It has been a tale of two postseasons between the Miami Heat and Brooklyn Nets star James Harden.
The Heat have just been dealt arguably their most embarrassing playoff series defeat in franchise history. James Harden, meanwhile, is playing for the odds-on favorite to win the NBA title this season. The Brooklyn Nets just lost to the Boston Celtics in Game 3, but it took a superhuman effort from Jayson Tatum to do it.
Harden himself said it best during the postgame interview after the loss:
“As much as we don’t want to lose, this is probably good for us.” (via NY Post's Brian Lewis)
When a star is calling his team's playoff loss “good” for them, that's when you know they're simply just playing with their food before devouring it if it tries to fight back. To say that James Harden has been terrific for the Nets through his first three postseason games on an Eastern Conference squad would be selling him short.
The Nets star is averaging amazing raw numbers of 27.3 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 8.3 assists, but it's his efficiency that has been unparalleled. Harden is shooting 51.2% from the field, 46.4% from 3, and 92.6% from the line, all at sky-high volume. Not to mention the fact that he's only averaging 2.3 turnovers per game.
Based on certain metrics, he has arguably been the best player in the postseason thus far, not just on his team, but among all 16 teams in the playoffs. The Miami Heat sure could've used a player like that in these playoffs, right?
The James Harden for Tyler Herro trade that could've been
The Miami Heat reportedly had been in discussions with the Houston Rockets to acquire James Harden, but the asking price was considered, at least by them, to be rather steep.
Barry Jackson from the Miami Herald reported on the detailed iterations of news on any potential trade, revealing that the Heat's potential Godfather offer would've still been considered questionable by Houston:
“According to an NBA source in regular contact with the team, the Heat was open to offering a couple of its young players — potentially combined with a 2025 first-rounder if OKC unlocks the 2023 pick. Andre Iguodala and Kelly Olynyk would be needed to facilitate the trade from a cap standpoint, because of trade restrictions involving five other Heat veterans.
But the Rockets want more. Even if the Heat offered Herro, Robinson, Precious Achiuwa, KZ Okpala, Iguodala, Olynyk and first-round picks in 2025 and 2027, I’m not sure that would be enough to satisfy the Rockets.”
But Jackson would then follow that up with the most vital part: the Heat weren't actually 100% open to trade discussions, unless they were on Pat Riley's terms. This was a little over a week before Harden was ultimately dealt:
“Perhaps it would be, but that’s no sure thing. That’s all moot, for now, because the Heat isn’t willing to give up that much.
We’re told Pat Riley holds Harden in high regard, but would do a deal only at a price that’s palatable to him and the organization.”
When a former MVP who's (1) still in his prime and (2) has more than a year left on his deal (3) becomes available via trade, with (4) clear signs of interest in joining your team, you better bend over backwards to make that happen. Screw getting it done on your own terms. Just the viability of doing the deal without including franchise cornerstone Bam Adebayo is leeway enough to throw everything else at them.
Jackson already mentions that the full offer may or may not have been enough, but that their non-engagement to that extent didn't allow them to even find out. It's important to note as well that Herro and Robinson were also peaking at the exact week right before the Harden trade. This comes from Sun Sentinel's Ira Winderman, on events right before Harden was traded to the Nets:
“From Herro, there were a career-high 34 points, a game after he eclipsed his previous regular-season high with 31 in a victory over the Washington Wizards this season. For Robinson, there were a season-high 26 points, including six 3-pointers.
Their value never has seemed higher.
The irony is those performances came on a night when James Harden all but demanded a trade from the Houston Rockets..”
Had the Heat been willing to play ball, they possibly could have swooped in to trump the Nets in the Harden sweepstakes. While Jackson speculated that the above offer may or may not be enough, perhaps with the right timing a deal could have been made still. While the Rockets received a boatload of picks and swaps from the Nets, those early picks were clearly going to be extremely late firsts, while the pick swaps would most likely be useless to Houston as they themselves would own a better pick.
Having true assets in hand such as Herro, Robinson, and Achiuwa, plus their remaining first-round picks in their war chest, might have looked extra enticing if the Heat were more willing to pursue on Houston's terms. They could have included additional pick swaps as well in 2024 and 2026.
Obviously, Miami's front office knew all about the inner workings of what it could offer. At the end of the day, if they were willing to offer the farm aside from Adebayo and Butler, they could've figured something out, given that all Houston got was a gimpy Victor Oladipo on an expiring contract and a bunch of trashy picks and swaps.
But the Heat stuck with their guns and trusted that their vaunted #HeatCulture and current core would be enough to get them back to the NBA Finals. Alas, they'll have to try again next year, possibly after James Harden gets his first ring.
Follow Us
Subscribe