Nothing but Nets with Harden off to Brooklyn
James Harden is heading to Brooklyn, joining old teammate Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving to give the Nets a trio of the NBA’s highest scorers.
The Nets, led by their New Zealand general manager Sean Marks, agreed to acquire the three-time scoring champion from the Houston Rockets yesterday in a move he has sought for weeks.
Harden is the centrepiece of a fourteam deal that also involves Indiana and Cleveland, allowing the Nets to trot out a lineup of three players capable of scoring 25 or more points on any night in a collection of firepower to rival any Big Three in recent years.
They are loading up for a title run with three of the highest-paid players in the league. All are under contract through 2022-23, with Harden and Durant set to earn more than US$40 million in each of the next two seasons.
In the meantime, the Nets were short-handed for their game against the New York Knicks, which ended in a victory, and coach Steve Nash declined pre-game to discuss Harden but did confirm the players the Nets were trading were not in the building.
Off to a 7-6 start in his rookie season, now the former point guard and two-time league MVP will have to mould an offence that keeps the ball moving with three players worthy of having it in their hands.
“It’s a simple game but it becomes complicated when you put different personalities and players on the floor,” Nash said. “Our group’s done a really good job being unselfish this year and trying to move the ball and work together so I’ve been proud of that.”
The blockbuster deal provides a needed boost amid a period of drama for both franchises. It was struck less than 24 hours after Harden seemed to deliver a farewell address of sorts following the Rockets’ loss to the Los Angeles Lakers, and just before Irving was set to miss a fifth straight game during a personal absence from the Nets.
At least four draft picks and additional pick swaps are also part of the deal. Other key players: Victor Oladipo goes from Indiana to Houston, and Caris LeVert goes from Brooklyn to Indiana. The Cavaliers will get Jarrett Allen and Taurean Prince from the Nets in the deal.
Harden, who has cycled through Chris Paul and Russell Westbrook as teammates in recent seasons, didn’t think much of the roster the Rockets had around him this season.
“We’re just not good enough ... I love this city. I literally have done everything that I can,” Harden said. “I mean, this situation is crazy. It’s something I don’t think can be fixed.” It couldn’t, and now he’s gone. Brooklyn expects Harden to leave that behind him and that his transition is smooth. He should be much happier in Brooklyn, having teamed with Durant in Oklahoma City when they were younger.
The Nets were ready to swoop after a shaky defence during the early season proved their best chance to beat teams might be to outscore them.
They can certainly do that now. Durant is averaging 29.9 points in his first season back from surgery to repair a ruptured Achilles tendon, and Irving was scoring 27.1 per game before leaving the team last week. Harden, who appears to be out of shape after joining the Rockets after training camp began, is averaging 24.8 this season after three straight seasons above 30, culminating in MVP honours in 2018.