BREAKING NEWS: Westbrook out until after AS Break

[uwdawgfan]

Really too bad...we will pray for him in the emerald city.

 

[thunderc]

The Thunder will fine as long as fine is defined as in the top 3 teams, and making the playoffs without a chance to win in the finals. They have already proven they couldn't do that without Harden and they for sure are not doing it without Harden or Westbrook. If they had kept Harden, they would have some fire power to carry them.

So one time in the finals with the youngest team in the league "proves" something? Hardly. Durant and Westbrook are now the best 1 2 duo in the league and the rest of the team is developing around them. Definitely on a path to win a title this year as long as Westbrook gets back healthy. As for Harden, please, he did not want to be there so we wish him all the best trying to win anything with Howard. He will need it.

 

[True Lakers Fan]

So one time in the finals with the youngest team in the league "proves" something? Hardly. Durant and Westbrook are now the best 1 2 duo in the league and the rest of the team is developing around them. Definitely on a path to win a title this year as long as Westbrook gets back healthy. As for Harden, please, he did not want to be there so we wish him all the best trying to win anything with Howard. He will need it.

The Thunder needed to get better last year when they dumped Harden - they didn't - they got worse with his replacement and then they lost Westbrook - and now they have lost him a second time. That boy is fragile

 

[BOTSLAYER]

The Thunder needed to get better last year when they dumped Harden - they didn't - they got worse with his replacement and then they lost Westbrook - and now they have lost him a second time. That boy is fragile

Yes and no imo. I see it like this: immediately letting go of Harden they became worse but they have improved since then to better than they were, if maybe only slightly. They do not look as good though because IND and MIA have both improved immensely since then.

Health willing OKC are set up long term to do some real damage in the league.

I am not willing to say Westbrook is fragile, his knee injury was the first game he missed since high school or something. He slightly injured it again and the are being cautious, as they should be.

 

[Perpetual_Beast_Mode]

Because it will be true.

Didn't we beat you earlier when Westbrook was healthy?

 

[wildturkey]

So one time in the finals with the youngest team in the league "proves" something? Hardly. Durant and Westbrook are now the best 1 2 duo in the league and the rest of the team is developing around them. Definitely on a path to win a title this year as long as Westbrook gets back healthy. As for Harden, please, he did not want to be there so we wish him all the best trying to win anything with Howard. He will need it.

Pretty sure he wanted to be there. He and Durant are totally BFFs. The problem was OKC chose to pay Ibaka and Perkins so they shipped out Harden but made it seem like he didn't want to play there because they were short changing his actual worth.

 

[thunderc]

Didn't we beat you earlier when Westbrook was healthy?

Yes, in Portland in a game that the Thunder led for a good part of the game. If you think you were winning in OKC with the way the team has been playing you are nuts. In fact I say you still don't win.

 

[thunderc]

Pretty sure he wanted to be there. He and Durant are totally BFFs. The problem was OKC chose to pay Ibaka and Perkins so they shipped out Harden but made it seem like he didn't want to play there because they were short changing his actual worth.

No way no how were they going to give 3 backcourt players that much money, would have hamstrung themselves from now on. Harden wanted out anyway.

 

[wildturkey]

No way no how were they going to give 3 backcourt players that much money, would have hamstrung themselves from now on. Harden wanted out anyway.

No, he didn't. He wanted to stay in OKC because he's huge friends with Durant. But he also wanted to be paid fairly. OKC low-balled him hard and when he turned the extension down, they traded him. They easily could have afforded him had they amnestied Perk, not paid Ibaka, or gone with a variety of other moves. Hell, they even could have splurged and just paid the luxury tax because OKC as a franchise is making way more cash than they let on. The value of that team has skyrocketed. Bennett is making a killing. Don't be fooled by team PR spin. They've chose to impose the "small market" deal and with that, chose Ibaka over Harden. Harden didn't spurn them.

BTW, Durant isn't a backcourt player

 

[thunderc]

No, he didn't. He wanted to stay in OKC because he's huge friends with Durant. But he also wanted to be paid fairly. OKC low-balled him hard and when he turned the extension down, they traded him. They easily could have afforded him had they amnestied Perk, not paid Ibaka, or gone with a variety of other moves. Hell, they even could have splurged and just paid the luxury tax because OKC as a franchise is making way more cash than they let on. The value of that team has skyrocketed. Bennett is making a killing. Don't be fooled by team PR spin. They've chose to impose the "small market" deal and with that, chose Ibaka over Harden. Harden didn't spurn them.

BTW, Durant isn't a backcourt player

Durant has tons of 2 guard skills and he absolutely plays like a backcourt player at times. Go ahead, tell me he posts up often. The fact is this team is better off with Ibaka instead of Harden. Having both would have been great but it was not possible. The thunder got Lamb and now Adams for him, I think they did pretty well considering. And if Harden truly wanted to stay he would have, he was offered pretty close to a max deal. The facts are that Durant and Westbrook both sacrificed something on their contracts, Harden would not so he is out.

 

[wildturkey]

Having 2-guard skills does not make him a 2-guard. He is a forward. That is a front court player. I won't even address the rest of your post. It's apparent you've bought in.

 

[occupant]

Having 2-guard skills does not make him a 2-guard. He is a forward. That is a front court player. I won't even address the rest of your post. It's apparent you've bought in.

I know for a fact that Westbrook took 5% less of the team's cap room than he could have. I believe that Durant took a similar route in his contract negotiations. Those decisions were made by them to help the team keep Ibaka AND Harden.

Harden didn't like the 6th man role and knew he could get more money from virtually any other team in the NBA and would likely start at most.

He wanted to be a starter and knew he would get more money for being a starter, even if it meant less chance to win championships.

He made his decision. He'll have to live with that. I firmly believe that he would have replaced Sefolosha this year as a starter. We've now got Lamb and Roberson so, I can't say that Harden will be missed.

Some guys play because they love the game...some guys play because they love the money...some guys play because they want to be the best.

Get paid James.

 

[thunderc]

Stat of the game against Houston last night. Harden 8 points, 1 assist 3 rebounds. Guys got for him in trade 28 points, 6 assists, 6 rebounds.