Why a James Harden trade to the Nets would be incredibly complicated

It is one factor for James Harden to reportedly need a commerce to the Nets. It is one other factor for it to really occur.

Due to the NBA’s difficult commerce guidelines on the subject of matching greenback values, together with salary-cap implications for a Brooklyn group already paying Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving large cash, it isn’t so simple as the Rockets simply sending Harden to the Nets and calling it a day. A possible commerce may need to incorporate a 3rd group, or pay cuts for Durant or Irving, or each. That is earlier than even contemplating the matter of how KD, Irving and Harden would all share one basketball (however that is a dialogue for an additional day). 

This is a have a look at the advanced components influencing the potential of a Harden transfer to Brooklyn.

MORE: James Harden reportedly contemplating reunion with Kevin Durant in Brooklyn

Matching salaries in a James Harden commerce might require a 3rd group

NBA groups with out wage cap house (which on this case applies to each the Nets and Rockets) have to return inside a sure margin of one another on the subject of the greenback quantity transferring each methods. The wage quantity to think about for Harden in a commerce is $41.2 million for the upcoming season. When a wage that enormous is on the transfer in a commerce, an NBA group is simply allowed to tackle 125 % of its outgoing wage, plus $100,000. So on this case, the Nets must ship out a minimum of $33.06M to make a deal work by the NBA’s commerce guidelines.

As a result of nearly all of Brooklyn’s wage is tied up in Irving and Durant (who the Nets would not be transferring in such a deal), matching the salaries is not straightforward. It could require Brooklyn to, at minimal, embrace Caris LeVert ($16.2M) and Spencer Dinwiddie ($11.4M). Whereas DeAndre Jordan ($10.3M) might slot in to get the cash aligned, an growing old heart reminiscent of Jordan would not actually line up with Houston’s timeline if it is buying and selling Harden, so the Rockets might need youthful gamers to finish the deal.

One chance, put along with TradeNBA.com, is that this:

• Nets obtain: James Harden
• Rockets obtain: Caris LeVert, Spencer Dinwiddie, Garrett Temple and Jarrett Allen

For that deal to work, Brooklyn would first have to simply accept Temple’s group choice for the 2020-21 season, which might be a easy matter if it might full the commerce. As a a lot youthful, higher model of Jordan, Allen may very well be nearer to getting this deal accomplished. As a result of the Nets additionally personal their first-round picks in each future draft, Houston’s objective may very well be so as to add these to the incoming bundle, as nicely.

That potential deal, or something prefer it, is simply proof that it’s attainable for the Nets and Rockets to match salaries in a Harden commerce. It doesn’t suggest each entrance places of work really feel that the commerce is a good worth for his or her facet. 

One other technique of getting salaries to match is to contain a 3rd group within the deal. On this case, the Timberwolves and James Johnson ($15.8M) might work as a result of Johnson’s wage is just like LeVert’s. Minnesota might assist the deal recover from the road by sending alongside further belongings to Houston with a view to get LeVert from Brooklyn and received Johnson off the Timberwolves’ books. 

Principally, except Houston likes the precise bundle of gamers (plus picks) listed above, or a variation very related, a 3rd group must get entangled, as a result of Brooklyn actually solely has that mixture accessible to match salaries, except Jordan is desired regardless of his age and contract determine. 

NBA wage cap might require Kevin Durant or Kyrie Irving pay cuts

ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski has reported that the NBA’s projected wage cap for the 2020-21 season shall be $115 million, and that the luxury-tax threshold shall be $139 million. The NBA has a “smooth cap,” which means that groups can go over that $115 million quantity however with numerous penalties. If a group exceeds the posh tax quantity, possession has to pay taxes primarily based on how a lot a group goes over.

If Harden ($41.2M) had been to affix Durant ($39M) and Irving ($33.3M) on the Nets, their salaries for the 2020-21 season would add as much as roughly $113.5 million. That is inside $1.5 million of the smooth wage cap determine of $115 million.

The Nets wouldn’t be restricted in making strikes altogether at that time, though their choices can be very restricted. Groups can signal as many gamers as they need to minimum-salary offers, and so they even have numerous mid-level exceptions to play with that may principally afford what quantities to a job participant. 

Brooklyn would have a whole lot of roster to fill if it traded four-plus gamers and probably one or two draft picks from the 2020 NBA Draft to amass Harden. Seven Nets are set to turn into free brokers, together with sharpshooter Joe Harris. Add in 4 or extra gamers traded away, and Brooklyn can be refilling nearly its total roster apart from the massive three. The Nets’ finest wager can be to make use of Hen rights, which permit a group to exceed the wage cap to re-sign its personal gamers, to carry again numerous these impending free brokers, however somebody like Harris may very well be price greater than the Nets can be prepared to pay.

To a minimum of give Brooklyn extra wiggle room, Durant, Irving or Harden might renegotiate their contracts in order that much less greenback worth is tied to the 2020-21 wage cap. It is unlikely it might create an enormous reduction for Brooklyn, however getting farther from the posh tax would a minimum of add the potential for re-signing Harris or bringing in additional expertise on the mid-level exception with out main tax penalties.

This deal is feasible in any respect solely as a result of the NBA has max salaries for gamers, which a minimum of within the case of Durant might be lower than what he’d receives a commission in a very free market. However it might create a scenario in Brooklyn not in contrast to what the Warmth confronted when LeBron James and Chris Bosh joined Dwyane Wade in Miami. These Warmth groups had been compelled to depend on growing old veterans and unroven rookies due to their restricted contract potentialities. It labored for Miami due to these Corridor of Fame skills, however for the Nets to attempt to replicate it would not come with out complexity and danger.