Top Story: Recap as Rockets Nearly Missed Out on Game Changing Superstar Trade

James Harden was a defining figure for the Houston Rockets throughout the 2010s, but that era nearly never happened.

HoopsHype writer Mark Deeks revisited some trade scenarios from the past, including a 2012 trade that could have sent Harden from the Oklahoma City Thunder to the Washington Wizards.

“Just a few weeks after Harden was traded to the Houston Rockets in exchange for Kevin Martin, Jeremy Lamb, and draft picks that became Steven Adams, Alex Abrines, and Mitch McGary, Michael Lee of the Washington Post reported that the Thunder had a different trade offer on the table for Harden. They had proposed a deal to the Washington Wizards involving then-rookie Bradley Beal and then-second-year forward Chris Singleton, but the Wizards declined,” Deeks wrote.

Rockets fans are likely relieved that this trade didn’t go through, as it would have taken Houston in a completely different direction. While the Rockets might have eventually acquired a potential star, it’s unlikely that player would have made the same impact as Harden did.

For the Wizards, a backcourt of Harden and John Wall could have been promising. Though the Rockets attempted this pairing too late in 2020, a younger and healthier Wall alongside Harden might have posed a significant challenge to the league’s top backcourts.

The Thunder, on the other hand, might regret not finalizing the trade. With Beal alongside Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant, OKC could have had another shot at the Finals and potentially even a championship.