OT: Harden to Nets

[TNBT]

Maybe its just me but I dont like this deal for the Nets.

They barely saw what they have with KD and Kyrie. Now they add Harden.

On top of that now they have zero depth. This could be last years Sixers all over again.

Mate, it’s not just you. Adding Harden to Kyrie is like saying “sure I already have cancer, shoot me up with AIDS as well”. They’re setting themselves up to be one of the most dysfunctional teams in recent memory, and have given away almost all of their remotely good depth pieces and FOUR first round picks so they can’t replace them anytime soon. To me, this is a dumpster fire waiting to happen.

[ZOMG]

I wonder how much Durant pushed for this trade? Just can't believe Marks doesn't see all the warning signs. He's not an idiot. But these days, if a guy like KD tells you to do something... you do it.

[DuckIII]

I am an advocate for players free agency rights and have repeatedly defended the likes of LeBron and Durant choosing to exercise free agency even though I was critical of the way in which they did it.

But frankly I’m getting exhausted with NBA free agency and forced trades. I’m getting old I guess, because I’m starting to channel my inner Barkley. I’m flat tired of superstars looking at their team, realizing they are not on “the best” team, and holding out, demanding trades, leaving in free agency, etc.

On the other hand, I look around the NBA this year and it’s about the most evenly competitive from top to bottom as I’ve seen in years. So maybe it’s just an optics thing. But yuck.

[DuckIII]

Adding Harden to Kyrie is like saying “sure I already have cancer, shoot me up with AIDS as well”.

I‘m going to plagiarize the hell out of that.

[jc23]

wild how teams like the clippers and nets have these feel good seasons which attract superstars only to have those teams completely dismantled once they get them.

I remember watching learning to fly and how awesome it was to see the BUlls growth on their way to the first title. Now what do those videos look like? we traded for a bunch of top 10 guys, got rid of much of our future picks and current talent to win in the next 4 years after of which all of these guys will probably leave to do this all over with another team.

[jc23]

I am an advocate for players free agency rights and have repeatedly defended the likes of LeBron and Durant choosing to exercise free agency even though I was critical of the way in which they did it.

But frankly I’m getting exhausted with NBA free agency and forced trades. I’m getting old I guess, because I’m starting to channel my inner Barkley. I’m flat tired of superstars looking at their team, realizing they are not on “the best” team, and holding out, demanding trades, leaving in free agency, etc.

On the other hand, I look around the NBA this year and it’s about the most evenly competitive from top to bottom as I’ve seen in years. So maybe it’s just an optics thing. But yuck.

there should be a balance and imo its tipped too far to one side at the moment. And old is just another way of saying well seasoned, your a well seasoned Duck.

[samwana]

Poor Nets fans, they finally had a young exciting team with potential and the ability to finally enter the draft with their own picks and build something good and then boom. Kyrie Irving, Kevin Durant and James Harden happened. The youth they had is basically gone, the future is sold and you have 3 guys that are easy to root against. Ugh.
Rockets made out like bandits with this trade. The biggest loser imo is the Nets.



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[the ultimates]

Poor Nets fans, they finally had a young exciting team with potential and the ability to finally enter the draft with their own picks and build something good and then boom. Kyrie Irving, Kevin Durant and James Harden happened. The youth they had is basically gone, the future is sold and you have 3 guys that are easy to root against. Ugh.
Rockets made out like bandits with this trade. The biggest loser imo is the Nets.



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I think Pacers made out like bandits. Levert right now is just as good if not better than Oladipo. He's signed for two more years at 18 million per while Victor becomes a free agent and is two years younger.

[FriedRise]

Man, if the Nets don't win a title, this is gonna be another Billy King situation again.

[MGB8]

Maybe its just me but I dont like this deal for the Nets.

They barely saw what they have with KD and Kyrie. Now they add Harden.

On top of that now they have zero depth. This could be last years Sixers all over again.

Mate, it’s not just you. Adding Harden to Kyrie is like saying “sure I already have cancer, shoot me up with AIDS as well”. They’re setting themselves up to be one of the most dysfunctional teams in recent memory, and have given away almost all of their remotely good depth pieces and FOUR first round picks so they can’t replace them anytime soon. To me, this is a dumpster fire waiting to happen.

You could be right. OR.... having that much talent on the floor together overcomes everything.

This notion that depth is going to be a big problem for them is, IMO, overstated - provided they make a couple of small moves.

Last night they pretty easily beat a slumping Knicks team (I'm not quite sure what is causing the Knicks slump - they are missing Bullock and Burks who are key in terms of veteran wing presence for them, and Noel looking like he actually caught COVID and struggling to get back to his early season play level, but the dropoff in play has been severe).

While Dinwiddie is out - a huge blow for the season - Bruce Brown, a similar combo-point who has respectable NBA experience - put up 15 points and 14 rebounds, 2 assists for them as their starting "PG" (though Durant ran the offense). But if they wanted to add one or two more legit NBA-reserve level guards... there are MANY available:

* Iman Shumpert
* Emmanuel Mudiay
* Brandon Knight
* JJ Barea
* Dion Waiters
* Alonzo Trier
* Darren Collison (if he wants to "unretire" for a ring)
* Frank Mason
* Jeremy Lin
* Kadeem Allen
* Shabaz Nappier
* Elie Okobo
* Jerian Grant

Similarly, the loss of Allen does weaken their size, with DeAndre Jordan being maybe 60% of what he was with the Clippers. At the same time, 6'9, 250 2nd round pick Reggie Perry looked passable last nigh, and Jeff Green can play as a small-ball 5. More importantly, look at the list of guys who are available:

* Dwayne Dedmond
* Noah Vonleh
* Kyle O'Quin
* Ian Mahinmi
* Tyler Zeller and Ante Zizic and Ivan Rabb
* Skal Labissiere and now Thon Maker
* John Henson (though more a 4) and Ilyasova (ditto)
* Jo Noah and Tyson Chandler (though borderline retired)

Heck, Emeka Okafor was up for playing in the G-League... he probably could play a competent 10-15 minutes a game.

Between Harris still shooting for them, TLC's significant improvements over the past 2 years, Jeff Green being a super-value player at 2.5M for a legit rotation big who can spot start, Shamet and Tyler Johnson brining guard shooting from the bench (though they haven't used Johnson yet), the afore-mentioned Bruce Brown, and also a young guy in Nick Claxton who they reportedly love... surrounding Durant, Harden (as he plays himself into shape), and Irving (where for all his head issues, he was playing like a top 5 player to start the season)... where all 3 have experience playing with other superstars...

I wouldn't bet on this imploding. I'd bet on them kind of struggling through the regular season and being a juggernaut in the post season... limited primarily not by "chemistry" issues or even "effort/skill on defense" issues, but by real health risks.

[MGB8]

Rockets waived Bruno Caboclo. I'd put in a waiver claim on him, even if that means someone has to go. The kid was starting to show some real flashes as a modern 4.

[TheStig]

This is gonna be great for the Net's for a couple of years but then it's going to get really really bad. Call it the Nets/Celtics trade take 2.

The bad thing with trading your whole future for stars these days is they come on shorter term deals. The Net's big 3 all have PO's after next year. If they leave, that team is going to really suck and suck for years.

[Shill]

Rockets waived Bruno Caboclo. I'd put in a waiver claim on him, even if that means someone has to go. The kid was starting to show some real flashes as a modern 4.

Is he still "two years away from being two years away"?

[SalmonsSuperfan]

Maybe its just me but I dont like this deal for the Nets.

They barely saw what they have with KD and Kyrie. Now they add Harden.

On top of that now they have zero depth. This could be last years Sixers all over again.

Mate, it’s not just you. Adding Harden to Kyrie is like saying “sure I already have cancer, shoot me up with AIDS as well”. They’re setting themselves up to be one of the most dysfunctional teams in recent memory, and have given away almost all of their remotely good depth pieces and FOUR first round picks so they can’t replace them anytime soon. To me, this is a dumpster fire waiting to happen.

You’re joking right? “sure I already have a top point guard who played an important role on a championship team, shoot me up with an all time great”

I think you guys need to realize that basketball is a ball game and not, I dunno, happenings in gossip tabloids. Saying stupid stuff to the Jedi or going to the club a bunch doesn’t really make a difference. I would just ignore that stuff.

[WindyCityBorn]

That was a Hell of debut by Harden. If he can mesh with Irving they will win the championship. They will get a couple of ting chasing vets before the playoffs.

[dice]

nets have jumped to co-favorites w/ the lakers in vegas. clippers and bucks 2nd tier, everybody else in the distance

and for the first time in who knows how long, the balance of power east vs. west is now...pretty balanced

[TheStig]

All the Nets need is for Dinwiddie to get health and to pick up a big somewhere and they will walk through the East.

[TheStig]

Poor Nets fans, they finally had a young exciting team with potential and the ability to finally enter the draft with their own picks and build something good and then boom. Kyrie Irving, Kevin Durant and James Harden happened. The youth they had is basically gone, the future is sold and you have 3 guys that are easy to root against. Ugh.
Rockets made out like bandits with this trade. The biggest loser imo is the Nets.



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I think Pacers made out like bandits. Levert right now is just as good if not better than Oladipo. He's signed for two more years at 18 million per while Victor becomes a free agent and is two years younger.

I do think it was originally great for Indy. But Lavert is out indefinitely at the moment. Who knows when he'll be back?

[TheStig]

And that was kind of a weird trade for a GM to make. Dudes not gonna be there for half those picks in all likely hood. Self preservation would have been to take Simmons (the proven young star) and less long term assets.

[Michael Jackson]

Who’s team is it on the Nets now? I thought KD really wanted to be the man? Still a scary team if they are all healthy. Too many ways you can get killed on offense and the depth can be mitigated by signing some stable old vets and staggering the lineups of the big 3. All 3 are more than capable of being out with a second unit and still being scary.. and good luck on cheating on anyone if all 3 are in the floor. Theoretically they can tire AD and Lebron out in a series. Assume you make AD guard Durant you absolutely demolish any inside presence, so Lebron or Kuzma has to stick him and AD is going to be running around on help with Irving and Harden like mad. If things are rolling well that solves all ills but they will implode personality wise if things don’t go well.