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Dissecting the James Harden deal

I gotta admit, I hadn't seen this endgame coming.

I thought if the Oklahoma City Thunder couldn't agree to a below-market extension with James Harden, they'd do one of three things:

(1) They'd re-sign him for the max after the season and amnesty Kendrick Perkins; or
(2) they'd re-sign him for the max after the season and trade Russell Westbrook; or
(3) they'd sign and trade him after the season.