(HOUSTON, TX) The Houston Rockets traded former NBA MVP James Harden to the Brooklyn Nets on Wednesday in a 4-team deal.
In the Deal
Nets get: James Harden
Rockets get: Victor Oladipo, Rodions Kurucs, Dante Exum, four unprotected first-round picks (Brooklyn 2022, 2024 and 2026, Milwaukee 2022), and four unprotected first-round pick swaps (2021, 2023, 2025, 2027).
Pacers get: Caris LeVert, 2023 second-round pick (from Houston)
Cavaliers get: Jarrett Allen, Taurean Prince
Harden has been pushing for a trade to the Nets, specifically, since initially requesting a trade during the offseason. He played with Kevin Durant with the Oklahoma City Thunder for the first three seasons of his career, and now that the two of them have reunited, Brooklyn should have the NBA’s best offense by far.
Considering how much they just gave up, though, the Nets still have work to do if they plan to build an all-around contender.
Irving was not included in the megadeal that sent Harden to Brooklyn. But even if the star point guard was made available, the Rockets reportedly would not have been interested.
“I know that the Rockets wanted nothing to do with Kyrie coming back in the deal,” ESPN’s Tim MacMahon said Wednesday on the “Brian Windhorst & The Hoop Collective” podcast.
The 28-year-old has become a total wild card. He reportedly is “furious” with the Nets’ current situation and isn’t answering calls from the team. Irving probably would not have been worth the risk for Houston and potentially could have hampered the Rockets’ rebuild had he been acquired.
Another benefit of this deal for Brooklyn is that Harden provides a measure of insurance against either injury or personal absence on Irving’s part. The Nets have two offensive superstars regardless of what happens with Irving now, and in all likelihood, will enter the playoffs with three of them.
SOURCE CBS Sports
