The Brooklyn Nets Could Land James Harden
So much for that report that James Harden was sticking with the Rockets after the trade demands of Russell Westbrook. The Brooklyn Nets are now reportedly "resonating" with Harden, and a deal looks closer than ever before.
We're not sure if there's enough basketball to go around between the KD-Harden-Kyrie trio, but it would be scary if there were.
Our big take away should be that all present-day NBA superstars operate day-to-day. Once Westbrook demanded a trade from Houston, Harden's loyalty from that point forward relied on who came calling. And the thought of teaming up with Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving may have changed his mind about Houston quickly.
If Harden should join the Nets, their defense would surely be a work-in-progress. Harden, who's known as a poor defender, would pair with another defensive liability in Kyrie Irving. With 40% of the starting lineup playing poor defense, there's going to be an adjustment period.
However, the offensive unit of Harden, KD, and Irving is likely the reason Brooklyn is interested in the former MVP. Part of why Durant was unstoppable in Golden State was because defenses couldn't send double-teams off Stephen Curry or Klay Thompson. We would see much of the same if these three were to team up in Brooklyn. Who's sending double or triple-teams towards Durant to leave Harden or Kyrie standing wide open? Nobody and that's why the league should be worried.
Can Brooklyn get this done?
Easily. Brooklyn has a pile of young talent, like 27-year-old guard Spencer Dinwiddie or Caris LeVert. Many teams have expressed interest in Dinwiddie, so Brooklyn knows they can sell high. That busy market just might land them James Harden in what was already going to be a hectic year in Brooklyn.
A report has already surfaced that a deal is "nearly done," but we'll take that with a grain of salt. We never know about the accuracy of these reports in today's sports media climate.
The NBA collectively holds their breath ahead of the Nov. 18 NBA Draft.