We passed along a piece by Sean Deveney of The Sporting News yesterday that laid out five scenarios that could play out for the Thunder and James Harden, who face an Oct. 31st deadline for negotiating an extension. Here's what Deveney says could happen:
The Thunder could trade Harden, as with a rumored deal for Bradley Beal at draft time.
Harden could sign a max extension with the Thunder, putting the team in a serious payroll bind.
The Thunder fail to match another team's deal with Harden after letting him become a restricted free agent next summer.
The Thunder let him get to restricted free agency, but re-sign him next summer.
Deveney believes the final option is the one that will play out. That's the only scenario in which Harden could get a five-year deal, so it might be the most lucrative scenario for him, but it involves risk for both sides.
What do you think? Let us know how you believe the Harden situation plays out by voting below. If you have anything to add to the debate, feel free to leave a comment.
