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NBA Trade Rumors: James Harden To Celtics, Avery Bradley, Jaylen Brown, And Marcus Smart To Rockets

By Adrian Lawhorn
Published on: 10:37 PST, Nov 11, 2016

NBA trade rumors indicate that the Boston Celtics’ pursuit of a star player is ongoing. Celtics Life published a report that discusses the “significant progress” the Celtics had been making toward obtaining an All-Star caliber performer. According to Sportsrageous, the Houston Rockets are considering a deal with Boston because the Rockets continue to have chemistry problems and defensive issues as a team. More specifically, Metro US reveals that the Celtics and Rockets were talking about a possible trade for James Harden before last season’s February trade deadline, and Boston’s interest in Harden remains as the team explores their options in the 2016-17 trade market.

Current NBA trade rumors are gaining momentum that Boston and Houston may be resuming trade talks. The scenario that is being debated online has the Celtics receiving superstar shooting guard James Harden, while the Rockets would be compensated with a bounty that would include shooting guard Avery Bradley, small forward Jaylen Brown, point guard Marcus Smart, and two first-round draft picks from Boston by way of Brooklyn in 2017 and 2018.

The Boston Celtics feel they are one player away from being an NBA championship contender, so they have been beating the bushes trying to find a deal that would bring them another impact player. The Celtics have been linked to a number of stars in recent weeks; in fact, practically every star player that has been mentioned in the NBA rumor mill has at one time or another been associated with a possible trade to Boston. Despite the steady flow of NBA trade rumors involving the Celtics, no deal has been made, but the word on the street is that Boston’s interest in adding a top-flight talent has not waned.

There is little doubt that the Boston Celtics would be a better team as a result of this hypothetical transaction, but their future could be adversely affected by giving up rookie forward Jaylen Brown, who some believe will be an NBA All-Star within the next few years. Both of the first-round draft picks rumored to be included in this deal are the original property of the Brooklyn Nets, and those picks are more than likely going to be high in the first round since the Nets are not expected to be very competitive over the next couple of seasons.

This trade would be quite expensive for the Celtics, but to acquire a player as special as James Harden, Boston would say yes if this offer was actually on the table. The team’s main core would remain intact, and adding Harden to a team that was already expected to pose a challenge to the Cleveland Cavaliers could certainly change the balance of power in the Eastern Conference and tip the scales in favor of the up-and-coming Celtics.

The Houston Rockets are in a much different situation. James Harden is their one and only superstar, and the perception among fans and the media is that the Rockets are not good enough to scare any of the Western Conference’s top teams. Rumor has it that Houston might consider rebuilding, and trading James Harden for a collection of valuable assets would be one logical way to restock the roster with an eye toward the future.

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Avery Bradley is certainly no James Harden, but Bradley is a very good shooting guard and would be a solid replacement for Harden if this trade came to fruition. The Rockets have a respected veteran at small forward in Trevor Ariza who could help tutor Jaylen Brown as he learns the NBA game. Marcus Smart has been a disappointment thus far in Boston, but he does have talent and would be in the point guard rotation right away in Houston. In addition, the two first-round draft choices would hold tremendous value as they should allow the Rockets to get two young players who would be among the top prospects in the NBA Draft in both 2017 and 2018.

When NBA trade rumors surface that are structured so that one team acquires a star player and a second team receives multiple players and draft picks in return, these proposed deals are rarely something the team with the star player would actually want to do. After all, unloading a great player for a group of above-average players is not something that makes much sense (in most cases, at least). However, this rumored trade scenario is different. The players that the Celtics would be sending out either have terrific potential or are already productive NBA players. As stated, the included draft picks also possess a high level of value.

If the Houston Rockets are in fact contemplating a rebuilding phase, this theoretical trade offer from Boston might be too good to pass up. But if general manager Daryl Morey and head coach Mike D’Antoni are not ready to give up on their core group just yet, then they would not deal James Harden for virtually any price. The Celtics’ stance is pretty clear — “the future is now” as the saying goes, so general manager Danny Ainge would likely give the green light to this swap, even though he would be giving up plenty to get that star he so desperately wants.

We’ve established that this trade could be of interest to both teams, even if each side would be a bit anxious about making a blockbuster deal such as this. If Boston and Houston agreed to this rumored proposal, how would this transaction look to the NBA league office? The answer to that question ends all debate with regard to the legitimacy of this NBA trade rumor.

First, James Harden just signed a lucrative contract extension over the summer, so he is not eligible to be traded until January 8, 2017. Secondly, even if Harden could be dealt to the Celtics, the salary match is a problem (as verified via the ESPN NBA Trade Machine). Harden makes about $10 million more per season than Avery Bradley, Jaylen Brown, and Marcus Smart combined. Therefore, we must file this rumored trade under the “busted” category — there is simply no way this deal could go down now, or later in the season.

As NBA trade rumors go, this one contains a great deal of star-power and intrigue, as well as the potential that both teams could take a very serious look at the offer. In the final analysis, however, the NBA would not allow this particular trade to take place, so if the Boston Celtics and Houston Rockets are to do business, it appears the teams will have to go back to square one in their negotiations.

[Featured Image by Pat Sullivan/AP Images]

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