The Houston Rockets are at Chesapeake Energy Arena to face the Oklahoma City Thunder today, affording Grantland’s Bill Simmons an even bigger spotlight to further decry the James Harden trade. A deal that was made 30 months ago, involves multiple parties that have since moved on, and is far past the point of needing further scrutiny.
A fair assessment with which Kevin Durant – like the vast majority of league followers, hopefully – wholeheartedly agrees.
Simmons got back on the Harden high horse this morning, stating years-old facts that ignore the crucial context of locker room chemistry, not to mention the 20-20 vision of hindsight.
OKC newspaper piece about the Harden trade leaves out the key point – they didn't have to trade him when they did. http://t.co/yrdgViPR9s
— Bill Simmons (@BillSimmons) April 5, 2015
OKC could have made a 2013 title run and stayed under tax, then dealt with Harden's restricted free agency that summer. That's just a fact.
— Bill Simmons (@BillSimmons) April 5, 2015
Harden wanted 60m for extension, OKC wouldn't go higher than 54m. They loved Houston's offer + severely underrated Harden's impact. Fact.
— Bill Simmons (@BillSimmons) April 5, 2015
The key point – you make one more title run for 2013, then you figure it out. Every OKC competitor celebrated when they dealt Harden. Fact.
— Bill Simmons (@BillSimmons) April 5, 2015
And Durant, bless his heart, responded with what the entire NBA world was thinking.
@BillSimmons just let it go!
— Kevin Durant (@KDTrey5) April 5, 2015
Let it go, Bill. And never change, KD.
In a far more important development, the Rockets have opened up a double-digit lead on the Thunder late in the first quarter.
