If the first trade made fans unhappy, this one would really hurt.
But, the price to contend and trade for one of the greatest scorers in NBA history, is steep.
Jusuf Nurkic leaving town in a trade should only be considered in a situation that would get the Blazers to title contention. Harden is the piece that would get the Blazers there.
This move would deplete the Blazers roster, especially on the wing, but CJ McCollum would be able to come off the bench with Gary Trent Jr, forming a deadly backup guard unit to Dame and Harden.
Losing Nurkic would impact the Blazers’ defense, but with Harden on the roster, they would find a way to work it out. Zach Collins would be the starting five with Harry Giles backing him up.
This trade would supercharge the Blazers’ offense though. They would still keep defensive pieces Trent and Covington, but this team would be about scoring. An in his prime James Harden would almost certainly give the Blazers one of the best regular-season offenses.
Harden and Dame would give the Blazers a strong chance of upsetting LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers.
For the Rockets, they would be able to bring in a 26-year-old Nurkic who is under contract for the next two years, and a 23-year-old Derrick Jones Jr., also under contract for the next two years. This deal would clear significant cap space for the Rockets, and the partial guarantee on the second year of Rodney Hood‘s contract would mean they could get off more money next year if need be. They also wouldn’t have to go into full tank mode as this trio of players could help the Rockets stay relevant when paired with Eric Gordon and John Wall.
The Rockets would also get a 2024 first-round pick for their troubles.