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When the Thunder made the NBA Finals in 2012, the core featured a budding trio of future Corridor of Famers in Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, and James Harden. On the time, it regarded like Durant and Westbrook had been the faces of the franchise, whereas Harden was taking part in third fiddle to the 2. Harden was ending video games and taking part in stellar basketball on the time, however he was coming off the bench.
Harden requested for a commerce and was traded to the Houston Rockets. That commerce has been talked about as one of many greatest “what ifs” as Harden finally gained three scoring titles and an MVP whereas with Houston. On the time, Houston wasn’t the one commerce associate attempting to make a transfer. The Washington Wizards wished among the James Harden magic too and had been keen to surrender Bradley Beal.
Right here is the blockbuster commerce of the James Harden-Bradley Beal swap that by no means went down.
The Commerce Particulars
Washington Wizards Obtain: James Harden
Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder: Bradley Beal, Chris Singleton
The commerce headlined James Harden going to the Wizards. Harden was coming off a season the place he gained Sixth Man of the 12 months, averaging 16.8 factors per recreation. Beal was the No. 3 total decide by the Wizards within the 2012 NBA Draft, whereas Chris Singleton was coming off a rookie marketing campaign the place he averaged 4.6 factors and three.5 rebounds.
Beal advised Matt Barnes and Stephen Jackson on the All of the Smoke podcast that he remembers how the near deal went down. The deal may have been a draft night time blockbuster. Beal was projected to be a top-3 decide within the 2012 NBA Draft and mentioned that his agent mentioned there was an opportunity he may go to OKC.
“We’re sitting within the draft room, positive sufficient, my agent is tapping me,” mentioned Beal, via All the Smoke podcast. “He’s like, ‘You would possibly go to OKC.’ They had been going to commerce as much as get me, commerce James to Washington for me. I might have been in OKC with KD [Durant] and Russ [Westbrook]. … That was a last-minute determination. It was virtually achieved.”
However… Wizards did not wish to signal to supply a long-term contract to James Harden.
Washington Didn’t Need To Commit To Harden Lengthy-Time period
According to Michael Lee of the Washington Post, the Wizards turned down the commerce with the Thunder as a result of crew proprietor Ted Leonsis was unwilling to decide to Harden long run and for the amount of cash. Harden was coming off a season that noticed him win Sixth Man of the 12 months however didn’t wish to make investments the amount of cash to maintain him round.
“The Washington Wizards turned down a commerce with the Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder for James Harden this summer time as a result of crew proprietor Ted Leonis was unwilling to commit what would have been a roughly $80 million, five-year contract for the excessive scoring participant, in accordance with a number of individuals with information of the proposed deal,” wrote Lee.
Based on Lee, each Wizards President Ernie Grunfeld and Thunder Basic Supervisor Sam Presti all declined to remark when requested concerning the commerce. There was additionally one Wizards official that declined the commerce ever being mentioned. Beal was finally drafted No. 3 total by the Wizards.
Thunder Projected Lineup If Commerce Occurred
PG: Russell Westbrook
SG: Bradley Beal
SF: Kevin Durant
PF: Serge Ibaka
C: Kendrick Perkins
Durant was coming off a season the place he averaged 28.0 factors, 8.0 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 1.3 steals, and 1.2 blocks per recreation. It was his third straight season that he led the league in scoring. Westbrook averaged 23.6 factors, 4.6 rebounds, 5.5 assists, and 1.7 steals. On high of that, you had Serge Ibaka, who was rising in direction of being an All-Defensive caliber participant. Think about if the Thunder acquired a pure scoring guard like Beal.
As an alternative of buying and selling Harden to the Wizards, the crew made a cope with the Rockets, the place they acquired Kevin Martin, Jeremy Lamb, two first-round picks, and a second-round decide. These picks turned Steven Adams, Mitch McGary, and Alex Abrines. Beal averaged 13.9 factors, 3.8 rebounds, 2.4 assists, and shot 38.6% from exterior. It’s a must to assume these numbers would have been higher if he performed with each Westbrook and Durant.
Wizards Projected Lineup If Commerce Occurred
PG: John Wall
SG: James Harden
SF: Trevor Ariza
PF: Nene
C: Emeka Okafor
Round this time, John Wall was beginning to develop right into a high level guard. Wall was coming off his second season within the league. In 66 video games, Wall averaged 16.3 factors, 4.5 rebounds, and eight.0 assists. When Beal joined the Wizards, the crew had a really harmful backcourt. Wall was a five-time All-Star from 2014 to 2018. Think about what may have been achieved if Harden got here to city as an alternative.
Harden averaged 25.9 factors per recreation in his first season with the Rockets. That backcourt may have been even higher. Round this time, Okafor lasted simply 4 video games with the Wizards, which led to the crew buying Marcin Gortat the next season, who was a really underrated heart. Assuming the crew retains each Trevor Ariza and Nene, the Wizards may have been a Convention Finals contender.
The Aftermath
The Rockets acquired Harden and he turned an instantaneous star. The bottom season level common Harden completed with was 25.4 factors per recreation. He led the crew to the Convention Finals two occasions, falling to the Golden State Warriors in each appearances, together with a Sport 7 nailbiter that noticed Harden shoot one of many worst video games in his profession. He by no means made the NBA Finals regardless of taking part in with All-Stars like Dwight Howard, Chris Paul, and Russell Westbrook. After an extended tenure with the crew, the Rockets traded Harden to the Nets.
As for the Thunder, Durant and Westbrook almost made the NBA Finals two extra occasions on their very own. In 2014, Durant gained the MVP and his fourth scoring title, however the Thunder misplaced to the Spurs within the Convention Finals. The crew almost made it once more in 2016 however was defeated by the Warriors regardless of proudly owning a 3-1 lead. Durant then joined the Warriors, gained two championships, and the Thunder haven’t returned to the Convention Finals since. Westbrook averaged a triple-double in 2016-2017 and gained an MVP.
The Wizards rolled the cube with Wall and Beal and loved some success from 2014-2018. Wall made the All-Star Sport every of these seasons. Wall averaged double-digit assists thrice. The Wizards made the playoffs 4 of the 5 seasons however had been defeated within the second spherical thrice. Their greatest probability of constructing the Convention Finals got here in 2016-2017, however the crew was defeated by the Boston Celtics in Sport 7 within the semifinals.
It begs the query of what would have occurred if this commerce occurred? Beal didn’t safe his first season the place he averaged 20 factors per recreation or extra till 2016-2017. By this time, Durant was in his first season with the Warriors. With that mentioned, Beal was constantly round 15 to 17 factors per recreation. Kevin Martin performed one season with the Thunder and averaged 14.0 factors per recreation. Beal can be an improve for the 2012-2013 season in addition to the long run.
The Thunder would have additionally by no means gotten Steven Adams, however the crew might need stored Ibaka round longer and never traded him after the 2015-2016 season. The core of Westbrook, Durant, Ibaka, and Beal may have additionally caught round longer and grown to one thing particular. It’s laborious to inform, however this had the potential of being one thing particular.
As for the Wizards, Harden would have joined the Wizards on the proper time. Give it one 12 months for the crew to seek out the chemistry and this duo would have been one of the best backcourt within the Jap Convention. Assuming that the Wizards had been capable of get the chemistry down for the 2013-2014 season, it will have been the final season LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh performed collectively in Miami. Assuming LeBron goes again to Cleveland, would this Washington duo be sufficient to beat Kyrie Irving, Kevin Love, and LeBron? The world won’t ever know now.
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