If it involved the same package as PG13 as well as Montrezz and Lou and any other sweetners, I wouldn’t be surprised if Daryl would have thought about it and considered a counter offer of them finding a team to offload CP3 in the process. Shai, Harrell, Capela and all those picks plus whatever you can get for PJ and EG and Lou as well as cap space. It would be a perfect rebuild situation. To be clear, before I’m called stupid, I wouldn’t do this nor want to, and in the end believe Morey wouldn’t either since we’re too close to contention. But I do believe he would have taken time to analyze it before declining.
I call bullshit on their timeline. I believe that the Clippers asked since they were about to sell the farm for PG and figured they could see if we bit. I don't buy that It wasn't until we got Westbrook that Harden suddenly wanted to stay. Those two transactions don't lineup.
Then that gets turned down. Unless Morey thinks George and Harden are comparable players. I don't think they are, but it's probably closer than I'll admit. Players like Harden are once a generation for a team, and that only if the team is paying sufficient attention to acquire them in the first place. Trading Harden should make as much sense as trying to trade Dream at his peak, though we did the article here at CF recently where the Rockets thought about doing just that. Although pre-knee injury Danny Manning would have been a hell of a player coming back in that deal.
Not saying that "him or me" demand is definitely true, but if it were, Morey must have thought, "WTF? I have to get rid of one, but how the hell can I convince someone to take an aging Chris Paul and his massive contract?!?"
And preferably a FRP or two from another team that's not going to be drafting 26-30 for the foreseeable future. Everything has its price. Mine for Harden probably couldn't be met by the Clippers at this juncture. But a young beast under team control would make me think about it. So few beasts though. I don't think Zion will be one.
Why are we even using this garbage article when the real article that this trash is based on is available? I'm reporting this and hope someone else posts the Athletic piece because this thread is running on fake news.
For the record, I think Morey would consider any trade for anybody on our roster. That's a GM's job: Listen to the offer and decide if it's in your team's best interest. Remember, "consider" isn't the same as "think about it seriously." That said, it probably took his about a second to decline, seeing as how the Clips didn't have near enough to offer.
That's why Morey makes the big money... Hell of a thing to have to pull off on short notice. I have to admit, if I were in Morey's shoes, I'd have thought about John Wall before Russ, as I think I could get DC to bite a lot easier, and for less. I might even have tried to pry some talent and picks away from them in exchange for that albatross. I had no idea, because I didn't pay attention, that Russ and Harden were boys, and that OKC would consider moving WB.
Seriously this really gets reported. Clippers contacted Bulls in 1991 about Michael Jordan, breaking news. Hawks this summer inquired about LBJ. I get that in the NBA, especially this summer, that everyone is tradable but doesn’t a rumor at least have to rise to the level of this universe. Every team calls every team about everyone. I am sure Morey has a value chart on every player a lot like valuing draft picks.
If they really make the Finals, then Clippers would have a strong point of barely winning the Chris Paul trade. Morey wouldn't trade with them again in that short span.
"And Sam Dek....wait a minute." (covers phone with hand) "He's gone? Oh, yeah." (back to phone) "Eckerton!" "'Eckerton'? That's 'Moneyball'." (covers phone with hand) "Jerry's going senile." (back to phone) "How 'bout we give CP3 back to you instead?" (click)
Consensus #1 player in college. Tore his knee up his rookie year with the Clips----so the trade would have been for post knee injury Manning---but still had a 'nice' career in the NBA: 14 years, 23/7/4 guy at his peak as a 6.10 PF. Still a big, "what might have been" guy.
"Hello, Daryl! How's the kids? Hey, we were wondering about the availability of James Harden...hello?"