Reporters: "What do you think of these Bobcats rumors?" Harden: "The ones where they win 10 games next year? Wait... You mean they want to trade for..." Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-US PRESSWIRE

If the reports that the Charlotte Bobcats are looking to trade the second pick in the NBA draft for James Harden are true, things are looking good for Brian Shaw.

Shaw was a succesful player and assistant coach with the Lakers under Phil Jackson, and he’s going to impliment the triangle offense wherever he goes.

What better (possibly) availbe player is there to run that offense through than James Harden? During his time in OKC Harden has turned into an efficient decision maker; This season his true shooting percentage was 66 percent, he assisted on 19 percent of his teammates field goals while he was on the floor, and he turned the ball over just 15 times per 100 possessions.

He’s not Kobe Bryant, but he could be the Kobe in Shaw’s triangle offense.

Of course right now this is all a bunch of speculation, and the Thunder might not even want to part with Harden, but it seems like the Charlotte Bobcats are searching for a player to be the go-to-guy in one of the NBA’s most famous (and hard to master) offenses.

Will Bobcats opponents soon "fear the beard"? Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-US PRESSWIRE

A new name has surfaced in trade rumors involving the Charlotte Bobcats and their second overall pick in the upcoming NBA draft.

Jeff Goodman reported that “a source” says James Harden “could be in play” because of OKC’s salary issues. Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook are locked up long term with big money, and Harden, as well as Serge Ibaka, will command hefty salaries once their deals are up after the 2012/13 season.

The only way this deal would make sense is if Harden agrees to a contract extension. Giving up the second overall pick for a player who comes to your team for one season would be pointless.

If Rick Cho and company can actually make this deal happen, the Bobcats’ rebuilding process would be significantly accelerated. Harden is already a borderline All Star, and definitely better than any player Charlotte could take with the second pick.

As @noamschiller put it on twitter: “If the Bobcats can get James Harden out of this draft, Rich Cho should get a statue that floats above the entire state of North Carolina.”