The Miami Heat own a great foundation in place but what is the missing piece that could get the team past the rest of the league? The Houston Rockets have an opportunity to change the course of their future and accelerate a potential rebuild. James Harden is playing at an all-time high and doesn’t want to stay. The Rockets need to act now and trade while the market is hot.
Trade package: Goran Dragic, Tyler Herro, 2022 first-round Pick, 2024 first round Pick (15-30 to OKC) for James Harden
Miami Heat Land James Harden
Is giving up Tyler Herro worth James Harden in the long run? Pat Riley isn’t getting any younger. If he wants to see another championship while running the franchise, then replacing Herro with Harden is an easy answer. Jimmy Butler is exactly what Harden needs. The Heat is his team. Russell Westbrook wasn’t able to keep Harden in line because the Rockets were his team. Harden doesn’t need to be a leader. He just needs to go out and play his game.
Imagine pairing Duncan Robinson alongside Harden. Those are two of the best three-point shooters in the league side by side. While Herro brings future intrigue, as well as great basketball play in the present day, Harden is an MVP-caliber player with a track record to prove it.
Goran Dragic is 34 years old and has just one year remaining at $19 million after this season, so that is immediate salary relief in 2022. Dragic would be a solid backup to John Wall for at least one season. The crown jewel would be Herro, who at 21 years old is starting to show signs of a young Stephen Curry with his ability to shoot from outside.
The Rockets have a lot of question marks about their future after this season. Wall is owed $44 million and $47 million in 2022-2023. DeMarcus Cousins signed a one-year contract. If he plays well, the Rockets will not be able to afford him. Thanks to a first-round pick in the Russell Westbrook trade, the Rockets could look to the future with multiple first-round picks in 2021 and 2022.
The Appeal For Both Teams
Harden has never had the luxury of playing in the Eastern Conference. Compared to the Western Conference heavyweights, Harden might be able to make his first NBA Finals with the Heat. The Heat was once linked to Harden as a trade partner, so why couldn’t they reopen trade negotiations?
The Rockets would have the chance to build from the ground up. For two seasons, the Rockets would have their core groomed. After those two seasons, nearly $50 million would open up in cap space, so the team could snag a superstar from the 2023 free-agent class. Who knows. Harden will be a free agent in 2023 at the age of 34. Maybe, he’ll be up for a reunion.
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