Bradley Beal shares how he was almost traded for James Harden

Considering that the Oklahoma City Thunder have been around for almost two decades, enough time has passed to be added to the league's history books.

In one of the most impactful trades in league history, the Thunder sent James Harden to the Houston Rockets in 2012 after they failed to reach an extension. OKC was fresh off the NBA Finals and took a gamble that didn't pay off. Harden developed into one of the league's best players in Houston and won the prestigious MVP award in 2018.

Details of the deal have been well documented for over a decade. Alternate realities have been suggested, including the Thunder potentially acquiring Klay Thompson or Bradley Beal for Harden. These deals failed for various reasons.

In a recent Run Your Race podcast episode with Theo Pinson, Beal shared how he was almost dealt to OKC in the 2012 NBA Draft. The multiple All-Star would have been the perfect third scorer behind Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook on their way to the championship.

“That night my agent told me, 'I'm pretty sure we're going to fly (No.) 3 to Washington.' “Seven minutes before the draft started, he said, 'Brad, get ready,'” Beal said. “In my head I’m thinking, ‘How? I didn't train for her.' … My agent says, “Brad, I'm getting these calls, they're telling me you (No.) 2 could go to OKC.” … So the deal should be trade James (Harden) to DC and to commit to OKC. In my head now I'm thinking, “That would have been crazy.” But it doesn't happen.

It sounds like the deal is close to happening. For some reason the trigger was never pulled. Unfortunately, Beal had an amazing career with the Washington Wizards. He was a three-time All-Star and co-led several playoff teams with John Wall.

There have been many what-if scenarios in the Thunder's short history. This one is right up there in terms of allure. It's easy to imagine Beal getting multiple open attacks from deep as opposing defenses focus on Durant and Westbrook.

What didn't happen in OKC happened in Arizona. Beal will begin his second season with the Phoenix Suns. He, Durant and Devin Booker are hoping to bounce back from last year's disappointing first-round exit.

Bradley Beal shares how he was almost traded for James Harden

ByVanessa

By Vanessa

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