The 10 biggest what-if scenarios of the NBA this decade

1. What if the Oklahoma City Thunder never traded James Harden?

The decision by the Oklahoma City Thunder to trade James Harden faced a level of ridicule back in 2012 that has only grown since.

Of course, Sam Presti didn’t know he had three future MVPs in his hands, but the rapid success of the franchise was more than enough reason to keep him alongside Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook.

By that point, OKC was coming off a disappointing showing in the NBA Finals. Despite the five-game defeat at the hands of the Miami Heat, the hardships faced in defeat were eased by the perceived inevitability of a Thunder dynasty in the coming years.

Harden was satisfied as the sixth man and the chemistry with his All-Star teammates was never in question. They were the Warriors before the Warriors, a young upstart with improbable amounts of drafted talent.

Nothing in the NBA is guaranteed, but it’s hard not to assume at least one championship for a team that progressed every season.

If the Thunder return to the Finals and bring home a title, is that enough to convince Durant to remain put in the summer of 2016?

Even if he were to leave, OKC would still possess one of the league’s best backcourt to take them down a more prosperous route than Westbrook had by himself.

In the absence of Harden’s eventual superstardom to guide them, where the Houston Rockets wind up is anyone’s guess. They were coming off a 34-win season without a foundational piece in place.

Given Daryl Morey’s aggressive mindset in the trade and free-agent market, there’s no telling who the former Executive of the Year could’ve brought in.

Multiple factors kept OKC from a championship. Injuries flared up at inconvenient times. Klay Thompson‘s hot hand brought Golden State back from the dead.

Ultimately, every shortcoming by the Thunder circles back to the Harden trade, where $4 million robbed Oklahoma City of a potential powerhouse of drafted talent the league may never see again.