Brooklyn Nets acquire James Harden in a blockbuster four-team trade
The Brooklyn Nets started the 2020-21 NBA season with a pair of blowout victories against the Golden State Warriors and Boston Celtics. This prompted early discussions about them being contenders in the Eastern Conference.
Already featuring a formidable duo in Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, the Brooklyn Nets recently added another talented player to the mix. The player in question is none other than former Houston Rocket James Harden, as reported by ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski and Ramona Shelburne.
The Nets accomplished this move via a four-team trade. The clear-cut component of this scenario is Harden will join KD and Irving in Brooklyn, forming one of the most talented trios in the association. As you can imagine, this multi-team trade was not a simple one.
In exchange for trading Harden, the Rockets acquired Victor Oladipo, Dante Exum, and Rodions Kurucs. Additionally, the Rockets got three unprotected first-round picks (2022, 2024, and 2026). They also got four pick swaps as well. The Indiana Pacers picked up Caris Levert and a second-round pick. And the Cleveland Cavaliers got Jarrett Allen and Taurean Prince.
Make no mistake, a four-team, seven-player trade is a big deal. And each of the ball clubs involved added talent to their rosters. But the main storyline from this recent development is James Harden joining the Brooklyn Nets.
Despite their different skill-sets, these players have a common thread. Kevin Durant wants to be the main cog on a championship-caliber team following three seasons with the Warriors. Kyrie Irving arrived in Brooklyn after forcing his way out of Cleveland and a failed stint in Boston.
Harden won the league scoring title in each of the last three seasons. However, it wasn’t enough to propel the Rockets to a Finals appearance. And following a pair of losses to the Lakers earlier this week, Harden stated that the Rockets were not good enough. Those comments more than likely contributed to his departure to the Nets. Simply put, these three guys have a huge chip on their shoulders.
Sure, the Milwaukee Bucks had the best record in the conference the last two seasons. They also have the two-time reigning MVP on their roster. The Miami Heat and the Boston Celtics will be right in the thick of the playoff race as well. Now that the Nets have three of the top scorers in the league, the expectations for this team will significantly increase. That being said, it will be interesting to see if they can live up to them.
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