Much of this trade will be made into how the Thunder let a team that was in the NBA Finals last season break up. For Houston, this trade is about what it could lead to in the future.
Monday marked another new era for Houston as Harden has been dubbed the team’s “foundational player.” After unfulfilling runs at Dwight Howard and Andrew Bynum over the past year, management finally feels it has a player who can get the team back in the title conversation.
“We feel like we’ve got one (an All-Star player) now and frankly want more than one … but you have to get one first,” Morey said. “After we extend James, we are going to have max salary room going forward to add a significant player when the time is right.”
Either that, or Terrence Jones, Chandler Parsons (whom Oklahoma City wanted) or any one of Houston’s young players emerge as a star. Do-it-all forward Josh Smith and low-post scorer Al Jefferson are two of the top free agents going into the summer of 2013 – assuming Chris Paul and Dwight Howard stay put in Los Angeles.
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Rockets fans are ecstatic over the move and are hoping that it brings them closer to their championship runs of the mid-1990s. While Harden does bring championship and Olympic pedigree, he was quick to temper expectations for the team.
“It might take some time; you know I was coming off the bench,” Harden cautioned. “A lot more minutes 
are going to have to be played, a lot more scoring opportunities, a lot more opportunities with the ball in my hand.”
Jeremy Lin will still have his following, but Harden is now the No. 1 guy. No longer a sixth man, he will be counted on for points, assists, rebounds and defense at higher levels. Undoubtedly, his biggest responsibility will be recruiting.
“It’s one of the top five cities in the NBA,” said Harden, beginning his pitch. “Obviously the fans, the market, just everything is beautiful … It’s different for me, coming from Oklahoma City.”
Still, NBA fans can’t forget just how good that Thunder team was and how good it could have been. The Spurs definitely can’t erase the memory of Harden’s postseason exploits, which nullified a 2-0 deficit in the Western Conference finals. Thunder fans will be left to only imagine how special it could have been with a core trio of stars all under the age of 25.
“We had something special there,” Harden said. “It didn’t work out.”
The Rockets have started to assemble a similar star-studded core and appear ready and willing to the put up the max money to do it.
Recently relocated to Houston, Harrison Sanford is a contributor to Sheridan Hoops. He has covered basketball (print and video) since the 2003 NBA draft, events including the NCAA Tournament, the Big East tournament, McDonald’s All-American Games and the NBPA Top 100 camp. Follow him on Twitter.