Golden State Warriors Were Interested in Trading for James Harden

What now seems like a completely out-of-the-blue pairing was once, in fact, was a possibility.

According to Bill Simmons of ESPN’s Grantland, when the Oklahoma City Thunder were shopping James Harden, the Golden State Warriors were one of the teams they engaged heavily in talks:

But here’s the real killer. Multiple sources have told me that, when Oklahoma City’s Sam Presti decided to shop James Harden, Golden State was his first call. He wanted Klay Thompson and a pick. The Warriors would only consider the trade if Oklahoma City took back Biedrins or Jefferson for 2013 expirings, knowing they’d get crushed by the luxury tax in 2014 with Harden’s extension plus Steph Curry’s extension plus David Lee plus Bogut/Jefferson/Biedrins.13 At that point, Presti went to Washington (offering Harden for Bradley Beal, and unbelievably getting turned down), then Houston (where the shopping heated up). Presti never ended up calling Golden State back.

While this has been floating around out there for a little while, it seems all the more intriguing to ponder after watching the Warriors pummel the Rockets 108-78 on Sunday night.

Luxury taxes be damned, it only makes sense that Golden State should have pulled the trigger on the deal. There was no way Sam Presti was going to allow the Thunder to take on Richard Jefferson or Andris Biedrins. Not when he was giving up a superstar. The Warriors should have dealt for Harden and thought about the dollars and cents of it all later.

Except, I’m not so sure they should have.

By no means am I comparing Harden to Monta Ellis (at all), but would a pairing with Curry actually have proved fecund?

For years, we watched Curry and Ellis struggle to co-exist on the same team. When healthy—well, when Curry was healthy—they were both scoring. A lot. But they failed to bring the Warriors back to the playoffs. They just didn’t complement each other properly. Harden would have posed many of the same problems.

This isn’t about numbers and advanced stats per se. It’s about how the two would have complemented one another. Harden dominates the ball in Houston. Absolutely dominates it. He’s a deft passer for sure, but he’s better with the rock in his hands. Just like Curry.

Presently, Jarrett Jack and Curry have this nice rapport where each play on and off the ball at certain points. Said balance is working wonders (at times). There’s no telling how different it would have been with Harden.

Bear in mind, these two would have been in the same starting lineup. Klay Thompson excels as a spot-up shooter, so he makes sense next to a guy like Curry (or Harden). Curry and Harden hardly make sense together as a dyad.

Curry is a dangerous spot-up shooter. Per Synergy Sports (subscription required), he’s converting on 48 percent of his spot-up opportunities this season. Harden is not as accurate in such situations. He’s hitting on just 41.3 percent of his spot ups, and 34 percent of his attempts off screen. With Harden in the fold, Curry would have had to been used as a spot-up shooter even more than he is now.

Personally, I think Mark Jackson already plays Curry off the ball too much. Again, he’s an exceptional shooter under any circumstances, but he’s downright dangerous when the ball is in hands and he’s creating off the dribble. His pull-up threes are also a thing of beauty. Playing alongside Harden would have taken the ball out of his hands more than it already is, mitigating his on-ball talents.

Criticizing the Warriors for acquiring Harden would have been futile had such a deal actualized itself. In so many ways, this could have been an effective pairing. Knowing that the Warriors are clinging to the notion of a deep postseason run only heightens such intrigue.

Allowing Curry to develop further on his own, as the team’s primary pillar, though, has proved beyond deadly. Golden State is still a piece or two short of legitimate contention, but that “piece” isn’t Harden.

And the Warriors and Curry wouldn’t have been (much) better off with him than they are now.