Wednesday was another landmark day in Nets franchise history as Brooklyn reportedly acquired James Harden in a multi-team trade.
As first reported by The Athletic‘s Shams Charania, the Nets are parting with Caris LeVert, Jarrett Allen, Taurean Prince and Rodions Kurucs. The Rockets are receiving four first-round draft picks and four first-round swaps in the deal.
LeVert was initially sent to Houston but was quickly swapped with Victor Oladipo and will reportedly now suit up for the Indiana Pacers. Meanwhile, Allen and Prince will go to the Cavaliers and Kurucs to the Rockets.
The blockbuster move went down after it was rumored earlier in the day that the Nets and 76ers were the finalists in potentially acquiring Harden from Houston. The deal is not yet official, pending physicals.
It has been widely reported that the Nets were atop Harden’s list of preferred trade destinations. Harden will reunite with Kevin Durant, with whom he spent time in Oklahoma City.
While the Nets gain another top scorer in Harden, they are losing two players that had blossomed through Brooklyn’s system in LeVert and Allen. Each player was off to a productive start in the 2020-21 season and grounded the Nets during their rebuilding years. LeVert was also the Nets’ longest-tenured player, leaving Joe Harris as the next one in line.
One question that remains is if Kyrie Irving will be available for Brooklyn to round out the Nets’ “big three.” He has missed five straight games for Brooklyn due to “personal reasons” with no estimated time for his return.
In the meantime, the Nets will have a brand new — and expensive — weapon to work with as two of the best scorers in NBA history will now team up in Brooklyn, N.Y.
