After months of trade speculation, the Brooklyn Nets have agreed to acquired James Harden from the Houston Rockets in a blockbuster, four-team trade for a package that includes Caris LeVert, four first-round picks and four pick swaps.
In Brooklyn, Harden will reunite with former Oklahoma City Thunder teammate Kevin Durant as well as Kyrie Irving to lead one of the East’s top contenders. The agreement ends a tumultuous few months for Harden and the Rockets, whose nine-year marriage produced eight playoff trips and two berths in the Western Conference finals.
The Nets will reportedly send Rodion Kurucs, first-round picks in 2022, 2024 and 2026 and swaps in 2021, 2023, 2025 and 2027 to Houston. Brooklyn will also reportedly send center Jarrett Allen and Taurean Prince to the Cleveland Cavaliers, who will send Dante Exum and a 2022 first-round pick to the Rockets.
The Rockets, meanwhile, will reportedly reroute LeVert to the Indiana Pacers for Victor Oladipo. ESPN.com first reported the framework of the Nets deal, while The Athletic first reported Indiana’s involvement.
After a pair of demoralizing blowout losses to the Los Angeles Lakers, Harden candidly expressed his belief that the struggling Rockets were not salvageable, accelerating long-standing trade talks for the 2018 MVP.
“We’re just not good enough,” Harden said Tuesday after the Rockets fell at home 117-100 to the defending champions. “I love this city. I literally have done everything that I can. The situation is crazy. It’s something that I don’t think can be fixed.”
The dire assessment from Harden, who has been the face of the Rockets since 2012, comes a little more than one month after he reported to training camp late. Multiple reports at the time linked the Rockets with the Nets and Philadelphia 76ers in trade talks involving the three-time scoring champion, who has seen Houston’s roster and organization change dramatically around him.
When the Lakers eliminated the Rockets from the 2020 playoffs, Harden said that he believed Houston was “a piece away” from title contention. Instead, the Rockets parted ways with Coach Mike D’Antoni, lost General Manager Daryl Morey and traded Russell Westbrook to the Washington Wizards. Those sweeping, abrupt changes left Harden, 31, to adjust to first-time coach Stephen Silas, first-time General Manager Rafael Stone and a new backcourt partner in John Wall.
There has been little in the way of instant chemistry, as Harden’s effort has been spotty and his fit with Wall has yet to develop. After eight straight playoff trips, the Rockets have the West’s second-worst record at 3-6 and Harden is scoring 24.8 points per game, his lowest average since he arrived in Houston.
While Harden never issued a public trade request, he arrived at training camp late after partying in Atlanta and Las Vegas without a mask during the coronavirus pandemic. The NBA fined him $50,000 for violating the league’s health and safety protocols. Harden is earning $40.8 million this season and is under contract through at least the 2021-22 season.
The Rockets elected to keep Harden away from the team’s practice on Wednesday as trade talks with the Nets and 76ers unfolded, and center DeMarcus Cousins was highly critical of Harden’s recent behavior.
“The disrespect started way before any interview,” Cousins said Wednesday. “The approach to training camp, showing up the way he did, the antics off the court, the disrespect started way before. This isn’t something that all of a sudden happened last night. This is the nasty part of the business. It is what it is.”
The Rockets, who saw their season opener postponed after several players were sidelined by positive or inconclusive coronavirus tests and contact tracing, weathered that early turbulence. Hopes that Harden’s trade value might increase or his personal investment in the Rockets might stabilize if he played well to start the season never came to fruition.
(c) 2021, The Washington Post · Ben Golliver
{Matzav.com}
Wow! Important news!
Finally Matzav is reporting the news we want!
I am rooting so hard against the Nets. This business of just acquiring stars is pathetic. Let them build a real team.
And Kyrie is a big headcase, Mamish a headache. Nash is agantz feine guy, I dont know if he can coach. They should be able to come out of the Mizrach. In the Maariv, they’ll have some competition. The Mizrach is very shvach compared to the level fo talmidim that the Nets have. They have a good chaburah now, but the shailajh is if the chaburah can shteig well together. We’ll see if theres achdus and they can learn the same derech halimud.
Serious question, since when are “blockbuster” NBA trades news on matzav.com? Is that really what your website wants to showcase?
“Harden is earning $40.8 million this season and is under contract through at least the 2021-22 season.”
In other words, if his salary was cut 99% he’d still be in the top 1% of earners in most states. His job allows him a multi-month vacation between seasons every year. Yet, he’s unhappy. Amazing.
Interesting. The Nets should of never traded away Dr. J (Julius Irving). Big mistake. He was one of the best most athletic basketball players ever. I would of stayed with the Nets if he would of stayed. Darrell Dawkins who came after me was awesome.
I hope this trade flops.
NY is a Knicks town.
Stam a chutzpah for the Nets to come in. It’s major hasogas gevul.
They gave away the farm for the Bord. I hope it’s a disaster besras Hashem
The only good part of the Nets is R’ Amare shlit”a may he be bentched
Why is this on a frum news site????