I don't even think Harden was asking for max. I think the Thunder offered him 4 years $52 mil ($13 mil average annually), and he wanted 4 years $60 million ($15 mil average annually). He ended up signing for 5 years, $80 million ($16 mi average annually). I don't really know the cap situation for the Thunder in depth, but in retrospect would the Thunder have extended Ibaka if they could do it over again? Or should they have bit the bullet and amnestied Perkins in order to free up space to keep Ibaka and Harden? I'm guessing for the later scenario, they wouldn't have been able to make it work financially for them.