in a deadline deal with no pre-arranged extension.

>they also could have signed harden to an extension (which
>doesn't kick in until next season anyway) and entertained
>offers for both him and westbrook after the season. or the
>billionaire owners could have said HEY WE'RE FUCKING PRINTING
>MONEY HERE and eaten the lux tax to keep an absurdly good
>foursome together.

The new CBA makes the luxury tax so brutal that even the Lakers were cutting payroll this offseason. And signing Harden this year and then trying to trade him would have been a risk because they'd only be able to trade him to teams that could eat his full contract (or they'd have to take back salary which would put them over the cap.)
Also, another stinker like the Finals or an injury and he's a lot harder to deal.

>we'll see what happens. if OKC doesn't win a chip this season
>and those picks don't pan out...well, they gave up a top 5
>scorer for very little to show for it.

I'd say that the issue isn't when they traded Harden, it's who they traded Harden instead of.