A New Era in Houston
Earlier today, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski dropped one of his iconic ‘Woj bombs’, which usually reveal a shocking event in the NBA. This particular ‘Woj bomb’ could perhaps be one of the most devastating he’s ever dropped: a three team trade involving former MVP James Harden going to Brooklyn, four first round picks going to Houston along with Caris LeVert and others, and Jarret Allen and Taurean Prince heading to Cleveland. This was then shortly followed by the news that LeVert would be traded for Victor Oladipo of the Pacers, essentially making this a four team trade.
This trade has shaken up the face of the league entirely. Brooklyn was already seen as a potential contender with former MVP Kevin Durant and superstar Kyrie Irving already on the books, but with the addition of James Harden, the prospects of a Finals appearance are looking excellent. Some may argue that the recent actions of Irving and Harden will cause trouble, with Irving not showing up to practices and Harden complaining about his Houston teammates. However, three elite players on one team has a history of ending in good things in the NBA.
For Houston, not only is the future looking bright with four first round picks, but the present also looks great. The combination of Wall and Oladipo in the backcourt could be extremely dangerous for opponents, and the big men could be elite too. Wood has played excellent basketball so far this season and Cousins has shown flashes of greatness throughout his career. If this team stays healthy and peaks at the right time, they could challenge for a Finals appearance, but will struggle to get by the Lakers.
Down the road, this trade may be seen as the beginning of many different events in the future of the NBA. It will most certainly be interesting to follow the impact of this trade through the years.