By MATT CLAYTON Staff Writer on Oct 30, 2012, at 9:00 PM Updated on 10/31 at 2:08 PM
OKC THUNDER
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So I’ve had about 12 hours to think about what happened last night in Oklahoma City. Here are a few thoughts, seven to be ...
Houston Rockets general manager Daryl Morey, left, and newly acquired guard James Harden on Monday in Houston. Harden joined Houston in a trade with the Oklahoma City Thunder on Saturday night. PAT SULLIVAN/AP
Thunder fans are still dealing with the fallout from the Saturday night trade that sent James Harden to the Houston Rockets. Harden had achieved a cult-like status in Oklahoma. Maybe it was the beard. Maybe it was his innate ability to get the basket. What was it that made fans love him so much?
Take my daughter as an example. She is five and can’t get enough Thunder basketball. She loves Rumble, the cheerleaders (Marisa especially), James Harden and getting her face painted when we’ve gone to Thunder games in the past.
Just a week after chanting “We want Harden,” at the BOK Center, I had to explain to her why Harden, her favorite player, didn’t play for the Thunder anymore. She took it all in stride, because that’s what five-year-old kids do. And that’s what Thunder fans have been doing. Sure, it would have been great for Harden to stay in OKC, but the pieces (guard Kevin Martin and rookie Jeremy Lamb) that Sam Presti and company received back from the Rockets made the deal worth it. Only time will tell if it’s the right move for the Thunder and James Harden.
11 links about the Harden trade
From the Houston Chronicle Rockets blog: Harden sets stage for season of strong expectations. From Jenni Carlson of The Oklahoman: Just when the question of James Harden threatened to hang over the Oklahoma City Thunder season, Sam Presti answered it. From Bill Simmons of Grantland: The Harden Disaster. From Kelly Dwyer of “Ball Don’t Lie,” a Yahoo sports blog: The Oklahoma City Thunder won the James Harden deal, but the parting will be painful From the ESPN true hoop blog: Dissecting Kevin Martin's efficiency. Bleacher report: Jeremy Lamb's development critical for Thunder. From CBS Sports.com: The Phoenix Suns tried to trade for James Harden From CBS Sports.com senior blogger Matt Moore: James Harden and the illusion of choice From Zach Lowe of Grantland: Examining Oklahoma City's risky move and the beginning of the James Harden era in Houston. From Zach Lowe of Grantland: Serge Ibaka is the most important player in the NBA. Grade the trade: Thunder earns a D for the deal. Really, a D?
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