No. 3
Rockets receive: Andrew Wiggins, James Wiseman, Jordan Poole, Eric Paschall, 2021 first-round pick (MIN), 2023 first-round pick, 2025 second-round pick
Warriors receive: James Harden
This is the first of the three trade packages we put together. It includes three young stars, two first-round picks, a second-round pick, and a cap-loosening player. The Warriors can’t do any James Harden without giving up significant money.
The 6-foot-5 guard that has led the league in scoring the past three seasons is under contract until after the 2022-23 season, one in which he does technically have a massive player option worth over $45 million on.
What really makes this deal unique is the rare combination of young talent and picks.
The Rockets would immediately get to have another Clint Capela-like defender who has great potential offensively as well. They’d also be securing a player that made the All-Rookie first team last season. Even Poole has quite the upside.
Then combine what should be a top pick in a high-potential draft, and you may not get a better deal. Harden may be a superstar, but he’s still a Rocket. Meaning, his value isn’t quite there for what the Rockets are trying to acquire.
This could definitely a last-resort deal that does the trick. It’d certainly be tough for both sides to pull the trigger though as Golden State would mortgage their future on their former rival.