With less than two seasons under his belt as a member of the Brooklyn Nets, the future of James Harden is under more uncertainty than ever before.
Injuries to Kevin Durant and the part-time status of Kyrie Irving have severely weakened a Nets team that Harden thought would dominate the East.
Now, his name is being mixed into all kinds of rumors ahead of the deadline as Brooklyn GM Sean Marks continues to evaluate his options.
With the NBA trade deadline just days away on Feb. 10, the 76ers are expected to pursue Harden in the coming days and the Nets are believed to be open to discussing a deal, sources with knowledge of the situation tell The Athletic. Still, there’s no urgency for Nets officials, who have had the steadfast belief that the current core, as is, has the means necessary for a championship. However, it’s believed that an opening exists should an offer elevate the team and make the roster more well-rounded as the franchise pursues a championship.
Harden, 32, has been pretty underwhelming this season with most of his numbers seeing a dramatic decline from last year. It has also been reported that Harden has grown frustrated with the team in wake of everything that has transpired since he arrived.
On Saturday evening, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski gave the latest update on the saga, revealing how Nets superstar Kevin Durant wants to see it all play out.
“Durant believed that they would win, could win, multiple titles with Kyrie Irving and James Harden. That’s why Kevin Durant pushed so hard to get Brooklyn to make that deal with Houston last year. And he still believes that. But he also believes this: that Harden and everyone else in Brooklyn is going to have to be as committed to this as he’s been. We’ve seen the level Kevin has played at last year, this year, and the Olympics. Harden has told Nets management that he wants to be there and they are taking his word on that.”
https://twitter.com/_Talkin_NBA/status/1490132458544771073
Since Durant’s injury, the Nets are 2-8 with 7 straight losses. They are 6th in the East and just a half-game back from falling into play-in territory.
Having Durant healthy again will obviously favor the Nets as they enter the postseason, but his return isn’t going to solve all their problems.
For the team to meet their potential, James Harden, Kyrie Irving, and the rest of the crew will have to show solidarity and figure out how to maximize each other’s games.
