[NiceWithTheRockParticipant]

Next year Harden will be a restricted FA. Of course OKC always can match offers, but then they probably can’t keep Ibaka. This past off-season we saw Eric Gordon get a max offer, so I know someone will throw one to Harden. Ibaka will also get a big offer. What teams can you see trying to get Harden?

I can see at least Chicago & Phoenix

[F_S]

 minnesota… oh wait, he’s black. nvm

[SportsDudeParticipant]

The 76ers are trying to build a Championship contender. James Harden can be that missing link at the SG position. They recently signed Darrell Wright to play SF. If Harden is an option, the 76ers would sign him in a heart beat and trade Nick Young. They already have Jrue Holiday. A line up of:

Holiday, Harden, Wright, Bynum would be extremely competitive in the East

[ChewyParticipant]

What happened to Evan Turner?

Also, I can describe how happy I would be to see a Rose-Harden-Deng-Gibson-Noah line up in Chicago. Thats an incredibly smart and hard working linup that Tibs could use to it’s full potential.

[Chilbert arenasParticipant]

 He’s already said he’d be open to playing in Phoenix but even as a Suns fan I much rather him stay in OKC as long as they keep beating the Lakers.  Harden isn’t the Suns missing championship piece, he’s their missing 6th seed in the playoff piece.  

[TyroberParticipant]

The Thunder will immediately match any offer sheet for Harden. Teams can dream for him, but you aren’t getting him away from OKC as a restricted free agent. It would be the dumbest thing in the world for OKC to let him walk away when they can do what the Nuggets do and sign the players and then trade them down the road if they aren’t in the long term plans. Having said that I still believe Harden will be a member of the Thunder for the next 5 years or so. Players do leave their teams and OKC hasn’t experienced that, but Harden will be there for a few more years.

[NiceWithTheRockParticipant]

@tyrob even if he’s offered a max contract, do you think OKC will match? That would make their cap situation like Miami where they will have to hope players will sign with them for pennies on the dollar. Also, Ibaka is as good as gone if OKC matches a max offer for Harden.

[UNCbasketballbumParticipant]

I can see the Bulls making a serious run at Harden.  I thought they had the 2 guard position sewed up when they got Richard Hamilton, but he hasn’t been able to stay healthy.  I think a Harden-Rose backcourt could turn into one of the best in the league. 

[Beard13Participant]

i wish orlando could make a run at him

[SeattleSuperChronicsParticipant]

 the clippers

[Andrew1984Participant]

 I wonder if the PJIII selection says anything about Sam Presti preparing for a possible departure of Serge Ibaka after Harden is resigned. 

 

[fastdanParticipant]

PJIII was a great choice at #28, regardless if they plan on re-signing Ibaka or not.

[JustaFanParticipant]

No disrespect to Deron and J.Johnson… but Rose and Harden would definitely be the best backcourt in the league. Just like him and Russell will be if he does stay in OKC.

[druneave3Participant]

If it comes down to Harden or Ibaka, I think Presti should go with Ibaka. They have the scoring with Durant/Westbrook, need Ibaka D.

[F_S]

 no way, if they both request about the same amount of money i would def go w/ harden.

no doubt they could use ibaka’s D but overall he’s somewhat over rated. harden is a beast and a top 5 SG 

[TyroberParticipant]

 @nicewiththerock

I do. If he isn’t in their long term plans they could trade him down the road. The "max" is different than in the past years so if someone offered him the max it would be a 4 year and 58-60 million dollar deal which would easily be tradeable IF they don’t want to keep him.

[TallmanNYCParticipant]

 I don’t think Ibaka is going to get a max offer contract unless he gets his scoring way up.  GMs just don’t pay that kind of money for defense focused power forwards. 

[aamir543Participant]

Ibaka on the open market is gonna get 4 years 45 million or at least in that neighborhood. Harden is getting the max on the open market. OKC can avoid a lot of luxary tax if they manage to sign Ibaka and Harden to extensions at a discount. If they can get Ibaka at 4 years at 40 million and Harden at 4 years 50 million, and then amnesty Perk, than they will barely be in the luxary tax, although most likely they’ll have to pay full price for boht of those guys.

[fastdanParticipant]

Sign them both. Trade one at the following deadline for an up and coming player on a rookie/small deal. No way. Suck up the luxury tax for 6 months then turn one into a valuable trade chip. We should all know by now Presti will make the smart move.

But don’t underestimate how lucrative these last few years have been for OKC. Deep in the playoffs plus very low player salary has meant lots of money for the franchise. Don’t be suprised if they are able finance both of these guys to keep their success up.

[Author]

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