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There are just so many James Harden trade rumors out there these days. The Brooklyn Nets are honing in on the All-Star Break and find themselves a lightning rod for rumors or controversy as they have most of this season. Between vaccines and part-time statuses, with new trade reports, there are times it feels as if getting a Big 3 of Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving and James Harden all signed long-term is far from a sure thing.
How many lifetimes ago was it that Sean Marks said he'd have the team's superstar core signed long-term?
Sean Marks says the Nets are having extension conversations with Kyrie Irving and James Harden “right now” and says he’s confident the Big 3 will be “signed, sealed, delivered” by training camp. #Nets
— Kristian Winfield (@Krisplashed) August 11, 2021
The specter of losing either one of Harden or Irving (both headed for unrestricted free agency) leaves us wondering if this could be the last chance for the Big 3 in Brooklyn. If it is, could that mean this is Durant's best or even last great chance to win a title? There are some high stakes on the line here with a range of outcomes stemming from multiple titles on one end and some squandered super teams on the other.
There was a new episode of the “Sixers Daily” podcast hosted by Jas Kang and featured Bleacher Report's Jake Fischer. Fischer is the reporter who stirred the pot in Brooklyn last week when he penned a piece citing sources who say Harden has ‘increased interest' in exploring free agency this summer.
The latest, per Sixers Daily hosted by Jas Kang:
“…[Harden’s] definitely starting to look where the grass may be greener and Philly is the obvious clear landing spot that that would work….”
“At this point, honestly, like if I’m making Vegas odds, I truly do think that Ben Simmons is most likely to end up in Brooklyn, I really do. But we’re so far away from that like if the Nets win the championship it’s going to be pretty hard for James Harden to walk away from that dynamic.”
Now, before you hit the panic button, remember ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski said “James Harden has repeatedly told management, ownership, those in the organization that he is committed to being a Net. That he wants to win a championship there.”
Still, one of the reports in Fischer's piece states that “Harden has been vocal to Nets figures and close contacts alike about his frustrations regarding Kyrie Irving‘s part-time playing status.” And that's not hard to believe at all.
Is it possible that ESPN's Kendrick Perkins is right and Harden's camp is saying one thing about the Sixers while Harden says another to the Nets?
“Now James Harden’s camp is telling people in Philly, we wanna come play with Embiid next year,” said Perkins via Showtime. “This ain’t no lie, this facts, but then he’s telling the Brooklyn Nets, the ownership group different.”
So is there a world where Harden might drop an ultimatum? If there were no resolution on the Irving front, would he leave? Or might he say basically it's “me or Kyrie?” And what if Kevin Durant put his foot down and said ‘I prefer Kyrie, my long time friend?' Would that be the end of Big 3? Or could they swap one of Harden or Irving for Ben Simmons and maintain a different big 3?
We got into all of that and more on the latest “Nothing But Nets” pod. We also got into some really intriguing subject matter regarding Harden's dynamic with the Sixers, with Irving, and with New York City. Here's a snippet:
“DE: My theory is basically, yes [Harden is] absolutely frustrated in Kyrie but there figures to be some type of resolution by the time he's set for unrestricted free agency. That he might have an answer one way or the other. He might have a sense that if Kyrie doesn't get vaxxed they might look to sign-and-trade [Irving]. Or [Irving] might look to play in a city where he can be a full-time player. Or they've won the championship and no one cares … that takes away some of the pressure or stress or frustration that Harden would feel. So there's several scenarios… and it's not nearly the headache that it appears to be today, then Harden might just sign his five-year max. Is that fair?
GD: “I'll actually take what you said a step further. I think that Harden with his free agency, if he wanted, he'd have the leverage to basically say ‘I'll come back but you have to trade Kyrie Irving.' I think that would be an easy call for the Nets.”
https://twitter.com/DavidEarly/status/1487217335455068160?s=20&t=bBaV5UHnJyqJ7075e_W3GA
Later in that pod, I gave my take on what the Nets should do ahead of the NBA Trade deadline and then we place specific percentages on the chance the Big 3 are all back next season. Definitely don't miss that part and see if you agree or disagree with our forecast.
If there is even a remote possibility the Nets could lose one of Harden or Irving, then maybe GM Sean Marks wants to get really aggressive ahead of the Trade deadline. Not that he should panic trade one of his stars. There are three trades they 100 percent must avoid. If Marks does want to step up his game though, he could trade away a young player like Cam Thomas or Nic Claxton and try to utilize one of their trade exceptions for an impact veteran for the stretch run. Because if they came up a point or two short and it cost them a superstar in free agency, they could regret not pushing harder.
It's difficult to imagine that this could really be the final run for this trio of Durant, Harden, and Irving. We've been waiting to see them out there together and something keeps popping up. But because of the amount of uncertainty given Harden's free agency, we can't quite rule out that possibility that this could be it.
On the other end of things, you've got Irving's vaccination status. Imagine if this team doesn't win the championship. Would the team be willing to offer Irving a four or five year max deal if there were no change to his part-time status? Would Harden be OK with that?
There is so much risk and so many unknowns. Marks may want to go all in. Because if this is the final run for the Big 3, that means it's also possible this is Kevin Duran't last truly great shot to win another ring. If he had to go to war next season with just Harden or just Irving, or even just Irving part-time, that would be a lot less scary than the original scary hours fantasy.
