The Brooklyn Nets have traded for James Harden. It happened!
The Brooklyn Nets now consist of a three-star trio featuring a rehabilitated Kevin Durant, a disappearing point guard, and a mercurial shooting guard who just ate his way out of his long-time home.
Best of luck, Steve Nash!
After weeks of speculation, a dead period, and the late-surging Philadelphia 76ers offer that reportedly included Ben Simmons (?!), the James Harden trade rumors came to a head on Wednesday afternoon, as the shooting guard found his way to Brooklyn, gutting all of the Nets’ draft capital.
Reporting with @RamonaShelburne: Brooklyn is acquiring Houston’s James Harden in a blockbuster deal, sources tell ESPN.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) January 13, 2021
Billy King would be proud.
And yes, the package is massive. Against anyone’s better judgment, Caris LeVert and Jarrett Allen are on the way out of town, and several more teams will be involved by the time the proceedings are done.
Reporting w/ @RamonaShelburne: Brooklyn’s acquiring James Harden in a three-way deal with Cleveland. Caris LeVert, Dante Exum, Rodions Kurucs, four 1st round picks – including Cavs’ 2022 first via Bucks -- and 4 Nets pick swaps to Rockets. Jarrett Allen, Taurean Prince to Cavs. https://t.co/qM0ZDH4dH3
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) January 13, 2021
Our jaws are on the floor.
Seconds after this initial update (thanks for getting involved, Cavs!), Shams Charania reported that LeVert was, in fact, heading to Indianapolis in exchange for Victor Oladipo. So that’s another disgruntled former All-Star heading to a fresh start and he’s not even in the bold-faced headline of this deal.
Wild.
For the time being, the Nets will be dangerously thin (sure), but they’ve also assembled perhaps the most illustrious Big Three of the Player Empowerment Era. Will this entice Kyrie Irving to return to action sooner rather than later? It’s a bit of a shock that this deal wasn’t centered around him, as a matter of fact.
Harden is a generational scorer who led the Rockets repeatedly to the precipice of toppling the Warriors in the Western Conference, but couldn’t get over the hump with sidekicks Chris Paul and Russell Westbrook. His recent behavior, from breaking COVID protocols to rejecting his teammates’ advances in the name of escaping Houston, doesn’t inspire confidence.
But Brooklyn wouldn’t be making this deal — which did not come at any sort of discount — without the go-ahead from Mike D’Antoni, Harden’s former head man.
In case it wasn’t obvious from the outset of 2020-21, this is now a “championship or bust” season in Brooklyn, heightened to the maximum. 24 hours ago, we were told this franchise needed to be upended after banking on Irving.
This would mark a change of direction, though not the one most expected.
Nets: Is Kyrie Irving’s extended absence out of bounds?
Because Kyrie Irving has become somewhat of a lightning rod, NBA Twitter had fun ripping him, assuming he flaked on his team in another Kyrie tantrum