James Harden to Rockets: Why Thunder Got Better Deal in Blockbuster Trade

The first reaction was overwhelmingly negative. Soon enough, however, the world will see that trading James Harden was the right move for the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Fans have every right to question general manager Sam Presti's decision to move one of his key players just days before the season. Even Kevin Durant responded with a short but powerful reaction on Twitter when he heard the news:

"

Wow

— Kevin Durant (@KDTrey5) October 28, 2012"

NBA analyst Chris Sheridan was more aggressive in his assessment of the trade.

"

The James Harden trade was an act of idiocy, lunacy and shortsightedness. New column: sheridanhoops.com/2012/10/29/ber…

— Chris Sheridan (@sheridanhoops) October 29, 2012"

Still, people should stop doing spit takes and start actually analyzing the deal for what it is: a good move for the Thunder.

The primary reason the deal took place is money. Oklahoma City offered Harden $55.5 million over four years, but that figure was turned down, according to Chris Broussard of ESPN. The Sixth Man of the Year wanted a max deal, but he was not going to get it with the Thunder.

By dealing Harden, the team frees up valuable funds for other potential long-term pieces.

This does not necessarily mean that the guard is not worth the maximum allowable contract. He is extremely talented and could be an elite player this season with the Houston Rockets.

However, the problem would be flexibility with both Durant and Russell Westbrook also on the roster. This move prevents the team from spending too much on only three players, effectively weakening the rest of the squad.

In addition, the package the Thunder got in return made the deal a terrific move.

Kevin Martin dealt with a shoulder injury last season, but the year before he was ninth in the NBA in scoring with 23.4 points per game. He averaged over 20 points per game in five of his eight seasons in the league and still has plenty left in the tank.

For the short term, Martin should be able to give the Thunder exactly what Harden provided—a great scoring threat to complement Westbrook and Durant. 

Additionally, rookie Jeremy Lamb was a lottery pick this season and was a great shooter and overall scorer in college. He is only 20 years old, but he has loads of potential and can eventually fill a similar role in the future.

If Lamb does not pan out, the team also received three draft picks that can be used to find additional talent.

Of course, Oklahoma City also gave up bench players Cole Aldrich, Daequan Cook and Lazar Hayward in the deal, but only Cook played regularly for the team.

By the time the team reached the Finals, Scott Brooks had shortened the bench to the point that this entire group only played a combined eight minutes in the series before the garbage time of Game 5. Considering this team is trying to win a championship, it has no need to keep players that are not contributing at that point of the year. 

This logic can even be applied to Harden, who only scored 12.4 points per game on 37.5 percent shooting in the Finals against the Miami Heat. The series was basically decided in Game 3 and Game 4, when Harden only managed 4-of-20 from the floor and 1-of-9 from behind the arc. 

While Martin does not have extensive playoff experience, he is a proven veteran who should be able to succeed when things get tough.

The blockbuster deal, although controversial, makes perfect sense from a financial perspective and does not hurt on the court. The Thunder can still be contenders this season, while the long-term potential of the team is even greater than it was last week.

Sam Presti also sent a message to the rest of the players that no one is greater than the team. This is certain to prevent ego problems in the future.

Altogether, this is a great move for Oklahoma City, and Presti will eventually be congratulated for his foresight and aggressiveness. 

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