For those who may be tardy to the party, In the final hours of the February 10 NBA trade deadline, the Brooklyn Nets shocked the basketball world and pulled off a blockbuster trade that sent 10-time NBA All-Star James Harden to the Philadelphia 76ers. In exchange, the Nets received 3-time All-Star Ben Simmons, Seth Curry, Andre Drummond, and several draft picks from the 76ers. The trade came as a surprise to some. However, there was speculation about a Harden trade in the weeks leading up to the trade deadline, which ultimately came to fruition.
The latest Nets news straight to your inbox! Join the Heavy on Nets newsletter here!
Steve Nash Ignited Rift Between Kevin Durant & James Harden
Since the Nets traded Harden in a shocking turn of events, there has been much speculation about the reason he wanted out of Brooklyn. Was it the part-time status of Kyrie Irving, who has refused to get the mandatory COVID vaccination that is required for him to play in Barclays Center? Maybe him carrying such a heavy load in the wake of Kevin Durant’s MCL sprain was the straw that broke the camel’s back. NBA Insider Brandon ‘Scoop B’ Robinson of Bally Sports says that the answer is neither of those things. But rather that Nets head coach Steve Nash was the reason for Harden’s ultimate departure.
“Steve Nash and James Harden were not getting along. The two of them [James Harden and Kyrie Irving] are cool, I can tell you that on record. The issue was Steve Nash and James Harden,” Robinson said during the March 22 episode of “Straight Fire” with Jason McIntyre.
Robinson also explains that the tension between Harden and Nash ultimately led to friction between “The Beard” and Durant as well. Because Durant felt that Harden’s disdain with the Nets made him look bad in front of the organization.
“And in turn the fact that Kevin Durant basically was pushing the Nets management to make that trade for James Harden last season, when the season was going on, that’s kind of why they were kind of on the outs because it made him [Durant] look bad at his job,” Robinson continued.
“It made him look bad at his job to his employers because last year when James Harden was playing for that team, even though Steve Nash was the head coach, he was playing within a Mike D’Antoni system. This was Houston all over again. This season, the playbook shifted much. That’s not a Mike D’Antoni system anymore.”
🎙️ Hoops Insider & Analyst Brandon “@ScoopB” Robinson joins @jasonmcintyre on the Straight Fire Podcast to talk all things basketball including what really happened with James Harden & the Nets.
🎧FULL PODCAST: t.co/qezKj0wFsA
Steve Nash Applauds Nets for Win Over Jazz
The Nets had one of their more impressive wins of the season over the Utah Jazz on Monday, escaping with a 114-106 victory. After leading by as many as 21 points in the contest, Brooklyn allowed Utah to get the lead down to 6 in the 4th quarter, but the Nets were able to escape danger and secure the win. Nash applauded his team’s performance after the game.
“I think it was a great performance. Everybody contributed and had their moments that helped us get the win,” Nash said after the win per NetsDaily. “They made some plays, some live-ball turnovers, and three’s in the fourth quarter. Otherwise, our defense was really good for the most part. It was a good team effort.”
The post-James Harden era has fared well for the Nets so far. Since the trade Brooklyn has climbed from the bottom of the standings and has a real chance of avoiding the play-in tournament. Once they secure their spot in the playoffs, there is no telling how far they can go.
READ NEXT: Nets Confirm Severity of Ben Simmons Injury, Update Status for Playoffs
Comments
Steve Nash Ignited Kevin Durant, James Harden Rift That Led to Exit: Report