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Evaluating if Carmelo Anthony trade is the worst deal in OKC Thunder history

By Austin Sternlicht

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK - APRIL 15: Carmelo Anthony #7 of the Oklahoma City Thunder tries to keep the ball away from Jae Crowder #99 of the Utah Jazz during the first half of a NBA playoff game at the Chesapeake Energy Arena on April 15, 2018 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by J Pat Carter/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Carmelo Anthony;
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK - APRIL 15: Carmelo Anthony #7 of the Oklahoma City Thunder tries to keep the ball away from Jae Crowder #99 of the Utah Jazz during the first half of a NBA playoff game at the Chesapeake Energy Arena on April 15, 2018 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by J Pat Carter/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Carmelo Anthony; /
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Carmelo Anthony
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK – DECEMBER 25: James Harden /

No more standing pat:

If there’s one positive outcome of trading for Carmelo Anthony, it’s the message it sent to the rest of the team, specifically Paul George and Russell Westbrook. This move showed a sense of hunger and desperation the Thunder has never exhibited. Even after acquiring a star in Paul George one month earlier, Presti kept his foot on the gas and made a big move, hoping to impress his new free-agent to be.

Coming from an Indiana team that traded away Danny Granger and let David West walk, George had to be impressed with the Thunder’s willingness and effort to make a significant transaction.

Also of note, Russell Westbrook didn’t sign his new extension until after the Anthony trade. The trade may not have been the deciding factor, but it certainly couldn’t have hurt to convince the Thunder’s original star to stay put.

But if you’re really going to say the Anthony trade isn’t the worst move in Thunder history, it’s probably because you don’t think it’s worse than the Harden trade.

I’ve written about the Harden trade and the impact it’s had five years later. You can read that here for a more in-depth look at that move. To keep it shorter, the Harden trade has become a disaster for three reasons.

Reason one:

They traded away an MVP. At first, it didn’t seem so bad with Durant and Westbrook. Now, Durant is gone, and its debatable whether Westbrook is better than Harden. If Harden was more in the mold of a Klay Thompson type or even someone like Kyrie Irving, we aren’t having this conversation. But Harden is now an MVP winner, and you could certainly argue he should have more than one.

Reason two:

They failed to maximize their return. The Thunder essentially traded Harden for Steven Adams, Alex Abrines, Jeremy Lamb, Mitch McGary, and a year of Kevin Martin. Adams has obviously turned himself into a nice player, but the remaining pieces (the jury is still out on Abrines) haven’t made the trade worth it.

Reason three:

They created a monster in the West: Before trading for Harden, Houston was a team stuck in no man’s land. Now, they are title contenders and finished with the best record in the Western Conference. Had Chris Paul not gotten hurt in the West Finals, James Harden could be an NBA champion.

The Rockets eliminated the Thunder two seasons ago, and OKC will now be forced to deal with the Rockets for the foreseeable future. Had the Thunder shipped Harden east, who knows what would be different. One thing for sure is that Patrick Beverley wouldn’t have gotten the opportunity to run into Russell Westbrook’s knee. You can see why the Spurs are so hesitant to trade Kawhi Leonard to the Lakers or any other West team, even if they won’t be able to maximize their value.

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