James Harden Reportedly Turned Down 50 MILLION DOLLARS A YEAR From The Rockets And Still Wants To Go To Brooklyn

Tom Pennington. Getty Images.

(ESPN) - After turning down the chance to become the first $50 million a year player in league history, Houston Rockets guard All-NBA guard James Harden has made it clear to ownership that he's singularly focused on a trade to the Brooklyn Nets, sources tell ESPN.

As Harden's conversations with the Nets stars Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving ramped up in recent weeks on the West Coast, sources say the Rockets made a pitch for him to sign the maximum allowable extension -- two years and $103 million on top of the remaining three years, $133 million on his current deal.

Can you imagine the stones it takes to turn down a guaranteed 50 million fucking dollars? Sure James Harden already makes a shit ton of money, but let's not try and pretend like 50 million isn't an absolutely insane amount of money per year. That's over $10M more than LeBron is making this season and he's the most unstoppable force on the goddamn planet right now. At first it made sense to think that the Rockets would blow things up because their owner hates spending money. But to learn that he offered him THAT deal and Harden still want to be moved to Brooklyn tells you everything you need to know. I'm not sure how much clearer you could be as a player that you want out other than refusing an absurd amount of money.

Again, the Rockets still hold all the cards. Harden is on a 2+1 so that's basically three years unless he turns down a $47M player option. That feels unlikely. So in reality it doesn't really matter what Harden wants. At the same time, you don't love this if you're the Rockets or their fans

This has been described by one source as "his AD moment," in reference to All-Star Anthony Davis who forced his way out of New Orleans for the opportunity to win a title with the Los Angeles Lakers.

The Rockets were selling Harden, 31, on the idea of an extension that would help to complete his career in Houston, but so far he's rejecting that idea.

Ruh roh. Just ask the Pelicans how that worked out. Unless there's a Zion coming the Rockets way, that's not great. The situations are a little different though because AD only had one year left on his deal plus the option (that he just declined). Harden has two plus the option.

I guess the plan is to get this all out and make it such a shit storm that the Rockets just say fuck it and trade him. That's certainly what it looks like. A good old fashioned standoff

so who blinks first. How can you bring Harden back to this locker room when he is publicly stating that he thinks they all stink and he wants to join another team. That under no circumstances would he consider playing for the Rockets anymore. That's a guy you're going to keep on your roster next year? Again, this is arguably a top 5 player we're talking about here! 

All I know is there's no chance any of us should be going to sleep anytime soon. Not since trades are now allowed and we could be getting a Woj/Shams bomb at any moment.