James Harden Trade May Not Guarantee Immediate Results For Brooklyn Nets

The James Harden trade drama is finally over. The disgruntled former NBA MVP finally got his wish of leaving the Houston Rockets and joined the Brooklyn Nets in a massive four-team deal.

It was a complicated scenario involving four NBA teams. But another surprise in the mix was the inclusion of the Indiana Pacers who parted with Victor Oladipo. The 28-year-old ended up joining the Rockets in the package trade along with a bevy of picks.

Other teams who made up the four-team trade centered on Harden include the Cleveland Cavaliers as well. The trade was first reported by Shams Charania of The Athletic.

The Nets gave up four players and future assets in the trade. Gone are Caris LeVert, Jarret Allen, Taurean Prince and Rodion Kuruc. This is aside from three unprotected first-round picks (2022, 2024 and 2026).

Pick swaps were also given up by Brooklyn for 2021, 2023, 2025 and 2027 per sources in a report from ESPN. Aside from Harden, the Nets received a 2024 second-round pick from the Cavaliers.

Houston ended up with Oladipo, injury-prone Dante Exum and Kurucs. They also got the necessary assets for the future with four first-round picks (three from Brooklyn and one from the Milwaukee Bucks) and four first-round swaps from the Nets.

For Cleveland, they ended up getting Allen and Prince from the Nets. The Pacers wound up with LeVert and a future second-rounder.

The Harden trade may have also officially sent the Rockets to rebuild mode although their fortunes could still change. Oladipo could strike it well with John Wall, Christian Wood and DeMarcus Cousins for the rest of the ongoing NBA season.

After being defiant early on in the season, the tipping point came after the 31-year-old’s public comments following a blowout loss to the Los Angeles Lakers.

But the big surprise was the involvement of Oladipo and the Pacers. For some time now, word came out that the second-round pick of the 2013 NBA Draft would be moving out.

Things were a bit quiet this 2020-21 season, and no one saw him getting involved and ending up in Houston.

For Brooklyn, they undoubtedly ramped up their chances on paper. Harden reunites with Kevin Durant, but a key piece missing is Kyrie Irving. The 28-year-old continues to miss games due to personal reasons.

Irving is under heavy fire after he was spotted partying with no face mask at his sister’s birthday party.

Also, questions are up in the air on how Harden would fit in with the Nets. With three players dominating the ball, it will be up to head coach Steven Nash and his staff to figure that out.

Ironically, his transfer to the Nets also reunites “The Beard” with his former Rockets head coach Mike D’Antoni.