Breaking down best-, worst-case Harden scenarios for Warriors
The history of the NBA tells us James Harden's days in Houston are numbered. When a star player makes it known that he's unhappy and wants out, the relationship becomes irreparable and the player gets his wish.Harden wants to leave and he wants to head to a title contender. The Philadelphia 76ers, Miami Heat and Milwaukee Bucks all reportedly are on his list. The Warriors reportedly checked in before thinking better of the decision to add Harden to their roster.The Warriors are out of the Harden sweepstakes. They were never really that in. But where he goes will impact them in some way, both now and in the future. So, let's look at possible landing spots for the 2018 NBA MVP and whether or not Harden suiting up for that team would be good or bad news for Golden State.
Warriors' view: Worst-case
Any deal that gets Harden to Denver has the Rockets acquiring Michael Porter Jr. as well as a boatload of picks.
Houston reportedly wants an All-Star player in return for Harden. The Nuggets aren't going to give up Jamal Murray or Nikola Jokic, so a third team would have to get involved to get Harden to the Mile High City.
As the Warriors look to reboot their dynasty and take advantage of Steph Curry's remaining prime years, another true Western Conference title contender is the last thing Golden State wants to see.
The Nuggets made it to the Western Conference finals last season, but didn't have enough to get past LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers.
As currently constructed, the Warriors have enough to contend with and perhaps beat the Nuggets in a playoff series. But the addition of Harden drastically changes that equation for Golden State.
Warriors' view: Best case
The Heat took the Lakers to six games in the NBA Finals despite having Bam Adebayo at 60 percent and Goran Dragic being hobbled by a foot injury.
Adding Harden would instantly vault the Heat from fringe title contenders in 2021 to prohibitive East favorites.
I'm not sure what a Harden trade looks like for Miami. It's impossible to see them parting with Adebayo. Tyler Herro would have to be part of the package as would Dragic for salary matching reasons. A third team likely would have to enter the picture to facilitate the deal.
Miami acquiring Harden makes them one of the title favorites, but adding his salary also takes them off the board for Giannis Antetokounmpo next offseason, making the Warriors a more attractive destination should the two-time MVP choose to leave Cream City.
Warriors' view: Worst case
This one is pretty cut and dry.
Until Antetokounmpo signs his max extension, the Warriors will believe they have a puncher's chance at convincing him to join Curry (no matter how improbable it truly is).
The Bucks have been hard at work this offseason trying to get Antetokounmpo the help he wants to win a title. They brought in Jrue Holiday and tried to acquire Bogdan Bogdanovic before the deal fell through.
Milwaukee pairing Harden with Antetokounmpo would give the Bucks a duo to rival LeBron James and Anthony Davis and likely push The Greek Freak to re-sign with the Bucks, ending the Warriors' pipe dream of luring him to the Bay.
Warriors' view: Best-case
The 76ers and Rockets appear to be locked in a stalemate. Harden wants to go to Philly to join Daryl Morey. But the Rockets are saying they won't trade Harden and the 76ers are saying they won't trade Ben Simmons.
But if the two sides do eventually come to the table, Harden heading to the City of Brotherly Love shouldn't bother the Warriors one bit.
Swapping Harden and Simmons takes the 76ers from a top-four seed in the East to top two, but it doesn't make them overwhelming title favorites or impact any future Warriors' endeavors. It just removes Harden from the West, which is a small, albeit inconsequential, win.
Warriors' view: Worst case
The Timberwolves are an ultra-darkhorse contender to pull off a Harden trade. The Rockets star wants to go to a title contender. The Wolves don't check that box, but Harden also doesn't have a no-trade clause.
Minnesota has to start showing Karl-Anthony Towns it's serious about winning, and D'Angelo Russell, Anthony Edwards and future draft capital might be enough to acquire Harden.
The Timberwolves acquiring Harden would take them from a bottom-feeder in the West to a fringe playoff team with upside to grab the No. 6 or No. 7 seed.
That's a situation the Warriors, who own the rights to Minnesota's top-three protected first-round pick in 2021, don't want to see. Golden State is salivating at the thought of adding another top prospect a year after drafting James Wiseman, and Harden heading to Minnesota puts a massive dent in that plan.
Warriors' view: Best case
The trio of Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving and Harden would be must-watch on the court and must-monitor off it.
Harden would instantly make the Nets the runaway favorites in the Eastern Conference, adding a lot of fire to what looks like a super-combustible situation.
Aside from not wanting to open the season against the NBA's newest superteam, Harden landing in Brooklyn is something the Warriors would have no problem with, and their fans would enjoy the drama that's bound to follow.
Warriors' view: Not happening (but wouldn't it be kind of fun?)
We know the Warriors reportedly called to check in on Harden's availability once the star made it known he wanted out of Houston.
League sources also told NBC Sports Bay Area's Monte Poole that the Warriors have since moved on from the idea of pairing Harden and Curry. As they should.
But I offer this ... what's the worst that could happen?
OK, so the worst thing is you mortgage your future for a guy who has become used to a certain playing style, lacks effort on defense and doesn't appear to be a culture fit. It all ends up horribly and you wasted the final years of Curry's prime on a wild experiment that had little shot of working.
Yeah, that all sounds bad.
But what if it goes the other way? When he started his career in Oklahoma City, Harden guarded the opposing team's best wing when he came in the game and was adept at carving up defenses to create for others.
Becoming a megastar in a Rockets world that revolved around him changed his mindset. But, at 31 and with no NBA title to show for his efforts, who is to say one of the best players in the NBA won't try and fit in to the best culture in the NBA. One he's witnessed firsthand and has sent him packing multiple times out of the playoffs.
Yes, Harden thrived by pounding the ball into the floor in Houston, dancing and euro stepping for 20 seconds before either getting to the line or roasting his defender. It wasn't aesthetically pleasing but it was effective. Just not in the playoffs.
But he's a tremendous passer when he wants to be, and playing alongside Curry and a healthy Klay Thompson next season would give him more incentive to share the ball than being flanked by Eric Gordon, Russell Westbrook and some bench shooters.
If Harden could fit in, the Warriors would once again have the most potent offensive trio in the NBA and the league would once again be theirs for the taking.
I'm not saying it would work. More likely than not it won't. But come on, it would be a lot of fun if it did, right?
