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. Houston also receives three unprotected first-round picks from Brooklyn -- in 2022, 2024 and 2026 -- plus pick swaps in 2021, 2023, 2025 and 2027, the Nets announced. Obviously, Simmons is a former All-Star. 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 honors in 2018. Caris, Jarrett, Rodions and Taurean were instrumental to the team's success and have made an enormous impact on our organization. Pritchard has already gotten more than hes paid for with Oladipo, Sabonis, and Brogdon. The Nets have an offensive rating of 122.6 since acquiring Harden. The performance, statistically speaking, was historic. Its most recent earnings report at MORE:How Kyrie Irving's status, frustrations with Nets led to James Harden's sudden exit. Brooklyns standing in the Harden sweepstakes always came down to what it was willing to stomach. Scan this QR code to download the app now. This time, though, theyve got a bit of a head start thanks to the haul they got back in return for their Big 3. He was averaging 24.6 points, 12.4 assists and 7.4 rebounds as a Sixer. Potentially swapping with the Rockets in 2021 shouldnt be a problem. Your email address will not be published. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. WebThe Rockets have won 6 straight and officially have a better record than the Nets since the Harden trade. It's the team's first sweep in a best-of-seven series since they knocked out the Bucks in the conference semifinals in 1985, Barkley's rookie year. Harden hit seven 3-pointers and had 23 points and 13 assists, NBA MVP finalist Embiid scored 26 points and the Philadelphia 76ers pushed back Mikal Bridges and the Brooklyn Nets in a 121-101 Game 1 victory on Saturday. We examine all the ripple effects from Wednesdays four-team blockbuster deal. To learn more or opt-out, read our Cookie Policy. "And so we got to get used to somebody special like that, things like that in terms of breaking records. June 5, 2021 43 seconds into Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals against the Bucks, Harden exits with a hamstring injury that would hold him out of Games 2 through 4 of the series. ", "On behalf of the entire Rockets organization and the City of Houston, I'd like to thank James Harden for an amazing eight-plus seasons in a Rockets uniform," Rockets owner Tilman J. Fertitta said in a statement. The Irving is the perpetual wild card. Since the NBA playoff bracket does not reseed, the Sixers will play the No. Dont get me wrong: Houston still got an impressive haul, but its difficult to peg the Rockets as winners in this. 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. Philadelphia 76ers, Boston Celtics face off again. ET, ESPN) -- the last game of the first half of their schedules. Either Philly does some serious damage control, decries the trade talk as gossip, and states that Ben is our guy, and then Simmons actually believes it. The moment itself highlighted the reportedly "weird" chemistry between the two guards and preceded the Nets' seven-point loss at the hand of the Cavs. Sixers guard James Harden passes the basketball past While his scoring has decreased from the absurd levels he reached in Houston, he has averaged an NBA-best 11.1 assists per game since joining the Nets to go along with 8.4 rebounds per contest. Dec. 17, 2021 29 games into the 2021-22 season, Marks changes his stance, announcing that the team will permit Irving to rejoin on a part-time basis. 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. Hes an addition every single team in the league would want. 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. Since the NBA playoff bracket does not reseed, the Sixers will play the No. Power Rankings Notebook: Impact of Harden trade, 2020-21 Trade Tracker: Every official trade, Series preview: What to expect in Warriors-Lakers, 5 takeaways from Warriors' Game 7 victory, 5 takeaways from Heat's Game 1 win over Knicks, Curry sets Game 7 record with 50 points vs. Kings, Brooks fined $25K for violating interview rules. Jan. 15, 2022 Durant suffers an MCL sprain in his left knee that will sideline him for the next four-to-six weeks. It has been a pleasure watching them grow both as players and as people and they will always be part of our Nets family. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call 1-800-GAMBLER. Feb. 6, 2022 According toa report from The Athletic's Shams Charania, sources indicate that a trade that would send Harden to the 76ers in exchange for Ben Simmons at the trade deadline is a legitimate possibility. DAntoni didnt return after last season and it quickly became clear Harden wanted to be gone, too. 2004-2023 CBS Interactive. The Rockets, sources said, also addressed the idea of including second-year guard Jalen Green, the No. All picks and predictions are suggestions only. Harden did not hold back, not before the season, and certainly not on Tuesday night when he said the situation was unsalvageable, called the Rockets not good enough, and left the podium abruptly. But when you introduce an All-World talent like Kyrie Irving into your alchemy, its going to change your solar systems gravity. Brooklyn also gets a 2024 second-round pick from the Cavaliers. Harden wasnt just a superstar, but a one-man hierarchy. D'Antoni didn't return after last season, and it quickly became clear Harden wanted out too. The blockbuster trade sending James Harden to Philadelphia in return for Ben Simmons, Seth Curry, Andre Drummond and two first-round picks is official. Harden is averaging 26 points and 11.2 assists per game in a Brooklyn uniform. Kevon Looney's historically elite rebounding provided separation in a winner-take-all Game 7. Off to a 7-6 start in his rookie season, now the former point guard and two-time league MVP Nash will have to mold an offense that keeps the ball moving with three players worthy of having it in their hands. Brooklyn Nets timeline: What went wrong leading to trade and breakup of James Harden, Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving. Thats more than Wasserman also represented Russell Westbrook and worked closely with the Rockets on his trade to Wizards. Rivers and fans, and last summer demanded a trade. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. 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. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports. This goes one of two ways. Sign up for the Layup Lines newsletter to get our top stories in your inbox every morning. There is no other way to slice it: the Brooklyn Nets 2021-22 season has been nothing short of a colossal disappointment. "Adding an All-NBA player such as James to our roster better positions our team to compete against the league's best," Nets general manager Sean Marks said in a statement released by the team. He also tied Reggie Miller for third on the NBAs all-time three-pointers made list with 2,560. Feb. 4, 2022 Harden is sidelined with a hamstring issue, his first of three consecutive absences from the Nets as trade rumors loom. Phone: 212-932-7400, The Nets and 76ers finally meet since the Harden for Simmons trade, Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window), Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window), Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window), Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window). The Houston Rockets have a lot of work to do this summer to improve their roster after finishing with the second-worst record in the NBA, and their first move was to find a new coach. The real concern comes in games like this most recent loss to the Wizards and the back-to-back losses to the Cleveland Cavaliers earlier in January. He made 10 of 16 shots for 23 points in the first half and kept the Nets, who opened the season with Kyrie Irving, Kevin Durant and championship aspirations, within nine at halftime. Embiid got heated when he had his arm locked up by Royce ONeale and the two briefly tussled. 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 ET. 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. Following the deal, NBA commissioner Adam Silver had this to say of what led to the trade: "I accept that there will always be conversations behind closed doors, when teams are unhappy, or players are unhappy, [but] the last thing you want to see is for these issues to play out publicly. 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. If you were amazed by Curry's record-setting performance on Sunday, let's just say you weren't the only one. Udoka takes over a team that made the playoffs in 8 straight seasons before the trade of James Harden in 2021 led to a rebuild. But for a young dude looking to play a featured role and establish himself in the league, Sexland might not be such a bad place. WebVisit ESPN to view the Brooklyn Nets team stats for the 2022-23 season. The Philadelphia 76ers will have competition in their bid to keep James Harden around past this season, as Hardens former team, the Houston Rockets. After weeks of enduring the Harden debacle and weighing offers, Stone ultimately opted for the tantalizing potential of future first-round draft picks (four of them, plus four pick swaps). Here are our grades for all 32 squads. But thats the least of my worries. Bridges kept Game 1 from becoming an early rout in a homecoming effort. Harden used every move in the disgruntled superstar handbook, from delaying his training camp arrival to going on a very public gentlemans club world tour to sandbagging teammates and his new head coach to showing up out of shape to then somehow remaining out of shape despite playing a professional sport. Hes also developing some scoring chops himself, which is another plus for Brooklyn. Jan. 12, 2022 Two nights after a confounding loss to the Trail Blazers, Durant, Harden and Irving share the floor for what would be the 16th and final time, as the Nets cruise to an impressive 26-point blowout win against the Bulls. The Nets' title odds improved from +550 to +300. 6 in win shares. Sign up for our Layup Lines newsletter, hitting your inbox on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. As for the picks? Dan Devine: At first blush, this seems like it kind of sucks for Allen. The Brooklyn Nets suffered a shocking loss Sunday night against the Washington Wizards. The Rockets are 3-6 -- only Minnesota has a worse record in the Western Conference -- and Houston guard John Wall called the situation "rocky," while fellow newcomer DeMarcus Cousins said before Wednesday's trade that Harden's antics were "disrespectful" to his teammates. But the Rockets chose door no. June 15, 2021 In Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals, Irving goes down with an ankle sprain that would ultimately hold him out of the remainder of the series. But Id rather miss shots and win. 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. All advice, including picks and predictions, is based on individual commentators opinions and not that of Minute Media or its related brands. June 1, 2021 Harden records 34 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists as the Nets complete a 4-1 series win over the Celtics in the opening round of the 2021 NBA Playoffs. Our groups done a really good job being unselfish this year and trying to move the ball and work together so Ive been proud of that.. SIGNUP FOR OUR FREE WEEKDAY EMAIL NEWSLETTER, "I love receiving EDITORIALLY BLACK first thing in the morning! All rights reserved. What happened in the next 24 hours will take many days to unpack and clean up. Last year, even when he was playing, it was, am I doing the right thing here?. Harden had all the right moves against the Nets. His average so far this season ranked 18th in the NBA, well off his usual pace. The lesson: When a player like Harden requests a trade, hell more or less get what he wants; when a player like Oladipo pushes for one, hell have to settle for whatever he can get. Harden's passing ability served as the center of an arsenal that made him an All-American, All-Star and MVP. ", Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo, the league's two-time reigning MVP, said the trade is "an amazing move by Brooklyn.". May 15, 2021 Durant, Harden and Irving share the floor for the final time in the 2020-21 regular season. For more information, please see our Competitively speaking, this is a demotion. ET, Nash again denies that Harden will be moved ahead of the deadline. "A lot of the dominant NBA players have been in the West for whatever reason. Denver Toasts the Suns, Plus One Burning Question for Every Series, The Hundred: Presenting Our Best Bets for Nuggets-Suns, Breaking Down Succession Season 4, Episode 6: Living+. Please also read our Privacy Notice and Terms of Use, which became effective December 20, 2019. His average so far this season ranked 18th in the NBA, well off his usual pace. Perhaps The Irving Theory represents the exact opposite of that. It would ultimately be his last game as a Net. A team is never going to get back an even return when trading away superstars thats just not how the NBA works. ET. The Nets pushed most of their risk out to the future, some of it so distant that its impossible to make out what exactly is at stake. With Jimmy Butler hobbled late by an ankle injury, Miami gets big performances from Kyle Lowry and Kevin Love to take the series opener in New York. 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. "My big ass foot stepped on the line. First-year Rockets head coach Stephen Silas called the drama surrounding Harden an "all-around messed up situation. 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. 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. 2023 Minute Media - All Rights Reserved. In total, for James Harden, Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, the Nets got 7 first-round picks (22 PHI, 23 PHX, 25 PHX, 27 PHI, 27 PHX, 29 DAL, 29 PHX) plus a pick swap (28 PHX). LeVert could prove to be the next savvy move. All betting content is intended for an audience ages 21+. Keep track of all the official trades announced during the 2020-21 NBA season. Kevin Durant has missed 11 of Brooklyn's last 12 games, but despite a rocky start, the Nets have now won nine of their past 10 with Harden at the helm. 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. The Athletics Shams Charania breaks down the reported blockbuster trade. By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising. All are under contract through 2022-23, with Harden and Durant both set to earn more than $40 million in each of the next two seasons. Before the Nets are feted as Finals favorites, lets remember that Harden falls squarely in the be-careful-what-you-wish-for zone. Feb. 13, 2021 In a win over the Warriors, Durant tweaks his left hamstring, an injury that would ultimately hold him out for seven weeks and 22 games. The Brooklyn Nets record with and without Kyrie Irving. TO PACERS: Caris LeVert (from Rockets via Nets); 2023 second-round pick from the Rockets, TO CAVALIERS: Jarrett Allen (from Nets), Taurean Prince (from Nets). 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. I mean, Harden had DeMarcus Cousins calling him out for his lack of professionalism, for crying out loud. Grading Every Teams Performance in the 2023 NFL Draft. Jan. 5, 2022 After missing the first 35 games of the season, Irving makes his season debut against the Pacers, playing alongside Durant and Harden for the first time in exactly seven months. Lets break down all the ripple effects from the seasons first eye-popping move. WebNets record since the Harden trade: 14-3 with Harden & Irving 5-2 with the Big 3 4-2 with just Harden 3-3 with just Irving 2-2 with Durant & Irving 2-0 with In Indy, LeVert should continue leaping his way toward stardom and the system the Pacers provide should bring out the best in him. At least Sam Presti can reap the rewards of one Harden trade. 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. Irving was scoring 27.1 per game before leaving the team last week for personal reasons. Harden's passing ability served as the center of an arsenal that made him The Nets were the No. No matter how this season went, Oladipo wasnt long for Indiana. Breaking down the trade with stats, film and analysis on Brooklyn, Houston, Cleveland and Indiana. Collin Sexton and Darius Garland could form a pretty potent partnership with one of the NBAs premier pick-and-roll lob threats. Harden left Brooklyn on Wednesday and retreated to his old stomping grounds in Houston once more. There are many things about Kyrie that can be questioned but his talent is not one of them: the man is a superstar. The Nets were previously the favorites to win the title and were the Easts #2 seed prior to the All-Star break. Chris Ryan: Nobody who watched Ben Simmonss Tuesday night performance against the Heat would have been surprised if it had been his last game as a member of the Sixers. 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. Now Hell Face LeBron and the Lakers. But considering their circumstances, the Nets made out pretty well. That is mind-blowing and shows they can score at will. I just seen the little screenshot, how close I was to ending they season off that shot, but it wasn't in God's plan." Big Number 13-3. The Nets were ready to swoop in, after a shaky defense during the early season proved their best chance to beat teams might be to outscore them. The question is: Did they dangle Simmons so far out in the trade waters that theres no reeling him back in? Harden refused to sign the three-year, $161 million contract extension this past summer, and has reportedly been disgruntled over the course of the season. Jan 17, 2022. 2 pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, as part of a package for The Eagles won, the Falcons and Patriots made some interesting decisions (for better or worse), and late-round quarterbacks are coming out of the woodwork. "We have to implement the phrase 'get used to it,'" Irving said of Harden's brilliance since joining the Nets. 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. Embiid led the way with 43 points and 14 rebounds. James Harden did not play, but his team still managed to score 146 points. The Rockets will surely be relieved to see Oladipo after Hardens high-usage pouting reached new extremes this week, but a vibe upgrade can take a team that just lost its franchise player only so far. In the years to come, Allen could team with Larry Nance Jr. and rookie Isaac Okoro to form the core of a consistently stout defensesomething Cleveland has lacked ever since LeBron James left town. In 29 total regular-season games, Irving averages 27.4 points the highest of his career along with 5.8 assists and 4.4 rebounds per game. Finney-Smith is less of an offensive force than Bridges, but hes one of the best multi-positional defenders in the NBA. The superstar era is over in Brooklyn. While Harden has played at the level of a league MVPwhich he won in 2018alongside this seasons leading most valuable player candidate, 76ers center Joel Embiid, Simmons has yet to suit up for the Nets, working on his conditioning and mental wellness. The Nets are scheduled to visit the Rockets on March 3 (7:30 p.m. Hes just doing some light shooting, and just physical therapy, said Nets head coach Steve Nash before Sundays game. At the Caesars Sportsbook by William Hill, the Nets moved ahead of the Bucks and are now the second-favorites to win the NBA title, behind only the Los Angeles Lakers. My legs, my body feels just powerful, feels strong.. CBS Sports is a registered trademark of CBS Broadcasting Inc. Commissioner.com is a registered trademark of CBS Interactive Inc. site: media | arena: nba | pageType: stories | That's tough. 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. "But, at the end of the day, we've got to focus on ourselves. 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). Losing a first-round pick in 2022when Durant, Harden, and Irving should be driving the Nets to the top of the standings, assuming they can figure out how to blend their talentsisnt much of a concern. 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. From where things stand in 2021, this is as much a move as a message; Harden is worth this kind of haul on his own merits, but even more to a franchise that is building a bond with Durant it hopes will last far beyond his current contract. Contact him eric@brobible.com. The Nets, who played the Charlotte Hornets on the road on Tuesday, fell to under .500 (32-33) with a tough 126-120 loss in Boston on Sunday versus the Celtics. Both Drummond and McGee will enter unrestricted free agency after this season, while the Cavs will control Allens rights in restricted free agency. Thats a bummer, no matter how you spin it. Harden hit seven 3-pointers and had 23 points and 13 assists, NBA MVP finalist Embiid scored 26 points and the Philadelphia 76ers pushed back Mikal Bridges and the Brooklyn Nets in a 121-101 Game 1 victory on Saturday. League sources told ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski and Ramona Shelburne that the Rockets will trade LeVert to the Indiana Pacers for Victor Oladipo. The blockbuster deal provides a needed boost amid a period of drama for both franchises. Allen will get more shots and more chances to stretch his game offensively on the Cavs than he ever would have as the fifth option in Brooklyn. The Brooklyn Nets are on the verge of being swept by the Boston Celtics. All Rights Reserved. Its not like this is a new problem either: Most points allowed in a game this season: 149 Nets to Wizards tonight147 Nets to Cavs pic.twitter.com/UUs6RZPZeX. It's perhaps the biggest "what if?" He hasnt been able to recapture that form at all and has struggled mightily this year. Feb. 2, 2021 Harden hits the ground running in Brooklyn, averaging 24.1 points, 12.0 assists and 8.2 rebounds through his first nine games with his new team. https://twitter.com/statmuse/status/1384633523588386830?s=21. When he plays, the Nets are 27-7. Mikal Bridges was a legitimate 3-and-D Defensive Player of the Year candidate in the 2021-22 season. Hes closing in on the top 10 in PER, and he already sits No. Here are five questions that could determine that series outcome. Please check your email for a confirmation. The sample size here is small, but if the Wizards can score 149 against Brooklyn, who knows how many points a team like the Milwaukee Bucks can drop over the course of a seven-game series? The Nets kept it close in both games, but ultimately, their poor performance in the clutch let them down. James Harden's trade to Brooklyn brings an end to his standoff in Houston. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports. It could pick back up again in Brooklyn, where Nashs assistant running the offense is Mike DAntoni, Hardens coach during his best seasons in Houston. Nash revealed that Simmons has had a back issue that he described as a little flare-up. The 25-year-old No. 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 on Tuesday night, and just before Irving was set to miss a fifth straight game during a personal absence from the Nets. Welp. The same can be said for Spencer Dinwiddie, who should certainly have some value as a 6th man for a team looking for a scoring punch off of the bench.