James Harden Traded to Houston: What is OKC Thinking ?

ith the Oklahoma City Thunder making to the NBA Finals last season, you would think you'd see Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and James Harden for years to come. Not the case ...

When I first heard that James Harden was traded to the Houston Rockets for Kevin Martin, I was shocked. I mean, I've heard rumors about OKC trading Harden, but I though it was -- well -- rumors. Never thought serious about it.

I don't think anyone thought OKC would trade the reigning sixth man of the year, after they just went to the NBA Finals.

I know Martin is very good, but you cannot trade one of your young core, after you just came from the Finals. A young team like OKC, who now know how it feels to go and lose in the Finals, is dangerous because you knew they were going to get better and learn from it. A young NBA team that's already been to the finals is hard to fine.

Now, OKC is still very young, but the chemistry is gone with Harden traded. It's almost as if they have to rebuild, all over again. With Harden, OKC knew what to do and knew what they had when he came off the bench. He was their hidden weapon, off the bench. Harden did the little things so well for OKC, and was their balance in between Durant and Westbrook.

If OKC was a team that lost in the Western Conference Finals, then I can understand the trade. They went to the Finals ! Just because they lost doesn't they're going to lose again. This is a team that's in their early 20's, and have already been to the Finals.

Can Kevin Martin do what Harden did ? Can he help OKC go back to the NBA Finals like Harden did ?

Not only is OKC trading part of their chemistry -- they're trading young for old. Martin is 29, and Haren is 23. They traded young and experience, for old and inexperience. That's a tough one to grasp.