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No more excuses.
This will ultimately be the enduring reality behind the four-team swap, blockbuster who sends disgruntled superstar James Harden to the Brooklyn Nets.
No more excuses for Harden, who is gone Completely unhappy to prepare for his exit from Houston. None for Kevin Durant. None for Kyrie Irving. None for anyone in Brooklyn.
On the surface, the move is a victory for many involved. The Houston Rockets pulled off an impressive draw of four first-round picks and legitimate rising star Victor Oladipo. Pair that with John Wall and their future is bright, albeit a little delayed.
Caris LeVert at the Pacers is also an impressive addition to an already formidable squad, well-trained and capable of great things.
But the main focus of this trade will fall on the Nets and on Harden himself. Make no mistake: Harden’s reckless play, behind-the-scenes lack of respect for his teammates and his organization, and the selfishness of the me-in-front press conference on Tuesday gave him what he wanted. wanted to. Now he has to prove it – and he – is worth all the trouble.
It is far from certain.
The Nets’ stunning move is, without a doubt, a worthy pumping and celebratory bet for Sean Marks and his front office.
It is a victory.
It’s a coup.
But it’s still a bet, a bet with huge stakes, a push from all elements in the middle with more uncertainty than the initial shock and jubilation over a KD-Kyrie-Harden trio naturally favors.
The chemistry isn’t as sexy as three superstars playing together, but it’s critically important. Especially with three superstars playing together.
Especially, in the extreme, with these three superstars.
Let’s review how these very talented ball-dominant players got here, and what happened during their trip to Brooklyn.
Durant, one of the most dynamic and dangerous basketball players in the world, was so bristling with criticism that along with the Warriors he had Twitter accounts to defend his honor. He was struggling with the love and adulation that Curry incurred there and felt, by comparison, underestimated. There’s nothing wrong with those realities, but it certainly raises an eyebrow or two on his ability to play with other superstars.
And Irving and Harden, at least as teammates and role models of basketball altruism, aren’t Curry.
Irving was so unhappy under the shadow of LeBron James – the best player in the world, nothing less – that he forced his way out of a defending champion. That’s fine, of course, but it doesn’t scream “win the most”.
Of course, it’s not enough to quit your squad during the season and not have time to talk to your rookie coach (and Hall of Fame).
And we haven’t reached its time in Boston yet. This team that had already made a conference final without him, and the addition of Kyrie turned out to be a burden instead of a win. He’s brought more drama than danger to the Celtics’ dreams of taking the next step, and they’re better off without him.
Changing rooms matter.
So now Irving is a Net, or at least sort of. We still don’t know what he’s doing or why he left the team, but he’s still out. His preseason comments that the Nets didn’t really have a coach – yes, Steve Nash – were close to being prophetic. Replace “me” with “coach” and he’s on to something.
And in this situation, Harden, whose rate of use would make Kobe Bryant blush. Once again: that’s good … if it works.
But Harden’s ugly exit from Houston comes after being unable to coexist (and ultimately make an NBA Finals) with Chris Paul and, then, with his longtime friend Russell Westbrook.
So yes, the talent in Brooklyn is a thing to see. If these three players play together in synchronization, ready to sacrifice themselves, focused on the goal of team greatness before the nocturnal attraction of individual excellence, they will be, to say the least, extremely difficult to contain.
There is too much offensive firepower. And the list behind them, even with the departure of LeVert and Jarrett Allen, is deep and impressive.
But these are also three players who have shown themselves, in different ways, sensitive not only to criticism but to the need to work in tandem with other stars. Durant did it with great success, of course, but if Warriors culture rubs you the wrong way, good luck with Kyrie and the Beard.
Harden is the ultimate example here, and the person who will fall the most weight. He had his way, time and time again, to Houston, until one day he woke up miserable with the world he forged for himself. His answer? Turn off his phone, show up late and in bad shape this season, play like it doesn’t matter and, in the end, insult his team and literally get up and go.
Perhaps this player associated with Durant and Kyrie will be unstoppable. Perhaps he will be reborn, focused, selfless, part of a Big Three that will dominate the East and hunt the rings with abandon. Maybe they will be unstoppable. Or maybe after a little bit of time and tension together, the people of Brooklyn will just want it to end.
Either option is possible, and neither is guaranteed. But whatever happens, there are no more excuses.
This is the most talented trio in the NBA – one of the most talented in NBA history – and if that doesn’t work, there will be no one to blame in Brooklyn other than three stars who got it. exactly what they asked for: One and the other.
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