[Lotto StudParticipant]

Both James Harden & Tyreke Evans are measured at the same height/weight 6’5” 220, and were drafted to play the SG position.

By all means I have no knock on Harden, but I think this one bit OKC in the rear.

Do you think if OKC could have that draft back they would have took Evans over Harden?

What if Evans was paired in the backcourt with with Westbrook all of last year, and Scott Brooks played Evans at the 1, Westbrook at the 2 to have room to roam the court like he should?

How much improved would OKC be if they had Evans, would they have went further then they did in the playoffs last year?

I don’t think Westbrook will finish his career as a PG, OKC will end up taking a true PG a down the line a couple years from now, and move Westbrook to the 2.

I honestly think this is the best mis-pick in recent draft history.

To sum it all up Tyreke Evans was their PG of the future to have and they gave it all away.

Just think about the line-up of…….Evans-Westbrook-Durant-Green-Ibaka……..WOW!!!!!!

[Raef LaFrentzParticipant]

That lineup is pretty sick, man. But Westbrook is playing his ass off this season and I really like him at the PG spot. They could use a wing defender/shooter at that SG spot in your lineup, but that squad you have up there can run and run and run and run and run allll day.

[ilike.panochasParticipant]

While Evans might be the better player right now, he would not fit in as well as Harden on that Oklahoma offense. Harden fits the team well because he can knockdown the 3 pointer and is also capable of creating on his own, Tyreke would get lost and just end up frustrated because he’s a player that thrives when he has the ball all the time and it’s difficult when you have Westbrook and Durant to share with. Sometimes it’s not the best player but the player that fits your team and need. I still think if Harden had gone to a team as their primary scorer that he would be a 20PPG scorer, he has the talent to be so.

[mgreener_34Participant]

 Harden is a capable defender, and when he actually has confidence his offensive game shines. I still think he’ll be one of the best players from this draft class mainly because he’s still doing well, and hasn’t even found his stride yet. Tyreke is having a sub par year and thats being nice. The same argument you made about Westbrook is the same argument that is going to be made about Evans. He will most likely not play PG his whole career, and will move into that SG role. 

Also the thunder are one of the worst three point shooting teams in the league and your gunna take away their best shooter for someone who shoots under 30% from beyond the arc? A team can run all day, but they also need to make jump shots to win games. The thunder made the right pick that year 

[B-ball fanParticipant]

 I think that the Thunder would have been better off taking Stephen Curry.  He could have defended 1s while Westbrook defended 2s, but he wouldn’t need to take the ball out of Westbrook’s hands to be effective, and could really stretch the floor for Westbrook and Durant.  

[Lotto StudParticipant]

What was Phoenix FG percentage from the 3 when they had their RUN N’ GUN with D’Antoni?

I’m quite sure they had a slump at least one season with the RUN N’ GUN squad.

[Lotto StudParticipant]

OKC fans I would like to hear from you……..What would be thee pros & cons to having Evans instead of Harden?

[ilike.panochasParticipant]

Yes, Stephen Curry would have been a good fit for the Thunders, but that wasn’t the question. The question was which player would have been best for the Thunders, Harden or Evans.

I wanted to add, I personally thought Harden had a higher ceiling than Evans during the draft, and I still feel the same way. I just think as a complete wing player, Harden is better at almost every aspect (better shooter, higher basketball IQ, and much better defender). Athletically their about identical, Harden might actually be a little more explosive than Evans.

[blood]

 evans is more of a sg than westbrook… i would stick westbrook to pg cause he is real mismatch there,quick,strong,athletic and also showing nice pg skills…

[BKKnicksfanParticipant]

Can Westbrook shoot well?

 

Remember, Evans is a dominant ball handler. I think Curry would have been a better fit IMO

[mgreener_34Participant]

 "What was Phoenix FG percentage from the 3 when they had their RUN N’ GUN with D’Antoni?" 

The Phoenix Suns since the aquiring Steve Nash have shot 40% from three in 06, 39% the next year, 38% in 08-09, and 41% in 09-10. Everyone on those teams could make an open shot. The same can’t be said for the likes of Westbrook, Thabo, and Green. Add Tyreke to the mix, and you don’t even have a shooter coming off your bench. 

[iguapops420Participant]

 Dude, James, Hardeen is SOOOO overrated. Talk about a John Salmons clone. And I surely wouldn’t say that Harden is a better defender than Tyreke, as Evans is actually one of the better defensive guards in the game thanks to his strength and 6-11 wingspan. BTW, it’s funny because the player that the Thunder thought they were getting when they drafted James Harden, was actually the guy undrafted reggie Williams ended up being. If it were me personally I’d have taken Harden at the time even though I thought then that Reke was the more potential all-star simply because of the fact you already have Durant, Westbrook, and possible future all-star Jeff Green. At that point you need to start getting complimentary players which is exactly what the Thunder did. Personally I’d have taken Steph Curry, and drafted Williams instead of BJ. Then you’re set with Curry,Westbrook,Durant,Green,Nenad at this point. Same things occur and you’re set with a bench including Williams, Maynor, and Ibaka.

[TC_42Participant]

 @iguapops

You think Harden is SOOOO overrated that that Green is a possible future all star? Apparently you haven’t seen much of the Thunder this season.  Harden has been playing way better than Green over the past two months.  Harden is starting to come along while Green has regressed… I don’t like it when my ‘stretch’ PF is shooting 37% on the season, grabs only about 5 boards a game (in 38 min a game), and can’t defend in the post to save his life.

 

Anyway, I don’t think a Westbrook/Evans backcourt would work.  They’re similar players who can’t shoot.  I personally wish that OKC could have traded for the Wizards pick instead of the Wolves doing it.  I would’ve taken Harden at 3 and then Curry at 5 (or six? I can’t remember).  You could play Westbrook/Harden, Curry/Westbrook, and Curry/Harden at any given time.  That would be a sweet backcourt.

[B-ball fanParticipant]

 I think that Harden defends better, and can play better off the ball.  If the Thunder drafted Evans, he would be hurt their spacing and chemistry, and take the ball out of the hands of the Thunder’s best players.  He may be more talented as a scorer than Harden, but he wouldn’t fit with OKC.

[SubZeroParticipant]

I guarantee you none of yall would’ve picked Stephen Curry…it’s easy to say that now because we’ve seen him play and he would be a perfect fit and has surprised everybody, but no one was talking about him being in the top 5 at all. People were questioning him left and right if he would be good on the next level

[TC_42Participant]

@SubZero

Curry is really truly actually the guy I hoped the Thunder would take at the time at 3.  I wasn’t a huge fan of the Harden pick and I’ve been down on him up until about two months ago.

[soxrox78Participant]

 Harden was a better pick.  Taking Evans would’ve done a number to the scoring Durant and Westbrook could get done, and to the OKC defense.  Right now their starter is the incredibly underrated Thabo Sefolosha, who fits in very nicely with the Thunder.  He was an NBA Defensive 2nd-team selection last year, and pulls down a lot of boards for a guard.  Evans is a PG at heart, and wouldn’t be able to be on a team with Kevin Durant.  They both try to dominate and take over games, and that just wouldn’t work.  

Harden was a great pick, I think some are just pessimistic about it because you see guys like Evans and Curry succeeding at the NBA level to a great degree right now.  Harden is rightfully playing second fiddle to Thabo right now, and is providing good scoring off the bench.  

By the way, I think Curry is a much better fit at PG than SG.  He could obviously fit at either, but I think his 6’3" height would’ve made it difficult for him to play at that position for OKC.  

[iguapops420Participant]

 My bad, I should have made it clear, at the time, Green was expected to be an All-Star. Not Russy. Plus, Green still has a lot of potential, just needs a change of scenery. He needs a True post threat to be able to be a Legit stretch for in their offense. I think he could play very well with the Pacers as he and Hibbert already have chemistry and he would upgrade the 4, Beside of Dwight Howard in a Rashard lewis type role, or with LA in a Lamar Odom type role. he probably never will become an A/S, and will prolly continue to regress, but keep in mind he is still very young and could still develop into a 3 on another team where he could take advantage of his passing. I do agree Harden has played better this year, but I still wouldn’t have taken him at that pick. Best choice, since they were looking for team players who could fill a role with that pick, I’d say take Wesley Mathews, who is nearly as good of a defender as Thabo and proven to be a better scorer/shooter. Primary perimeter option on the Roy/Oden-less Blazers who are somehow still managing to stay in the playoff hunt. I admit at the time I wasn’t nearly as high on Curry as I am now. though he was nothing moree than upside Bibby downside Mo Williams. Boy was I proved wrong. Oh and My bad, I didn’t realize Reggie Williams went undrafted in 08 draft. Not 09, so my bad.

[NYK2010Participant]

Should’ve taken Ricky Rubio and traded the pick for a big man.

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