HoopsHype.com Rumors

Ted Leonsis: I am not shy about making financial investments in our teams. Simply look at the history of the Capitals and see the progression of our payroll. Additionally, the Wizards used the amnesty provision this past offseason as a financial tool to reconfigure our team. It is public knowledge that we have taken on some of the most significant contracts in the NBA and NHL. We have a track record, and these are concrete examples. Our fans know we will invest in our teams. Ted Leonsis

Houston Rockets, Washington Wizards, Trade, James Harden, Ted Leonsis 

Ted Leonsis: I hope this sets the record straight, and if the anonymous sources would like to debate the facts and what I know to be the truth, then I welcome them to come forward. Thank you. Ted Leonsis

Houston Rockets, Washington Wizards, Trade, James Harden, Ted Leonsis 

Backcourt: 1. Kobe Bryant (LAL) 639,419. 2. Chris Paul (LAC) 353,603. 3. Jeremy Lin (Hou) 298,319. 4. James Harden (Hou) 196,108. 5. Russell Westbrook (OKC) 143,437. NBCSports.com

Los Angeles Clippers, Los Angeles Lakers, Oklahoma City Thunder, Chris Paul, Kobe Bryant, James Harden, Russell Westbrook, Jeremy Lin 

Jonathan Feigen: WashPost reported Wiz had chance to trade for Harden. Wittman postgame: "Anytime you add a player like that, he's going to make you better." Twitter @Jonathan_Feigen

Washington Wizards, Trade, James Harden, Randy Wittman 

As he walked toward the locker room, Harden was asked if he was aware that later that evening he was going to face a team that had passed on a chance to acquire him last summer. “I don’t know anything about that,” Harden said. Washington Post

Houston Rockets, Washington Wizards, James Harden 

“You know what? No. I don’t get bothered or intrigued by stuff like that, no,” Harden said. “I mean, I guess I wasn’t a fit for that organization or whatever they are moving forward to. What I can control is me going out there and playing my hardest and helping my team win games.” Washington Post

Houston Rockets, Washington Wizards, James Harden 

Ted Leonsis: No comment on any of the other stuff. We can never comment about rumor and anonymous sources. Ted Leonsis

Washington Wizards, James Harden, Ted Leonsis 

The Washington Wizards turned down a trade with the Oklahoma City Thunder for James Harden this summer because team owner Ted Leonsis was unwilling to commit to what would have been a roughly $80 million, five-year contract for the high-scoring player, according to multiple people with knowledge of the proposed deal. Washington Post

Houston Rockets, Oklahoma City Thunder, Washington Wizards, Trade, James Harden, Ted Leonsis 

The Wizards would have sent rookie guard Bradley Beal and second-year forward Chris Singleton to the Thunder in return for Harden, winner of the NBA’s sixth-man award with Oklahoma City last season, according to these individuals, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to talk about the proposal. Washington Post

Houston Rockets, Oklahoma City Thunder, Washington Wizards, Trade, James Harden, Ted Leonsis, Bradley Beal, Chris Singleton 

Leonsis, Wizards President Ernie Grunfeld and Thunder General Manager Sam Presti all declined comment when asked about the proposed trade. One Wizards official denied that Oklahoma City had offered Harden in exchange for Beal and Singleton, stating that the Thunder was also seeking an established player — which the Wizards didn’t have — in return. “That’s not true,” the official said about the proposed deal. Washington Post

Houston Rockets, Oklahoma City Thunder, Washington Wizards, Trade, James Harden, Ted Leonsis 

A person with knowledge of Oklahoma City’s interest in Beal said the Wizards’ decision to hold on to Beal made sense because teams are often willing to trade draft picks but are more inclined to keep players once they’ve been selected. Washington Post

Houston Rockets, Oklahoma City Thunder, Washington Wizards, Trade, James Harden, Ted Leonsis, Bradley Beal 

Horford, who is from the Dominican Republic, prefers to read books in Spanish and said that Garcia Marquez is much better in Spanish. (John Jenkins, Georgia's 358-pound nose tackle, just sacked McCarron for a 15-yard loss!) He listed Garcia Marquez books I hadn't heard of, and warned me not to bother with Memories of My Melancholy Whores. I wrote that down and then lowered the discourse: What did he think of Houston Rockets guard James Harden's 1970s beard? (Crazy catch by Amari Cooper ... then Lacy runs it up the middle. 'Bama closing in on its first score.) He told me that he didn't approve. Nor did his wife, which was why he keeps his facial hair close to his face. Creative Loafing Atlanta

Houston Rockets, James Harden, John Jenkins, Dominican Republic 

In fact, Harden recently told KGOW in Houston that he has already started recruiting some players and trying to sell them on the Rockets. “Of course,” Harden said when asked if it’s on him to recruit players to Houston. “I’ve been starting that recruiting process. One player is not going to win a championship. Nowadays, you need two or maybe more. I’ve definitely started the recruiting process. We need more guys to come over here, so we can win. For right now, we are going to stick with the players we have and try to run with that.” HoopsWorld

Houston Rockets, James Harden 

Harden received a warm ovation from the sellout crowd of 18,203 and a handful of beards were spotted. Opposing players are introduced in a monotone voice and very rapidly. Harden was introduced second, not last, and received a favorable reaction from fans, who already were on their feet. Oklahoman

Houston Rockets, Oklahoma City Thunder, James Harden 

What was it like visiting with your ex-teammates? “Joyful. We all had some good laughs. It was the first time we've actually seen each other since the trade. It was just good to see them, kind of laugh and joke around.” Was it odd entering the arena from the opposite tunnel? “Just to warm up on the other side, it feels kind of weird. It is what it is.” Oklahoman

Houston Rockets, Oklahoma City Thunder, James Harden 

When the two sides couldn't come to terms on an extension, Harden was given approximately an hour to decide whether to take the latest offer or run the risk of being traded, he says. He received the news that he had been sent to Houston while dining with his family at a Cheesecake Factory in Oklahoma City and admitted he was stunned. "I was lost (when he heard)," Harden told USA TODAY Sports. "I got traded? I don't know what that means. Traded? I'm really leaving OKC, really going to Houston? Lost. I was at a loss for words." USA Today

Houston Rockets, Oklahoma City Thunder, Trade, James Harden 

"I mean obviously there's always a possibility (of being traded), but in my situation I (wasn't) thinking about getting traded," he told USA TODAY Sports. "I'm thinking about getting a deal done. But the day I got traded, they basically said I had an hour or whatever the case may be to decide." USA Today

Houston Rockets, Oklahoma City Thunder, Trade, James Harden 

"No, it wasn't (about money)," Harden said. "Well, I mean obviously it was majority, partly about the money, but…I was put in a tough situation to where things didn't happen the way that (he) wanted (them) to. "I thought I did sacrifice. I thought I sacrificed coming off the bench. I could've tried to be a starter and messed the whole thing up. But I sacrificed coming off the bench in order for the betterment of the team, so there was a lot of different things I thought I sacrificed to make the Thunder better." USA Today

Houston Rockets, Oklahoma City Thunder, Trade, James Harden 

Other than cussing him out, which happens quite frequently, I have no idea what Thabeet even came close to doing to Harden that could be considered unsportsmanlike. Oklahoman

Houston Rockets, Oklahoma City Thunder, James Harden, Hasheem Thabeet 

Here’s Thabeet’s side of things. “It was a basketball play. I wanted to challenge the shot. We got tangled up a little bit. I was trying to hear what (Harden) was saying and the ref came over and whatever happened, happened.” Thabeet said Davis told him he pushed him. But Thabeet said the contact was unintentional. “When the situation like that happened, I was just focused on trying to see what was going on between me and James. So my peripheral was completely gone and I threw my hands and he said I pushed him. It wasn’t intentional.” Oklahoman

Houston Rockets, Oklahoma City Thunder, James Harden, Hasheem Thabeet