3 reasons trading James Harden would be the Rockets’ biggest mistake

HOUSTON, TX - JANUARY 20: James Harden #13 of the Houston Rockets looks on during the game against the Oklahoma City Thunder on January 20, 2020 at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2020 NBAE (Photo by Cato Cataldo/NBAE via Getty Images)
HOUSTON, TX - JANUARY 20: James Harden #13 of the Houston Rockets looks on during the game against the Oklahoma City Thunder on January 20, 2020 at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2020 NBAE (Photo by Cato Cataldo/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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Houston Rockets
MVP winner James Harden of the Houston Rockets (Photo by Joe Scarnici/Getty Images for Turner Sports) /

2. The rumored trade targets will likely never reach Harden’s level

Players like Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid of the Philadelphia 76ers have been mentioned in a possible Harden trade, among several other players. Whenever a trade is made involving a bonafide superstar, the team trading the superstar is usually not going to get equal value back.

This is because the team that gets the best player essentially always wins the deal, as no sum of parts can equate to a superstar. This is especially the case in the current era of the NBA, as there are a limited amount of superstars.

Now apply that logic to James Harden, who is a bonafide MVP candidate every year. The chances of getting equal value in return for Harden is almost non-existent. Harden is 31-years-old and has a massive contract, as he’s inked to a supermax deal.

For these reasons, among many others, most teams aren’t going to trade a Luka Doncic for Harden, despite how great Harden is.

Even if each team in the league was interested in Harden, how many of those teams have a player one would take right now over Harden? Those players are few and far between, and none of those players are currently available.

As mentioned earlier, Harden isn’t just an All-Star or a top-three player, he’s a once in a generation type of player. Unless the Houston Rockets see a major drop off in his play, they shouldn’t trade a player of Harden’s caliber.

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