The Brooklyn Nets formed the NBA’s next superteam but unfortunately did so during the rise of the COVID-19 era. The trio of talents has been riddled with a lack of consistent availability, whether due to injuries or local vaccination mandates. Could the group break up before they really find their stride together?
Kevin Durant signed a four-year, $198 million contract extension to remain with the Nets long-term. Kyrie Irving was expected to get a deal done, too, but ultimately, Brooklyn chose not to give him a deal. Meanwhile, James Haden has a player option worth $47.4 million he could choose to decline to become a free agent.
The expectation has largely been that Harden declining his player option would be more of a formality all for him to just re-up with the Nets on a new deal since it makes financial sense for him to approach it that way.
All the while, Daryl Morey’s aspirations of landing Harden with the Philadelphia 76ers would be a ‘pipe-dream’ without much of an outlook to actually occur.
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After the Nets and Harden failed to reach an agreement on a contract extension back in October, Harden reaffirmed his commitment to play in Brooklyn long-term. He made it clear winning championships is what he seeks most.
“I don’t plan on leaving this organization and the situation that we have,” Harden told reporters. “So my focus, honestly, is just focus on the season and then winning the championship. The contract and all that stuff will bear itself out, but my focus is going to be locked on this season.”
According to veteran NBA insider Marc Stein, that could no longer be the case as “there is enough noise circulating leaguewide about Harden’s reported openness to relocation this summer.”
While just a theory, perhaps James Harden views playing alongside two perimeter stars as limiting to what he can provide a championship contending team. If he were to team up with an elite big man such as Joel Embiid with the Philadelphia 76ers, he could have a tantalizing pick-and-roll partner that can bully switches in the paint.
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Keep in mind, James Harden is one of the most tantalizing pick-and-roll threats the NBA has seen. He’s an elite scorer with his perimeter shot creation and is a tough finisher through contact all the while having the floater to exploit drops in the gap. He can also disguise his lob passes as a floater to get it to a rim roller.
If teams switch against Harden, he also happens to be one of the NBA’s elite isolation threats that can pick apart just about any individual defender out in space. Pair that with Joel Embiid? Sheesh…
