The silver lining for Oladipo comes in the void Harden leaves behind. Stephen A. Smith reacts to the breaking news that James Harden has been traded to the Nets in a four-team blockbuster deal. My family and I also want to thank James for his many off the court contributions, including generous charitable donations and multiple annual community events. 11 and No. The Rockets will undoubtedly be worse without Harden, who is good enough to drag a mediocre team to the playoffs by himself, but they also shouldnt be so terriblewith a talented trio in Oladipo, Wall, and Woodthat they trigger top-four protection. Feb. 10, 2022 (NBA Trade Deadline) According to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, Harden has "resisted making a formal [trade] request" out of fear of the backlash that comes with requesting a trade in back-to-back seasons. Harden's passing ability served as the center of an arsenal that made him an All-American, All-Star and MVP. Rather than let the situation drag out, Pritchard waited only long enough for Oladipos value to rise back above water so he could trade him to a rebuilding team where yall is the most spoken word in the vernacular. Obviously, Simmons is a former All-Star. ", Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo, the league's two-time reigning MVP, said the trade is "an amazing move by Brooklyn.". Potentially swapping with the Rockets in 2021 shouldnt be a problem. I couldnt make a layup, the 33-year-old Harden said with a laugh. The Nets are now able 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. The Sixers had a sellout crowd of 20,913 in a frenzy from the opening tip, then blew the game open in the fourth. Caris, Jarrett, Rodions and Taurean were instrumental to the team's success and have made an enormous impact on our organization. Hes an addition every single team in the league would want. Center Jarrett Allen and forward Taurean Prince are headed from the Nets to the Cavaliers, while the Rockets receive Cleveland guard Dante Exum and Brooklyn forward Rodions Kurucs. As thrilling and loud as it was for Game 7 on Saturday at Barclays Center, the Nets died in overtime, 115-111, and lasted just one round further than the rebuilding Knicks. About two hours later, ESPN and The Athletic first reported that Harden was being moved. Stephen A.: After Harden trade, it's 'Finals or bust' for the Nets (3:07) Stephen A. Smith reacts to the breaking news that James Harden has been traded to "A lot of the dominant NBA players have been in the West for whatever reason. But ultimately, Harden will leave behind a big void. The 2020-21 NBA season has already had its share of misfortune, but Wednesday finally brought a pleasant surprise: its first superstar trade.After a Your email address will not be published. On his time in Brooklyn, Harden said the impact of Irving's status was"very minimal, and obviously me and Kai are really good friends. But, as we know, sports despite how the analytics nerds may try (and are largely very successful at because analytics are the future of sports, I get it) arent a purely binary, data-driven prospect. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports. Giants need to make a Godfather offer for Deshaun Watson, Carl Banks Super Bowl memories: So much more than wide right. ESPN's Malika Andrews and The Associated Press contributed to this report. On Jan. 15, 2021, after essentially tanking his way to a trade from Houston, Harden announced he was willing to do whatever it takes to rack up victories and titles with the Nets. Thats a bummer, no matter how you spin it. Bringing in apparent con-artist Ben Simmons certainly didnt help the situation, either. All betting content is intended for an audience ages 21+. My legs, my body feels just powerful, feels strong.. Did Sixers or Nets win the Ben Simmons and James Harden trade? NBA.com is part of Warner Media, LLCs Turner Sports & Entertainment Digital Network, *Translations are limited to select pages, The deal will reportedly include a fourth team, the Indiana Pacers, but that aspect of the deal has not been made official yet. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast. The offense is not the problem. Harden left Brooklyn on Wednesday and retreated to his old stomping grounds in Houston once more. May 15, 2021 Durant, Harden and Irving share the floor for the final time in the 2020-21 regular season. Simmons and Russillo discuss the Warriors win over the Kings, how the Sacramento should view this season, the Knicks-Heat Game 1, the Celtics-76ers series, and more, The Nets Mortgaged Their Future Again, but This Time Its Worth It, The Rockets Still Have a Mess to Clean Up, by 12.1 points per 100 possessions in Allens minutes, fourth best among players who have finished at least 25 such plays this season, seventh among all players in total blocks. Remember, Harden is making $40.8 million this season and $43.8 million next season, and he even holds a $46.9 million option for 2022-23. "James has provided us with so many great memories as we've watched him grow from Sixth Man of the Year to a perennial All-Star and MVP. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. Stephen A.: After Harden trade, it's 'Finals or bust' for the Nets (3:07), Brooklyn-bound: Nets land Harden in blockbuster, 'It's going to be epic': Stephen Curry and LeBron James face off -- again, Curry sets G7 record with 50 as Dubs move on, Hobbled Butler serves as 'decoy' late in Heat win, Grizz's Brooks doesn't regret verbal jab at LeBron, 'This one's on me': Brunson self-critical after loss, Jokic on Murray's playoffs: 'We are following him', Rivers: Embiid likely doubtful for G1 vs. Celtics, How do Stephen Curry and the Warriors keep doing this?! The Ewing Theory tries to explain how and why teams sometimes seem to improve when they lose their star player. Its something that I dont think can be fixed.. By adding Harden, the Nets will be able to trot out a lineup of three players capable of scoring 25 or more points on any night, giving them a collection of firepower to rival any big three in recent years. And, assuming the Cavs made this deal with an eye toward the future, he should get paid pretty handsomely to do it. After a hot start defensively, the Nets have given up 113.2 points per 100 possessions in their past eight games, ranking 25th in the league in that span. The Nets have officially lost all of Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving and James Harden in the span of a calendar year. It would ultimately be his last game as a Net. Though the trio of Harden, Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving would ultimately share the floor a total of 16 times, the breakup wasn't as sudden as it may seem, but rather a build-up of events over time. Durant and Harden, though, are so profoundly talented they can shoulder the weight of a franchise without him, if it ever came to that, or alongside him in a superteam alignment with real championship heft. Whatever he was going through or is still going through, thats his personal preference. May 15, 2021 Durant, Harden and Irving share the floor for the final time in the 2020-21 regular season. "And so we got to get used to somebody special like that, things like that in terms of breaking records. Harden had all the right moves against the Nets. Bridges scored 30 points and helped the Nets at least hang around in the first half. Information from The Associated Press was used in this report. ET. Hardens ineffectiveness around the rim in the first half -- he was 1 of 8 on 2s -- was offset by his 5-of-7 shooting on 3s. He was a no-show when camp opened and was later fined $50,000 for conduct detrimental to the league after attending an indoor event without a mask in violation of the NBA's health and safety protocols. The process was unseemly, but like Anthony Davis before him, Harden ultimately got what he wanted. Dan Devine: At first blush, this seems like it kind of sucks for Allen. The Brooklyn Nets are 55-25 with James Harden all-time. Jan 17, 2022. Pritchard realized this, as he correctly realized the situation with Paul George had grown untenable, and once again made a move before everyone was expecting one. Required fields are marked *. Congratulations to Jordan for winning back his job; being a great friend really does pay. It has put Harden, almost unthinkably, back into the MVP conversation. Irving is the perpetual wild card. The odds are (and the numbers suggest) this new Big Three is too talented to fail, but someones going to have to take a backseat, and despite all his recent gripes, Harden reportedly got everything he wanted during his nine years in Houston. The Nets just traded both Durant and Irving in the same week to the Suns and the Mavericks respectively. James Harden left Mondays 114-112 win over the Knicks with right hamstring tightness after having missed the previous two games with the same injury. Harden won each of the past three scoring titles by notable margins -- 2.3 points over Anthony Davis in 2017-18, 8.1 points over Paul George in 2018-19 and 3.8 points over Bradley Beal last season. Then Allen started one game against Utah and tallied 19 points and 18 boardsand stayed in that position every game since. Rivers and fans, and last summer demanded a trade. Philly was 5-0 since acquiring Harden going into last nights (Wednesday) game hosting the Phoenix Suns. Sign up for our Layup Lines newsletter, hitting your inbox on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. He hasnt been able to recapture that form at all and has struggled mightily this year. When he plays, the Nets are 27-7. But Id rather miss shots and win. What happened in the next 24 hours will take many days to unpack and clean up. Justin Verrier: Harden was righthe did do everything he could. 10 pick in the 2018 draft. They may have lost the game there, but in all likelihood, would have won it in regulation were it not for the heroics of James Harden. WebThe Rockets have won 6 straight and officially have a better record than the Nets since the Harden trade. WebSince the Harden trade, the Nets are allowing 124.6 points per game, the worst DRtg of any team in the league from any year in history. Despite being without Irving, Durant nearly wills the Nets to victory with 48 points, nine rebounds and six assists, but his toe was on the line for a potential game-winner and the Bucks would prevail in overtime. According to a report from The Athletic, Irving lit sage in the visitor's locker room at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, while Harden "looked at Kyrie like he had three heads.". 6 in win shares. They held a five-point lead late, only for the Wizards to score six points in a matter of seconds to turn the sure win into a loss. https://ftw.usatoday.com/lists/kevin-durant-trade-nets-return-harden-kyrie, Seven first round picks and a pick swap with Phoenix, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. We've got to keep improving, keep playing good basketball and moving forward, we'll see how it is going to end up.". the 2019 Chris PaulforRussell Westbrook swap, Everything You Need to Know About the James Harden Trade. The Kings had no answer for Steph, who dropped 50 in a record-breaking Game 7 outburst to propel Golden State to a tantalizing second-round matchup against the Lakers. Steph Curry Snuffed Out the Beam. Its an amazing move for Brooklyn. PICKS TO ROCKETS: Brooklyn's three unprotected first-round draft picks -- 2022, 2024 and 2026 -- in the deal, plus pick swaps in 2021, 2023, 2025 and 2027. Were just not good enough I love this city. All rights reserved. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Hopefully, theyll be calling traveling and 3 seconds on the big fella the next game, Vaughn said. Harden's passing ability served as the center of an arsenal that made him Philly got it done even without a vintage effort from Embiid. There was no way he could play another game in Houston, and that begs the question of whether the Rockets should have dealt Harden before the season even began. Oct. 13, 2021 The Athletic's Shams Charania says on "The Glue Guys" podcast that the Nets will not be offering Irving an extension. Plus Andrew Callahan on the Pats Draft, and a Preview of Celtics-Sixers With Raheem Palmer. Harden won each of the last three scoring titles by notable margins 2.3 points over Anthony Davis in 2017-18, 8.1 points over Paul George in 2018-19 and 3.8 points over Bradley Beal last season. Thats the Nets record when all three of their starsDurant, Harden and Kyrie Irvingplay together, according to ESPN Stats & Info. The 3-time scoring champ is headed to Brooklyn in a deal involving Houston and Cleveland. Bridges attended Great Valley High School in Malvern, Pennsylvania, just outside Philadelphia, then played three seasons at Villanova. "One of the things that I continue to do in my role is to think about ways we can improve the system.. The performance, statistically speaking, was historic. Sure, Houston did get Victor Oladipo from Indiana in exchange for Caris LeVert, but it appears that Stone wanted to cash out of the Harden experience by investing in the future, not the present. Tobias Harris added 19 points and the 76ers hit 21 3s in the opener of this Eastern Conference playoff series. In the trade, the Nets send center Jarrett Allen and forward Taurean Prince to Cleveland, and guard Caris LeVert and forward Rodions Kurucs, as well as three first round draft picks (2022, 2024 and 2026) and four first round pick swaps (2021, 2023, 2025 and 2027) to Houston. On Monday, he played his fifth game with the 76ers, a 121-106 win against the Chicago Bulls to improve the Sixers record to 40-24, second best in the East. The Athletics Shams Charania breaks down the reported blockbuster trade. Since the NBA playoff bracket does not reseed, the Sixers will play the No. The James Harden trade, of course, is a factor, but The Rockets also get Cleveland's 2022 first-round pick, via the Milwaukee Bucks, and Houston is sending a 2023 second-round pick to the Pacers, sources told ESPN. The Knicks became the first team in the NBA this season to hold an opponent under 80 points and look to take a 3-1 lead in the series on Sunday when they host the Cavaliers for Game 4 at 1 p.m. Brooklyns Seth Curry scored 10 points in his family reunion against his father-in-law, Rivers. The Nets are not going to be low on wing depth at all moving forward. 2023 Minute Media - All Rights Reserved. Brooklyns standing in the Harden sweepstakes always came down to what it was willing to stomach. If the front office could live with giving up every pick and swap it had on offer, the Nets could stay in the running and potentially outbid a Sixers package built around Ben Simmons on volume alone. LeVert could prove to be the next savvy move. Copyright 2008-2023 BroBible. Welp. "When James is being James, it makes our job a lot easier," Irving said. Unlikely in Philly, where Harden wouldve slotted neatly into Ben Simmonss spot in the starting lineup, theres much to figure out in Brooklynincluding whether Kyrie Irving is ever going to show up for work again. Per multiple reports, the Pacers would acquire LeVert and a future second-round pick from the Rockets in exchange for All-Star guard Victor Oladipo. A subreddit dedicated to NBA news and discussion. Heading into the season, the Nets then armed with the talents of Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, and James Harden were the betting favorites to win the NBA title with odds of +225 to lift the Larry OBrien trophy. Perhaps The Irving Theory represents the exact opposite of that. He wont immediately walk into 35 minutes a night on a Cavs roster that already features Andre Drummond and JaVale McGee in the middle, but that timeshare should be temporary. The draft cupboard is full for Brooklyn over the next six years. Scan this QR code to download the app now. Matt Dollinger: The irony was not lost on me when the Pacers traded the guy who infamously said Can I come play with yall? to a 3-6 team in the state of Texas (and in a state of chaos). This time, though, theyve got a bit of a head start thanks to the haul they got back in return for their Big 3. (AP Photo/Derik Hamilton), Connect with the definitive source for global and local news. Its why quarterbacks are often hailed for their intangibles. Its undeniable that the unquantifiable is often as relevant as the tangible and the tactile. The Nets had one of their more impressive wins of the season over the Utah Jazz on Monday, escaping with a 114-106 victory. Ditto for Caris LeVert, a player who is similar to Harden in function but worse in every meaningful way. It gives me updates and information. The Nets have three open roster spots to fill out their bench, if they choose -- a $5.7 million tax midlevel, the minimum exception and likely a $5.7 million disabled player exception. Mahoney: Oladipo pining for a trade only to be sent from one of the best teams in the East to the regrouping Rockets feels like a basketball fable. Grading Every Teams Performance in the 2023 NFL Draft. 1 overall pick in 2016 hasnt played in an NBA game since last June when the 76ers were eliminated in the Eastern Conference semifinals by the Atlanta Hawks. Kevon Looney's historically elite rebounding provided separation in a winner-take-all Game 7. Dont get me wrong: Houston still got an impressive haul, but its difficult to peg the Rockets as winners in this. Long-shot suitors like the Raptors or Celtics would have needed to take a sledgehammer to their existing cores just to piece together the kind of deal the Rockets might entertain. James Harden's 2s. Thats a departure from his predecessors usual line of thinking. The turning point in the Nets season, of course, came in mid-January when mercurial All-Star point guard Kyrie Irving rejoined the team after seemingly endless months of discourse surrounding his immunization status. Across the four games against Brooklyn, Harden shot just 9-for-34 on 2-point shots. Nash revealed that Simmons has had a back issue that he described as a little flare-up. The 25-year-old No. I literally have done everything that I can, Harden said Tuesday night. The Nets' title odds improved from +550 to +300. The fine results from Brooks failure to participate in team postgame media availability during the first round. Big Number 13-3. 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. The Nets are thriving as a result, and when Durant returns, they will be able to make a run at the title of best offense in NBA history. From then on, the Nets will go through every season knowing all too well how quickly the ground could give out beneath them. "My first thought: It's good to get James Harden to the East," Warriors coach Steve Kerr told 95.7 The Game in San Francisco. James has provided us with so many great memories as weve watched him grow from Sixth Man of the Year to a perennial All-Star and MVP. The Brooklyn Nets suffered a shocking loss Sunday night against the Washington Wizards. Archived post. While their 6-3 record is impressive, the Nets defense is clearly a massive issue. the Nets season flipped with the return of Irving. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call 1-800-GAMBLER. Embiid made only 7 of 15 shots (and all 11 free throws) and was flustered at times against double-teams that followed him all over the court. 2 Grizzlies, Celtics-76ers first look: What could decide the battle of East heavyweights, Pregame chats, language arts and 'a lot of fines': Inside NBA player-ref dynamics, Lowe: Answering the massive questions driving this James Harden trade, James Harden trade grades: Winners, losers in this stunning deal, Cousins rips Harden for 'disrespectful' antics, comments Tuesday that Houston isn't "good enough", Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Playing alongside Malcolm Brogdon and Domantas Sabonis should get him only the best of looks, and unlike Allenwho landed on a team that is rebuildingLeVert will still be on a playoff team, and perhaps a more dangerous one because of him. (Whether the tax-minded Rockets will be interested in doing so remains to be seen.).
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