Lamb Traded To Thunder

[aceboon]

For James Harden

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/nba--thunder-trade-james-harden-to-rockets-27481909.html

 

[ktuck911]

Congrats to Jeremy Lamb on being traded to OKC. Clearly Kevin. Martin was the key piece in the deal when you look at it short term. There's a legit shot for OKC to get back and possibly even win the NBA finals now.

 

[Ts5034]

Good for him. At least he is on a lot better of a team now.

 

[UCHuskies08]

Congrats to Jeremy Lamb on being traded to OKC. Clearly Kevin. Martin was the key piece in the deal when you look at it short term. There's a legit shot for OKC to get back and possibly even win the NBA finals now.

Yeah, I think Martin takes most of the minutes that Harden got. But given how much the Thunder go small with Durant at the 4, he still has the chance to see a good amount of minutes.

 

[WhereistheDove?]

I think this is a better situation for Lamb. Instead of being a key piece early, he'll get to develop in a low-pressure situation, while still being in a position to get a good chunk of time off the bench.

 

[aceboon]

Congrats to Jeremy Lamb on being traded to OKC. Clearly Kevin. Martin was the key piece in the deal when you look at it short term. There's a legit shot for OKC to get back and possibly even win the NBA finals now.

Idk, Martin has put up good numbers in the past but he's never done it on a team that has won anything, imo its a downgrade for the Thunder in the short term. But the Thunder has Maynor back this year so they could always play him at PG and slide Westbrook over to SG during stretches like they've done in the past. For the long term I think this is a win for the Thunder. If Jeremy pans out they have him on a rookie deal and they also get Raptors 1st round pick in the draft that the Rockets obtained in the Kyle Lowry deal, that could turn out to be a lottery pick.

Edit: Wow, they also get Dallas's 1st rounder, with Dirk being injured and the changes to the Mavs roster they could easily miss the playoffs as well. Thunder got alot of value in this trade for the longterm.

 

[aceboon]

I think this is a better situation for Lamb. Instead of being a key piece early, he'll get to develop in a low-pressure situation, while still being in a position to get a good chunk of time off the bench.

Jeremy was already coming off the bench and was the 3rd SG on the Rockets behind Martin and Delfino. Its obviously a better situation team and franchise wise tho.

 

[WhereistheDove?]

Jeremy was already coming off the bench and was the 3rd SG on the Rockets behind Martin and Delfino. Its obviously a better situation team and franchise wise tho.

He'd have been under a lot more pressure as the first rounder on a team that was in need of talent. But yes, wherever he's playing he's coming off the bench.

 

[Husk-E]

I think James Harden was pretty overrated. The Thunder won huge with this deal, they got someone who can help right away (Martin), and someone who can possibly be great in the future (Lamb). This was a no-brainer IMO. Lamb can be better than Harden definitely.

 

[aceboon]

He'd have been under a lot more pressure as the first rounder on a team that was in need of talent. But yes, wherever he's playing he's coming off the bench.

Eh, I just don't agree, all the focus in Houston is on Lin, Lamb was already seeing his minutes go down in favor of Delfino and there isn't a peep about it because everything is about Lin and his struggles. Guys taken in the late lottery don't really face pressure to perform right away.

 

[johnhuskies95]

It's hard to blame players for taking more money, but Harden seriously walked over 4 million dollars? What a .

 

[huskyharry]

Wow... Didn't see that coming although changes to the Rockets were inevitable given how they overloaded the roster with fours. I also didn't understand why they had added Delfino when they already had Martin and JLamb. Obviously, Lamb will be on a much more talented team.
Harden stunk up the finals but had looked very impressive during the season. With proper focus and development, I think JLamb can be very, very good. The thunder, with two UConn alums in the rotation will be a very easy team to cheer for.

 

[3uconn]

I like this for OKC. They get Martin for a few years to provide immediate replacement. Then Lamb can develop and fill the SG spot for OKC for years once he takes the starting spot in a few years. They also get three picks out of this deal. Two in the first round this year when on or maybe two could be late lottery and with luck with the draws maybe get one in like the eight spot and fill another need they may have then with a great player.

 

[aceboon]

It's hard to blame players for taking more money, but Harden seriously walked over 4 million dollars? What a .

Not sure how being traded means he "walked". Harden would get offered the max for his pay scale in free agency by a number of teams, hard to fault him for wanting that type of deal.

 

[ThatUconnFan]

it has to be hard for a rookie to get traded a few days before the start of a season

 

[gampelcrazies]

it has to be hard for a rookie to get traded a few days before the start of a season

But look at the team he is going to. They almost won the Finals last year. He is probably so happy right now

 

[johnhuskies95]

Not sure how being traded means he "walked". Harden would get offered the max for his pay scale in free agency by a number of teams, hard to fault him for wanting that type of deal.

Did you even read the original report?

Contract extension talks between the Thunder and Harden broke down, and Thunder general manger Sam Presti moved quickly to trade the guard. Harden rejected a four-year offer that would have paid him a base salary of $53 million to $54 million, league sources said. That offer would have pushed OKC's payroll to $95 million, and Thunder officials weren't willing to go any higher.

 

[aceboon]

Did you even read the original report?

Contract extension talks between the Thunder and Harden broke down, and Thunder general manger Sam Presti moved quickly to trade the guard. Harden rejected a four-year offer that would have paid him a base salary of $53 million to $54 million, league sources said. That offer would have pushed OKC's payroll to $95 million, and Thunder officials weren't willing to go any higher.

Of course I read the original report you asshat, I probably know more about the entire situation then you do. If he didn't get the extension he was still going to be a Thunder for this season, he got traded, he didn't "walk". Lol @ calling someone a because they wanted the best offer for themselves and not following the advice of someone on their couch, that's the real like behavior.

 

[Dann]

i like this long term for lamb. the potential 123 lenght of that team for years is scary.

 

[johnhuskies95]

Of course I read the original report you asshat, I probably know more about the entire situation then you do. If he didn't get the extension he was still going to be a Thunder for this season, he got traded, he didn't "walk". Lol @ calling someone a because they wanted the best offer for themselves and not following the advice of someone on their couch, that's the real like behavior.

So now you're resorting to personal insults? Nice.

For all practical purposes he walked. He could've stayed and he chose not to.

 

[CAHUSKY]

Of course I read the original report you asshat, I probably know more about the entire situation then you do. If he didn't get the extension he was still going to be a Thunder for this season, he got traded, he didn't "walk". Lol @ calling someone a because they wanted the best offer for themselves and not following the advice of someone on their couch, that's the real like behavior.

All reports indicate he was traded because he wouldn't accept the Thunders offer. Isn't that, in essence, the same as "walking away" since he likely knew they would try to move him since they couldn't reach an agreement ?

 

[OneManWolfpack]

I'm not going to say that he walked but as fan of the team and the player Harden really let me down. Everybody on that team took less money on their deals knowing that OKC is a small market city (and yes I know that Durant and Westbrook are still getting paid big time whether they took less or not) and Harden could not accept the $52 mil because he wanted $60 mil? It makes me wonder how much did he love being with Durant, Westbrook and the whole squad.

For all its worth, I love Lamb going there and I believe he'll fit in perfectly because
(1) He will NEVER have to be the guy with Durant and Westbrook there, because we all know how that went last yr
(2) His personality fits a small market team like OKC AND
(3) His development will be very smooth and easy because by next yr he'll probably take over seeing that Martin is also in the final yr of his contract

 

[CTBasketball]

I don't like this trade, simply because I think Lamb will fall into the cracks.

 

[aceboon]

Both Westbrook and Durant signed max contract extension, Ibaka did not.

I'm not going to say that he walked but as fan of the team and the player Harden really let me down. Everybody on that team took less money on their deals knowing that OKC is a small market city (and yes I know that Durant and Westbrook are still getting paid big time whether they took less or not) and Harden could not accept the $52 mil because he wanted $60 mil? It makes me wonder how much did he love being with Durant, Westbrook and the whole squad.

For all its worth, I love Lamb going there and I believe he'll fit in perfectly because
(1) He will NEVER have to be the guy with Durant and Westbrook there, because we all know how that went last yr
(2) His personality fits a small market team like OKC AND
(3) His development will be very smooth and easy because by next yr he'll probably take over seeing that Martin is also in the final yr of his contract

 

[SlicinNDyson11]

OKC will make out in the long term from this deal, but short term they take a step back. Martin is a decent piece offensively, defensively he's absolutely terrible. Harden by no means is a solid defender himself but Martin is still a downgrade there. Harden also was one of the few actual playmakers on OKC, now almost everything falls upon Durant and Westbrook to create. For Lamb it gives him the opportunity to play important NBA minutes off the bat, and being the third option down the road behind Durant and Westbrook suits his game more than being the go to guy in Houston. Very intrigued to see how Lamb performs coming off the bench this season. This trade really came out of nowhere and really makes the Lakers the clear cut favorites in the West, with Harden OKC had more than a realistically chance to beat LA. Without Harden I'd be surprised if OKC could win more than a game or two in a series against LA, but then again Sam Presti has always seemed to get these types of moves rights tough to bet against this guy.