With the future of Kyrie Irving very much in question with the Nets, it's fair to wonder how this whole thing affects James Harden.

When Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving first signed with the Nets back in summer of 2019, no doubt the plan was to set up shop in Brooklyn and win some rings.

It's possible the Nets started to detect a lack of commitment from Irving over time. Recall, Irving was reportedly healthy but not available to play back in January last season. The team was openly disappointed in him for that. Was it a total coincidence that they traded the farm to bring in James Harden within a couple of weeks of Irving's (seemingly) unexplained absence?

Harden's mere presence on the team has at times felt like some first-ballot Hall-of-Fame-caliber insurance against Irving going AWOL. This is not to suggest the team wouldn't have done anything and everything to bring him in anyway. But would they have been quite as motivated to do so if Irving had been more available to the team in the days leading up to that blockbuster? Who knows. One thing we can be sure of, Irving is not a player the Nets can rely on to play ball. And that's a problem.

Let's look at two ways his absence may impact James Harden on the 2022 Nets.

More minutes, less load management for “The Beard”

Steve Nash may be committed to taking a slow and steady approach to James Harden's minutes. The 2018 MVP sustained a hamstring injury last season that hampered him during the playoffs. The Nets know their title hopes largely depend on his health. If Irving were in the fold, Nash could stagger the days his stars' more. He could rest one one game and rest another the next. He could rest two of his big three the third. During games, he could keep each key player around 30 minutes per game if he chose, without taxing their legs.

The Nets didn't appear to value home court advantage last season. They may not care about it that much again. Having their big three all season long would make it much easier to make it to the playoffs with all important health.

They will certainly want to avoid pushing Kevin Durant and James Harden too hard during the regular season grind. But make no mistake, without Irving around to shoulder much of the burden, Nash will have to lean more on Harden right out the gate for the Nets. That will pose a bit more risk. “The Beard” has been one of the most durable players throughout his career but coming off a severe hamstring issue, it would have been a luxury to ramp him up slowly and limit his total workload.

The Nets won't have that luxury now. If they do opt to play it very conservatively with Harden's return to play, they'll be asking Bruce Brown or Patty Mills to do some heavy lifting Irving would have done in his sleep.

Harden could plant his flag with Nets if Irving isn't around

I'm admittedly doing some mind-reading here and I don't believe there is any ill-will or beef between these two top dogs. But for some reason, I can't help but think that a long-term absence by Irving would increase, slightly, the (the already strong) chances Harden stays with the Nets beyond 2022.

Irving is a mercurial athlete. He once reportedly threatened to have knee surgery to pressure the Cavs to trade him. Things did not go much more smoothly once he landed in Boston. SNY's Ian Begley once hinted to me on a podcast that there were some prominent members of the Nets core that didn't want them to trade for Harden in the first place. Begley noted that Durant was not one of them. He didn't mean the Nets that wound up being traded like Jarrett Allen.

Begley didn't come out and say it but we can do the math: Kyrie Irving wasn't fully on board with the Nets trading for James Harden.

Irving has a little bit of a propensity to stir the pot. Things were fine last season but my gut says there will be a non-zero chance Harden wants to leave the Nets next summer. If you showed me a crystal ball and told me Harden signed elsewhere, my first thought be would be, “Uh-oh, something happened with Kyrie.”

If Irving is not in the lineup, more of the responsibility both as a playmaker and as a leader will fall on Harden with these Nets. I think he'll step up and embrace that burden. Irving and Harden came to an understanding that the latter would be the point guard but if Kyrie Irving isn't in the fold Harden is free to play the 2, where he always thrived in Houston.

I'm really speculating here, I'll admit, but I think the chances go from “very good” (if Irving is around and playing) all the way up to  “great” (if he's not in the lineup or eventually traded) that James Harden winds up signing a long-term deal. Harden can sign a max-extension with the Nets through October 18, that's not far off. If he doesn't (I don't suspect he will) he'll have a big decision to make next summer. What happens with Irving could sway him at least a little bit.