elites!
I believe James Harden will be a perfect compliment to Jeremy Lin because of their basketball IQ and versatility. good finisher around the basket. Teams can no longer triple team Jeremy since they have to account for James Harden first. They will elevate each other's game to a new level.
ReplyDeleteAnd James Harden has something to prove to be a starter and an All-Star!
This is absolutely the right move to pull by Morey. Morey believes that Harden, Lin, Asik and Parsons to be the building foundations of the Rockets in the years to come!
Lamb will also be a better than average player in 2-3 years but I think Harden has more basketball IQ and more upside.
DeleteLamb is an unknown because of his lack of dedication and passion. He may have some skills but he's flat out LAZY.
DeleteNot lazy.
DeletePhysically overmatched, temporarily.
When you don't exert effort that is called LAZY
DeleteNO, that's not true at all.
DeleteLamb is a fine player who will find his niche once he adjusts to the pace of the NBA game.
Just because Jeremy Lamb has a sleepy look on his face and is still feeling his way around the game doesn't mean that he's lazy.
The guy can PLAY, and he appeared to me to be doing just fine as a preseason rookie.
He relies too much on his shooting but in college he can leverage his wingspan to get some steals from playing the passing lanes so he can bulk up and learn how play defense and be tough in the NBA. But his upside is definitely limited compared to Harden, he just lacks the creativity to be playmaker and aggressiveness. He tends to get passive and disappear since college when his shooting stops working.
DeleteI followed James Harden's college career in ASU so he was quite a loyal guy and a team guy and wanted to bring ASU to the NCAA tournament. Man, he is a winner like JLin with high basketball IQ so both will be lethal in H-Town. I'm excited!
He can play but he does not exert effort especially in the defensive end!
DeleteI don't even look at his face
I look at his body language
LAMB is LAZYYYYYY
I also agree Lamb looks a bit disinterested on the defensive end, he lacks that hustle you see from guys like our boy Lin.
DeleteNOBODY IN THE ENTIRE NBA hustles on the defensive end like Jeremy Lin.
Deleteneph likes to erroneously trash Lamb for being lazy, but there's NO SUCH THING as a "lazy" NBA player.
Lamb wasn't "lazy" in summer league because he wasn't physically overmatched. All Lamb did was crush everybody and dominate. Besides, all the other lottery shooting guards picked after Lamb are struggling mightily too as they learn the NBA game.
Even this season, there's a good chance Jeremy Lamb comes around. Some rookies start slow and then improve as their physicality catches up to the NBA. I fully expect Jeremy Lamb to be one of those players.
Once again, there's no such thing as a "lazy" NBA player!
KHuang, I agree Lamb will get better. He just needs time to translate his game in the NBA.
DeleteBut there are many lazy NBA players. Eddy Curry ate his way of his talent, Allen "Practice? We're talking about practice?" Iverson clearly did not practice like MJ, Shaq got lazy and his weight ballooned in the later years. Too many players never developed their talent to the highest potential because they coasted on their natural talent.
Royce White might be lazier than Jeremy Lamb since he skipped the training camp.
Royce White has been lazy all preseason. When he makes a mistake on the offensive end, he hangs his head and mopes and fails to run back in transition defense.
DeleteThat's the definition of lazy.
I said this summer that I figured Royce White would have trouble keeping up in the NBA because of his lack of footspeed.
DeleteI don't know if I'd call that "lazy" as much as I'd call it "slow". The jury is still out on Terrence Jones too.
Even though it's very possible that a rookie is "lazy", I personally don't make such a decision like that on a player until his second year. Rookies have too much to learn and too much to adjust to in their first NBA seasons.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteWow, this is the biggest shocker since Knicks acquired Felton when expected to resign JLin. I think this trade is a win-win for both teams. Obviously OKC is getting a lot. They were not going to be able to resign Harden after the season. Kmart and Harden are both great shooting guards, but at this point in time, I think Kmart has proven to be the better player. This will make OKC the favorite to win the Western Conference. Plus, OKC gets Lamb and Toronto's pick...that is huge!
ReplyDeleteThis is also a win for the Rockets because the chances of resigning Kmart after the season were slim. With Harden being a restricted FA, the ball will be in the Rockets court to keep him. Harden is about 6 years younger than Kmart, which makes Harden a better fit for the Rockets future. The odds for Lamb or Toronto's first pick to develop into a great player is probably far less than 50%. Why gamble on unproven players when you can have a James Harden now.
With this trade happening after the preseason games, it may be a rough start for the Rockets. Harden struggled this preseason, almost as bad as Jlin's shooting, and it may take some time for him to gel w/ the Rockets. But that's ok because this trade will make the Rockets better in the long run. If one of their young power forwards break out into an impact player, the Rockets will seriously compete with OKC. Right now, I'm high on Greg Smith, and I think he will be the biggest surprise this year.
okc fans wearing those fake beards are now saying harden is overrated lol
ReplyDeleteThey are just bitter because they know the SPURS are going to beat them this time around. They know they became worse than before.
DeleteWCF:
Spurs in 6
i know its funny how fast they are turning on him.
DeleteWell I'm sure lots of OKC fans were a bit disappointed with Harden's play in the Finals last year, he was a non-factor.
DeleteThis can only be a good thing for Lin. In this day and age you NEED more than one superstar on a team to even sniff the finals.
ReplyDeleteEven if Lin is the star that we all believe him to be; he still needs a lot of help. Even Kobe needed shaq and Bynum/gasol.
Would you rather Jeremy gets his 20/10 on a lottery team for a chunk of his career or 14/7 on a contender? I'd pick the latter.
Let's also keep in mind that he is very young. No gm is gonna declare him the franchise player at this point in his career. He still has a whole career ahead of him to have the franchise tag placed on him. Let's be patient both with Jeremy himself as well as the league; it's still early.
EXACTLY!!
DeleteI don't know why a lot of people here are so negative about the trade.
This trade is an absolute STEAL for the ROCKETS.
People better stop their whining and just be thankful that the ROCKETS got rid of a blackhole and an unproven rookie
I think Rockets gave up too much. K mart and Lamb(if he develops well) can provide much scoring for okc. Lamb is a defensive liability but he is still learning . Together with the picks, I feel it might be too much.
ReplyDeleteEven if Rockets do not make the playoffs this year, at least lamb and the future picks could develop as the Heat, OKC, lakers celtics and even spurs are predicted to dominate. Thus, in the mean time , why dont they collect talent and see how they develop?
I do not mean to be a pessimistic, but I think OKC got better.
I think as fans we were afraid that these rooks might pull Lin down as everybody wants to judge Lin this season to see if he is the real deal. Even with Lin performing well, if the team does not make the playoffs, they would blame it on Lin. I think for now, it seems great, but I am not too sure about the future.
OKC did not get better. HARDEN had perfect chemistry with Westbrook and Durant that was developed for 3 years. Now, they added Martin who is simply a shooter. He is a bad defender, injury-prone, bad decision-maker, ballhog, bad passer, and a blackhole. Their chemistry will be disrupted.
Deletehow about lamb? plus those picks? It is a risk ...hope it reap rewards for Houston.
DeleteLamb is unproven, and LAZY. He doesn't even exert any effort. The future is NOW. Toronto seems to be improving and I really don't care. That pick will not give them any top 5 picks.
DeleteThe Rockets now do not have to TANK because they are a legitimate playoff team that lacks one more star and some nice pieces to be a CHAMPIONSHIP CONTENDER.
Screw the picks, forget an unproven player in LAMB.
neph has no idea how hard NBA players actually hustle.
DeleteLamb is going to be a fine player in the NBA, and he'll do just fine on OKC. When Lamb gets used to the pace and physicality of the NBA game, LOOK OUT.
I'm still not sold on trading Jeremy Lamb. I was looking forward to an All-Jeremy backcourt next year. But with James Harden on board, Lin now has somebody in the backcourt with him who knows how to play winning basetball.
Even McHale pulled him out of the game against the Hornets/Magic and replaced him with MACHADO!
DeleteHe was so bad defensively that he was replaced by a poor defender but at least tries to defend rather than be LAZY. I'm still not sold on Jeremy Lamb's legitimacy as an NBA player.
"But with James Harden on board, Lin now has somebody in the backcourt with him who knows how to play winning basetball."
- At least we have something to agree on!
You've been wrong about guys before, neph.
DeleteYou thought DMo was going to be a great backup center for your Spurs, but I told you this summer that he was going to have trouble with the speed and power of the NBA game.
You thought Jeremy Lin wasn't as fast as Derrick Rose or John Wall even though athletic testing revealed that Lin was every bit as both of them. I do respect your openness in completely disregarding the NBA drafr combine's athletic testing, though I violently disagree and can SEE the results played out in actual NBA games.
Right now I'm telling you that Jeremy Lamb is going to be a very good Nba Player. It's PRESEASON, and you'll understand one day that players aren't failed in the preseason. It is my strong opinion that once Lamb acclimates to the NBA game, he'll be a very good winning guard.
Besides, there is this: If Lamb really is that bad because of what he showed in preseason, then James Harden is even worse because Lamb had no trouble playing against Harden when the two players went head to head!
wish they would of traded the greyhound bus and the pyscho player. you cannot have a team like that with another player traveling by bus. it won't work out.
ReplyDeletelol but who would want him? Maybe Morey knows a great psychiatrist.
DeleteLet me put things in pespective
ReplyDeleteMartin:
- poor defender
- poor rebounder
- bad decision maker
- average passer
- injury prone
- cannot be a facilitator
- SELFISH and a BALLHOG
- BLACKHOLE
LAMB:
- unproven
- lacks passion and is simply LAZY
- no defense
- BRICKING 3pointers
- May take 2-3 years to be a decent player
- has a high BUST POTENTIAL
Harden
- excellent shooter
- proven but still young
- has playoff experience
- has pg instinct and skills
- UNSELFISH and not a blackhole
- excellent penetrator
- good at drawing fouls
- High BBall IQ
- Excellent passer
- Athletic
- Winner
- NOT LAZY
So people should stop whining and start thanking MOREY for doing such a good job.
Great signings by Morey:
1. Lin
2. Asik
3. Harden
What more can we asked
I cannot believe websites excluding the Rocket fan sites are saying this trade is bad for the ROCKETS.
ReplyDeleteThey are pretty ignorant to say such things.
The Rockets clearly got the better deal. So people can forget the OKC-Miami rematch in the FINALS.
Well LA Lakers fans are euphoric. They felt that OKC downgraded. So its probably just the butt hurt fans of OKC that's saying its a bad trade for Houston. Just like when Knicks fans are saying felton will make Knicks a better team when in truth we are crying inside that Dolan let Jlin go.
DeleteEven Hollinger believes this is a good deal for the ROCKETS!
ReplyDeleteGee, I can't wait for Harden's ex-teammates, other NBA players, and sports media to start openly criticizing Harden for taking more money than playing for a championship contender filled with all-stars, and declaring that Harden isn't worth $60M.
ReplyDeleteOh wait, I forgot, this isn't Jeremy Lin we're talking about. Everyone is going to blame the Thunder for not paying Harden what he deserves.
Actually, Thunder fans are calling Harden overrated
DeleteSports fans are fickle. OKC fans just acted like NY fans did. Turned on the player instead of the root of the problem, their ownership.
Deletepeople are now saying he's not even a starter in OKC or that he cannot do anything against the heat. I sometimes think he is overrated and underrated at the same time. So now that he'll be starting for houston we'll see what he can really do. One thing is sure though, Houston is not planning on becoming a lottery team this season.
DeleteI wonder if players around the NBA will publicly call Harden's max contract "ridiculous"?
DeleteI'm not holding my breath. It's obvious they won't, and it's obvious why.
Okc fans are spoiled . Harden will be great on the Rockets . Kevin Martin is a born loser like melo . Jeremy Lamb we will see what he becomes but the two first rounders are garbage one is the lakers pick and toronto pick is lottery protected
ReplyDeleteOkc fans are spoiled . Harden will be great on the Rockets . Kevin Martin is a born loser like melo . Jeremy Lamb we will see what he becomes but the two first rounders are garbage one is the lakers pick and toronto pick is lottery protected
ReplyDeleteOkc fans are spoiled . Harden will be great on the Rockets . Kevin Martin is a born loser like melo . Jeremy Lamb we will see what he becomes but the two first rounders are garbage one is the lakers pick and toronto pick is lottery protected
ReplyDeleteGM Morley could have waited until the middle of the season to trade away Martin, correct?
ReplyDeleteSo, I'm thinking if we waited till midway through the season, Martin will be raining down 3's off of Jeremy Lin assists, and his value could have gone up higher. Maybe the Rockets could then get more value in a trade, like maybe a LaMarcus Aldridge or a Josh Smith to shore up the front line.
First off, would they trade Those power forwards for KMART.
DeleteThose two are top 5 PFs; While Harden is a terrific player those two are on a different level especially Lamarcus A. His post scoring is very impressive; I can say that he's arguably the best post scorer in the NBA.
By the way, Lamarcus' contract is up to 2014 so they will not trade him for just KMART. Lamarcus is too valuable.
DeleteJosh Smith will not be traded for Martin; Josh is too versatile while Martin is one-dimensional; Danny Ferry will never accept that offer
Basically, this is a steal by the rockets and probably the best offer they can get.
The Rockets would have to throw in two of their young PF's in the deal like D. Mo, Royce White, T. Jones, Marcus Morris etc.
DeleteThis I feel was and still is the Rockets most urgent hole to fill, low post scoring. That's much harder to find than a good shooting guard.
Asik and Patterson's post moves are youth AAU club quality at best. Nothing compared to the finesse scorers like Al Jefferson, or Gasol brothers.
After this year Kevin Love might become pissed off enough with the Timberwolves to demand a trade. And he has a broken hand, so his value won't be sky high. Right now I think that's the best option to look for a quality big.
Probably Jefferson but still no way Lamarcus. He's too damn good even if you include those PFs
DeleteYeah, Lamarcus is one of those superstar players you'll have to give up half your team and 3 years worth of draft picks for. He's a franchise player. Maybe Houston can go for Al Jefferson, or even Greg Monroe from the Pistons. A step up offensively, but not as good defensively as Omer Asik.
DeleteLet's hope Jeremy Lin can make his teammates look by finding them open shots, so that their value will increase.... e.g. Steve Novak, Landry Fields.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3EGBF0ZEmTg
ReplyDeleteI have to agree that I do not understand why Harden did not want to stay in OKC.
1)championship team
2)good chemistry and r/s with teammates o
According to ESPN, Durant and Westbrrok had sacrificed to stay on the team so I am wondering why he wanted to go to Houston.
Is it for the money? or to be a star?
I do not want there to be ego problems in the team.
Rockets management need to be like the spurs ; learn to be sustainable. I think OKC benefited more because they are using the same approach. Lamb )if he pans out, will be part of their future or even a 6th man. Martin can be traded . The possibility of the picks being good are not far off. their starters are already so young so when their core is done, they can take over .(on the premise that they turn out good)
I wanted lamb and the picks because right now, lakers, okc, heat ,celtics are playoff bound. Therefore, even if we do not make it to the playoffs, it would not matter. Rockets should have collected talent and from there, see how things go.
I feel Morey just felt that with Lin and Harden as big names, it may serve to attract other players.OR it could be that Morey has no faith in Lin and feels that having Harden would help the team. I just felt that even without Harden, if those rooks are good and the team does well and are winning, it would bring more attention to the team.
Reason why there is criticism about Harden to the Rockets is because 1)finals performance 2)sixth man 3) "looked good" with stars .
I know neph would disagree with me. Let us all hope all is good for Houston. :)
It could be that Harden has a health issue, or something that the OKC management knows about, but the Rockets do not.
DeleteSuch was the case when players like Cuttino Mobley, and Jeff Green were traded, only for their new team doctor to find they had a heart condition. I hope it's nothing like that .. but still, it doesn't bode well for the receiving team.
Yes, I disagree ;
DeleteOKC just lowered their chance of winning a CHAMPIONSHIP
Harden >>>>> Martin + Lamb + picks (none will really be a top 5 pick)
What Morey did was collect talents that can be used as a trade asset to build the foundation for their sought championship caliber team. They've found three players already this season: LIN, ASIK, and HARDEN.
They are pretty solid at the SF with PARSONS who I think can be as effective as Shawn Marion (maybe not in terms of rebounding)
They still need a post presence though, Jones and Patterson are solid at the 4 but they aren't good enough.
Obviously, Harden is not an ELITE player but still a pretty good SG.
I like the idea of ABC Baller about Lamarcus but no way the blazers are trading him for just Martin.
@ ABC baller : if Harden has a health issue, and OKC knows about it, then shouldnt they be keen to give him away? It seems like they really wanted to keep him. Harden is going to be a rebuilding team not a championship team (at the moment) so I am definitely very curious.
Delete@neph: I know where you are coming from, but for some reason I do not feel good about it . Nevertheless, hope things go well for the houston team.
The only reason i dislike this trade is the fact they gave up JLamb. I think he's going to be a very good player like Ray Allen and Reggie Miller type. His game compliment JLin's game very much, moving well off the ball and the boy can shoots lights. They could have given up one of the many forwards like Morris, White, or even Jones. I think OKC would also benefit from having a big to backup the non-offensive threats of Perkins and Ibaka. Lamb would not get a lot of playing time behind Martin and Sefosha. At least in Houston he can be the backup SG, with Delfino covering a lot for Parsons in SF.
ReplyDeletepeople argue his not that athletic and such. take a look at Allen and Miller. are they skinny, long and not that athletic? yup! exactly JLamb has that type of built, game, and shots. not saying he will be as great as those guys but if he turn out a level or 2 below it's still pretty darn good. most importantly those type of players mashes really well with JLin's game.
DeleteBut he plays LAZY DEFENSE
Deleteit's only pre-season and he's only 20. don't be such a judgmental prick like those who always doubts JLin.
DeleteYeah, it's only the beginning and he's already being lazy. He has talent but damn he does not even try to exert any effort at all.
DeleteNep,
DeleteYou are being too harsh on Lamb. The kid is only 20. He is not ready yes. But I think he has too much athleticism and talent to fail. I think Lamb will prove many people wrong like Lin did, but of course not guaranteed it would be in OKC.
Like Jeremy Lin, Jeremy Lamb absolutely dominated in athletic testing at the NBA Draft Combine.
DeleteNot to criticize neph who is openly dismissive of the Draft Combine's results, but Jeremy Lamb tested out as an excellent athletic specimen.
I won't criticize neph because indeed Lamb has much physical growing to do. I said before the draft that his body hasn't caught up to his game. Even so, he is a pretty good rookie who had an excellent chance of becoming a STAR one day.
By the way, James Harden had a rough showing against Jeremy Lamb this preseason. Could not beat Lamb off the dribble and could not score on him.
Preseason games are insignificant
DeleteAthletic testing is overrated
What is important is what a player can do in the basketball court
Harden proved to be capable of all-star production despite being the third option while lamb could not even survive a preseason game
For you, STATS are overrated.
DeleteI said Athletic Testing
DeleteBasketball stats are important not some numbers that do not necessarily translate to basketball success.
Lamb may be more athletic but it does not make him better at basketball than Harden
Your refusal to accept stats like PER and combine results are why you keep getting surprised at how much better a guy like Lin actually performs despite your naysaying.
DeleteAthletic testing does not guarantee success
DeleteLin proved it with his ability to score and BBALL IQ while Lamb is unproven
I'm surprised that the so-called "Athletic" lamb sucks at Defense despite you labeling him as athletic
Jeremy Lamb is a 19 year old rookie with zero experience in regular season NBA games.
DeleteIt's totally wrong for you to be condemning his career based on what actually appears to have been a solid rookie preseason filled with typical solid rookie learning moments.
Lamb is not the offensive or defensive player he is going to be in years to come, and you'll learn that as his career progresses.
The entire NBA does not share your opinion that athletic testing is "overrated". Every year, athletic testing is used to determine who is capable of competing at the NBA level and who isn't. Occasionally there's an outlier like Kevin Durant who finishes last in everything and ends up becoming a star, but those are literally 1 in 10,000.
Go ahead and condemn Lamb to a life of NBA failure. He'll prove you DEAD WRONG in years to come.
Even though Lamb is now with OKC, I'll still follow him closely. My three favorite players in the 2012 Draft were Jeremy Lamb, Andrew Nicholson, and Jae Crowder. I continue to follow all three, even though all have had their rookie moments good and bad.
Lamb's greatest enemy will be his Attitude.
DeleteI don't care how talented you are if you are flat out LAZYYYYYYYY
That is the Bottomline
Sorry for jlamb but harden could be pretty good in houston. With an assist man like jeremy and a coach like Mchale his play could really take a step forward. Now it's up to him, he must work really really hard.
ReplyDeletePlus this trade could attract a great pf and we got a great team...
Time will tell, anyway even K-mart would have taken impossible shots cause he was the leader at least it'sbetter that ones are on harden' shoulders
The one thing I dislike most about Harden's game is his lack of mid range game. I don't think he will be that 25 ppg scorer people seem to expect him to be. But I like his handle and playmaking ability. I think he will allow Jeremy to play more off ball like Jeremy did in Harvard. That will help Jeremy at least short term.
ReplyDeleteTough to lose Lamb but maybe the Rockets can steal him back when his rookie contract is up lol.
No way Harden is a 25 ppg player but he can probably score between 18-22 ppg if played in starter minutes.
DeleteIdk, this is starting to look like what NY knicks did in the offseason. Trading for Jason Kidd and Raymond Felton, to "backup" Jeremy's point guard position, when they were really trying to replace him.
ReplyDeleteA good team needs to have no more than ONE leader. I hope Jeremy steps up as a leader and leaves his humbleness at the door. Otherwise we could see him deferring all the time to Harden and others to make all the plays.
Not really, Harden is a SG
DeleteHaving more than one leader isn't really an issue ; the real issue here is that those two leaders can co-exist just like the spurs' veterans
Nothing to worry about.
DeleteJeremy Lin has an entire team of Rockets that relies on him to produce opportunities for them. That won't change as long as Lin wears a Rockets uniform.
It would be good if James Harden stepped up and led, actually. There will be lots of gaps on the court for him, just like at OKC. Now if defenses load up on Harden, it frees Jeremy Lin to play his game.
My understanding of Harden on defense is that he is an average player at best according to the numbers, though I don't remember what they were. On the other hand, Kevin Martin wasn't a great or even committed defender and the Rockets did just fine with him with Lin and Asik on the court. So Harden likely will be just fine defensively too.
I don't mind Harden instead of Martin. He's 100% an upgrade. If only the Rockets gave up 1 or even 2 of their PFs (DMo, Jones, White) instead of Jeremy Lamb, I would feel really good about this deal. But I guess OKC gm Presti really knew talent and insisted on Lamb.
DeleteI don't know if this is still possible or how Morey will execute this but I like what ABC Baller suggested. The Rockets should get Aldridge
ReplyDeleteThey would instantly become a top 4 team in the west for sure
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteKD's twitter: WOW
ReplyDeleteI know I am speculating but maybe Harden just wanted to prove that he could be a starter . People blaming him for the loss in the finals I think it hurt his ego. I think the trio had some problems ...
Hope he pans out. I can see why OKC people are mad at him.
http://www.cbssports.com/nba/blog/eye-on-basketball/20716746/winners-and-losers-okc-trades-james-harden-to-houston
DeleteSeems like Rockets will be giving 5 year $80 Mill USD to Harden, because no way Harden would have come to Rockets for a few mill more. The article says that OKC was willing to offer $55 Mill to Harden. If it was only $5 Mill difference, no way Harden would have left OKC. Personally, I thought Ibaka was more important to OKC than Harden, and OKC locked up Ibaka for less than $50 Mill.
one thing we can be sure from this pre-season is McHale will ensure that the ball keep moving even when they had a black hole like Martin. IMO Harden compliments Jeremy's game better than Martin.
ReplyDeleteI think Rockets are one star away from becoming a contender. Take your pick Josh Smith, Al Jefferson, or Paul Millsap? Utah will only keep one of the two. They have Favours and Kanter who is a total beast.
I rather have Aldridge but Paul Millsap will do;
DeleteJefferson is a Center
Josh Smith is versatile but can make bad decisions.
Aldridge is tied until 2014 or 15. u need to give up a lot to get him. Jefferson used to play PF, Millsap is undersized but a good team player. Josh Smith don't know much about the guy, i know he used to play SF and does he have that Carmelo diva attitude??
DeleteWe all need to relax a little bit. Honestly knowing Morey as a manager, I would not be surprised if one day he even moved Lin for a bigger name, like a CP3 or Rajon Rondo. He's already cut Lin once anyway. But of course knowing Lin, he will prove to be a better investment than whoever he's traded for. Let's show more confidence in Lin. I believe he can thrive in any environment, with any teammates.
ReplyDeleteStill can't believe they gave up so much for Harden. compare that to Howard deal, Magic basically got Afflalo, Harrington, draft picks and a bunch of scrubs they already cuts or will in the near future. Houston either got screwed with that Toronto pick or Lamb deal.
ReplyDeleteNo, the Rockets pretty much gave up a blackhole, an unproven player, and a bunch of picks that will really be in the 10-15 for an All-Star SG.
Deletehttp://houston.culturemap.com/newsdetail/10-28-12-james-harden-stops-the-jeremy-lin-bashing-this-beard-will-shield-the-nba/
ReplyDelete"With Lin struggling through a preseason so uneven that it even drew idle chatter in the Houston Texans locker room ...."
I do not know how far this is true but I hope Lin does well so he earns the respect of his teammates and most importantly, prove haters wrong.
The mere fact that this article is criticizing Jeremy Lin's 6-1 preseason indicates that the Lin bashing will never stop.
Delete7-1, 6-1, 6-1.
Jeremy Lin's winning streaks minus that ugly tanking episode that Carmelo Anthony did to force that string of losses in NY.
It amazes me that people refuse to see these numbers, especially since they're the only numbers that truly COUNT.
I don't know whether that tidbit about the Texans is true or not.
DeleteBut I do know that the author, Chris Baldwin, is a buffoon who has embarrassed himself on at least one occasion:
http://houston.culturemap.com/newsdetail/04-29-11-texans-will-rue-the-night-they-took-pizza-boy-watts-over-nick-fairley-houston-lover/
Anyone else got the feeling that Lin will probably get moved from Houston in a year or two? I don't like that Morey seems to be obsessed with "name" players. He wanted to trade for Carmelo before, and then Gasol, then Dwight Howard, now Harden. I think he seems more interested in flipping all his players for those so called "stars" more than building a balanced team. I don't neccessarily think proven is always better than unproven. His team building looks not unlike to that of James Dolan for me.
ReplyDeleteIt actually doesn't matter.
DeleteNo matter what team Lin ends up on, he'll force his way into the starting lineup and win games while collecting a nice NBA paycheck.
There's nothing to be worried about. If the Rockets trade Lin, he'll just relearn the new system and continue producing. By his count, Lin has learned his 9th or 10th system in the NBA already!
Lin will firmly establish himself as a winning NBA player this season. No matter what team he plays for, Lin's gonna WIN.
I have this bad feeling too. If lin does not perform well, there is this possibility. Anyway, I heard that Harden can choose to play elsewhere after a year?
Deletewhy are you all even talking about this? lol
DeleteI mean this is really premature. He JUST arrived in houston and they are paying him 25 million. They do want him. So at the end of the season lets look at this again and we will know a lot more. I predict Allstar numbers for Jlin...and if/when he's voted on allstar team he wont be going anywhere for along time. Just saying.
Personally, I don't like Houston so it doesn't matter if he's traded or not. But if Lin produces like an all-star, Morey would be an idiot to trade him.
DeleteIf he's an all-star caliber pg, trade him to my SPURS for Parker; I'm pretty sure SPURS will accept a young all-star for an aging all-star
If Lin does not produce then no team might accept him except the BOBCATS or MAGIC
DeleteSo, it is still up to LIN to determine his career
cara, that's always a possibility. Morey is undergoing a transformation (or evolution) of sorts as a gm. Lately, he's been moving and dumping players like chess pieces. He had the option to build through the draft and grooming his young players or dipping into the free agency and rebuild via that route. He is clearly leaning towards building through free agency with the pickups of Lin, Asik, and now Harden. He's not done yet. i do believe you need a good mix of free agents and the flexibility of draft picks and young players. In his heart of hearts i think he believes that as he professed to it in one of the rockets videos. However, it's never good to be in the middle of the pack. You have to be great or be very bad (lotto). So he still has a few more pickups to be great. (Damn, running out of laptop battery).
DeleteI like Harden pickup. Everybody is talking about offense and who's gonna be the face or leader of the franchise. I am thinking of the defense capabilities of this team. This team can play awesome defense and can run. Two things that go hand in hand. They're gonna rank really high in defense this year along with Parsons. This will carry far in terms of close games and team chemistry. Everybody helping each other
Good move by Harden in probably landing a 5 year $80 mill deal:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.cbssports.com/nba/blog/eye-on-basketball/20716746/winners-and-losers-okc-trades-james-harden-to-houston
I knew there must have been more money for Harden to walk OKC. Now, if it was a 5 year $80 Mill deal, that would make Harden think twice.
This will work out well and both players share similar recent circumstances:
ReplyDelete-both are trashed by former teams as overrated
-both former owners were unwilling to keep them for a little more money
-both are labeled as chasing money
-both have something to prove against Miami
-both are smart players called athletically limited
-both are falsely called bad defensive players
-both are efficient playmakers who shoot close to the rim
By the way, is there a reason that one can't type comments or replies from the iPhone anymore?
DeleteSometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. It usually works though.
DeleteExcellent Analysis
DeleteThere are a few other players in this trade as well, none of whom I know anything about.
ReplyDeleteMy initial impressions are:
- Cole Aldrich will be a low usage backup big man who is put into the game for defensive purposes.
- Daequan Cook is probably going to be the backup shooting guard behind Harden.
- Lazar Hayward is not going to play much. He has limited athleticism, and I can't see him beating out any of the Rockets forwards for minutes.
The thing is, Aldrich is valuable to the Rockets as a backup C simply because of the alternatives. Greg Smith is undersized. D-Mo is too skinny. Patterson is a PF, not a C. Who else on this team can back up Asik? Aldrich it is.
DeleteI like your posts when you're talking basketball, achondroplasiaphobia.
DeleteDo you think Aldrich will do a good job for the Rockets?
I do admire Aldrich's toughness and physicality. He reminds me a little of ex Jazz center Greg Ostertag who I learned to grudgingly appreciate as the years went by.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteFrom Adrian Wojnarowski's "insider" report on the trade (he first reported it and has inside details to go along with his article):
ReplyDeletehttp://sports.yahoo.com/news/nba--inside-look-at-james-harden-s-trade-to-rockets-28301609.html
[emphasis added]
"MOREY BELIEVES JEREMY LIN AND HARDEN WILL BE STARS IN THE NBA, and he gambling his own and his franchise's -- future on it."
So maybe Morey does believe in Lin (and is just tempering expectations like I said). Of course, it doesn't really matter because Jeremy will prove himself a star in time.
Yes I believe this to. I don't get why some people on this board dont believe the Rockets...Morey and Les believe in jlin. They just gave him a monster deal...there not stupid. Jlin is going to be fantastic this year and him and harden playing off each other will be great to watch. I don't think it will take long either.
DeleteMy thoughts exactly... Although Les, the owner, is more keen on Lin than Morey (I'm talking about as a player; the marketing is just the gravy)
DeleteThe Rockets front office know that Lin is being unfairly pressured by both the pundits ("intellectual" thing do do) and the fans (so many black fans resent Lin, both due to the Carm_lo and race issues). By announcing Harden as the franchise player, people will talk about that and slow down a bit from using Lin's name so much to generate their revenue. Lin himself refused to state that he is the face of the franchise: Many reporters tried to get him to say it; when Lin didn't bite, they declared him that anyway, making the vocal Lin haters
They were trading Parsons too !!! Thank God it didn't happen
DeleteCould you imagine if Lin had the beard of Harden? Now that would be truly a sight to see.
ReplyDeletePeople in the NBA who use the "eye test" to evaluate players are totally impressed by James Harden's beard.
DeleteThey think that he's a better player just because he has that beard.
If James Harden's athleticism and defense and court awareness were as impressive as his beard, I'd be far more excited than I am!
Wow! Life really is full of surprises! 'can't wait to see more surprises unravel next... It's Jeremy Lin , anyway. I truly believe , the kid's destined for great things!
ReplyDeleteAnd so here's to an exciting season for JLin and the Rockets -- Cheers!!!
I was looking forward to see Lin and Lamb run the backcourt and see Lamb grow into a possible star.
ReplyDeleteWish Rockets didn't give away Lamb. Hope they can get him back when his rookie contract is out.