[ad_1]
By veteran Houston radio host John garnet, the Toronto Raptors and Boston Celtics “are the favorites right now” to trade for disgruntled Rockets superstar James Harden. Granato has covered the Houston sports scene for decades and certainly has his share of connections.
“It would be a package for Pascal Siakam and up or Jaylen Brown and up,” tweeted Granato, who works with ESPN Radio in Houston. He cited an “impeccable source” for this information.
Granato did not say if a trade could take place before the rapidly approaching 2020-21 regular season, or if the Rockets will postpone it later in the year – perhaps in hopes of changing their mind on All-Star on his ability to compete for an NBA title in Houston.
That said, if the Rockets traded Harden at some point, Granato’s report could have legs. In ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski’s latest major update, Woj said Houston has expanded trade negotiations beyond Harden’s preferred destinations (Brooklyn, Philadelphia, Miami and Milwaukee).
Granato’s report would fit this assessment. With Harden under contract for at least two more years, it’s possible that a title contender could grab the chance to make a playoff run in 2021 and / or 2022 and use that success to help sell Harden to the over time regarding a longer term partnership.
But even if Harden were to eventually leave as a free agent, it would certainly be worth it if he brought this team a championship – as was the case for Toronto with Kawhi Leonard in the 2018-19 season. The Raptors could easily use this model again with “The Beard”.
From Houston’s perspective, Toronto and Boston could each make sense as a business partner. All other things being equal, Rockets general manager Rafael Stone would likely prefer to send Harden to the Eastern Conference, as opposed to a direct competitor in the West. Among the widely speculated Harden contenders in the East, only Philadelphia with All-Star guard Ben Simmons has a potentially greater business edge than Siakam or Brown – and former Rockets general manager Daryl Morey (now president of basketball operations with the 76ers) continues to insist that the 24-year-old will not be exchanged.
Over time, that could change. It could also be a posture. But if Simmons isn’t available, a package titled by Siakam or Brown could potentially gain the upper hand. Here’s how ESPN’s Tim MacMahon characterizes the Rockets for Harden asking price:
Houston has dug heels on when it comes to Harden, refusing at this point to consider an offer unless it includes a young franchise cornerstone and a set of first-round picks and / or promising players on recruit offers.
Siakam, 26, was an All-Star last season. A 6-foot-9 forward, he averaged 22.9 points, 7.3 rebounds and 3.5 assists in 35.2 minutes per game.
Meanwhile, the 24-year-old Brown had a breakout campaign, averaging 20.3 points (48.1% FG) and 6.4 rebounds in 33.9 minutes per game. The 6-foot-6 guard was the third pick in the 2016 NBA Draft.
Perhaps more importantly, Siakam and Brown are each under contract for the next four seasons in the NBA. This would give the Rockets significant control over the assets, which is likely important if they let go of a player as valuable as Harden, a perennial scoring champion and MVP runner-up.
In order for any deal to reach the finish line, Houston would want other assets – such as future compensation for the project and / or young prospects – besides Siakam or Brown. The Raptors and Celtics, who are each above the NBA salary cap, are also expected to send extra salary to be allowed to absorb Harden’s $ 41.3 million figure for this season.
Simmons is certainly on the same playing field and he’s signed for five more seasons. But among the other three teams on Harden’s favorite list, the likely centerpieces of those offerings (Miami’s Tyler Herro, Milwaukee’s Khris Middleton, and Brooklyn’s Caris Levert) don’t appear on the same level as Siakam or Brown when it comes to ‘It’s about being a “cornerstone of the young franchise.” Middleton is 29. Herro is nowhere near as proven, and Levert is not signed for such a long time.
If the Rockets do end up trading Harden, the 76ers still seem like the safest bet, as they could give Houston some satisfying assets while still providing Harden with a squad from his desired roster. The Rockets could also explore three-team business scenarios involving the other three teams on Harden’s roster, if another NBA team is willing to drop a young cornerstone for one of those Nets, Heat, or Bucks packages. .
But if these four teams are unable or unwilling to meet the price Houston is asking for, the Raptors and Celtics certainly appear to have an opening. While Harden, 31, is certainly older than Siakam or Brown and could potentially enter free agency sooner, that risk could be worth it, if a deal elevates either team to the level of the championship. Just ask the Raptors about their recent experience with Leonard.
[ad_2]
Source link
