Three pros and cons to trading James Harden

Con No.1: This team can compete

The team the Rockets have built around James Harden is a very strong squad. Is it as good as the Lakers or Clippers? Probably not, but that doesn’t mean their title aspirations would be fruitless.

The Lakers have endured the shortest offseason ever, LeBron has to age eventually, Davis has had injury problems, the Clippers have all of the same problems as last year, Kawhi Leonard and Paul George are always load managing, and there is a pandemic raging across the country that makes this season the ultimate “anything is possible” season. The point is, this is not the season to throw in the towel.

The Rockets should go to Harden and make this deal with him, stay this one last season and if you want out at the end of it then we’ll move you. Not only would this give the Rockets one last chance to make a real run with Harden but it’d work in Harden’s favor as well.

With two years left on his deal before a player option, James Harden’s trade value is incredibly high which makes it very difficult for any contender to make a serious offer for him. After this season he’ll essentially have one year on his deal which will lower the Rockets asking price and allow Harden to move to a better team.

Also, the economic impacts of the coronavirus will have abated and the salary cap could see growth. Harden is set to make over $40 million the next two seasons which is a figure that is difficult to fit in when the salary cap is only at $109 million.

The Rockets have a real chance this season to be better than they were last year, but that’s only if Harden is in town and committed. They need to get it through to him that moving this season is not the right choice for them, him, and the team that he is going to.

Next: Pro no. 3