Making It Rain On Them Groupies: OKC Baller James Harden Rejects $52 Million Extension And Takes $60 Milli Deal With Houston Rockets

It’s all about the Benjamins!

The Oklahoma City Thunder traded All-Star guard James Harden to the Houston Rockets Saturday night, reports Yahoo! Sports:

The Rockets in turn sent guards Kevin Martin, Jeremy Lamb and future draft considerations to Oklahoma City for Harden. The Thunder will send center Cole Aldridge, forward Lazr Hayward and guard Daquan Cook to the Rockets.

Houston will also send two 2013 first-round picks (from Dallas and Toronto) to the Thunder.

Sources say that the Thunder and Harden were not able to reach an extension and Thunder general manager Sam Presti moved quickly to trade him.

“We wanted to sign James to an extension, but at the end of the day, these situations have to work for all those involved. Our ownership group again showed their commitment to the organization with several significant offers,” Presti said in a statement. “We were unable to reach a mutual agreement, and therefore executed a trade that capitalized on the opportunity to bring in a player of Kevin’s caliber, a young talent like Jeremy and draft picks, which will be important to our organizational goal of a sustainable team. We appreciate James, Cole, Daequan and Lazar’s contributions to the Thunder organization and this community and wish them the best in the future.”

Harden, last season’s NBA Sixth Man of the Year, recently turned down a four-year offer worth about $52 million. Harden had been asking for a maximum contract worth $60 million.

In professional sports, it’s often about the money. And at the end of the day, the Oklahoma City Thunder didn’t have the money for guard James Harden.

Will Trina be at his games in Houston??

Khloe And Lamar Matrimony-dom In Trouble? Is The NBA Baller Mad His Wife Put Work Before Family?

KHLOE KARDASHIAN scored a slam dunk when she was asked to co-host “The X Factor” – but the prospective gig has left her hoops-playing hubby Lamar Odom feeling like he’s been fouled!

According to insiders, Lamar, 32, is in­censed that 28-year-old Khloe is going back on her word to dedicate this year to starting a family and supporting his NBA comeback in Los Angeles.

“Khloe told Lamar that this was going to be his time – she even agreed to put the third season of their reality show on hold so he could concentrate on getting his confidence back on the bas­ketball court,” said a source.

In April, Lamar was listed as “inactive” with the Dallas Mavericks and did not play for the remainder of the season. But he got another shot when he was traded to the L.A. Clippers in June.

“Khloe promised that his career would be the priority,” continued the insider. “She also agreed that they would spend more time to­gether in an attempt to have a baby.

“They’ve been trying for three years without any luck. And Khloe’s been gung-ho about al­ternative conception methods – including IVF.

“But now she is going to be totally consumed with ‘The X Factor,’ and he’ll be spending a lot of time on the road with the Clippers. So they’ll see less of each other than ever.”

The couple celebrated their third wedding anniversary on Sept. 27, but now friends say there’s so much tension between them that they may not make it an­other year.

In an interview earlier this year, Khloe insisted that women should “put [their] husband first,” and added that “part of being married is knowing when your hus­band needs your support.”

But when Simon Cowell asked Khloe to be co-host on “The X Factor’s” second season with “Extra” hunk Mario Lopez, she seemed quick to put Lamar’s needs on the back burner. She’s been telling pals the offer was simply “too good” to turn down.

“It will bring her huge expo­sure, a large paycheck and make her an even bigger name,” noted the insider.

“Lamar is really hurt and angry. He can’t help feeling be­trayed by Khloe’s decision to spend more time on her career than on his. It’s like she’s choosing money over love.”

Tell that ninja to sit his big depressed azz down somewhere! What if he ends up inactive again? Then he’ll be glad his wife has paper to pay all the bills they’re generating in that house.

Do you think Lamar has a point though? If they’re trying to get pregnant shouldn’t Khloe be resting and taking it easy instead of working on a demanding TV set?