Getty James Harden #13 of the Houston Rockets warms up before the game against the Portland Trail Blazers.
When training camp opened up for the 2020-21 NBA season the future was bright for General Manager Sean Marks and the Brooklyn Nets. They had two young stars in Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, a wealth of riches in young players such as Caris LeVert, Jarrett Allen and a surplus of draft picks to potentially compete for the future. The future came quicker than the Nets expected when the opportunity to trade for eight-time all-star James Harden became a reality for the Nets. It cost the Nets a lot of young talent and a lot of draft picks to finally bring Harden to Brooklyn on January 14. Many Nets fans pondered whether the cost of The Beard was worth the price of admission. Yes, because that’s the cost of a generational talent like James, especially if you want to win now. The Nets general manager is ready to compete right now and far into the future.
Sean Marks Wants to Keep the ‘Big Three’ Together
While the Brooklyn Nets are taking things day by day on the basketball court, their general manager is looking towards the future. He explained this on a recent appearance on WFAN with Evan Roberts and Craig Carton. “I think we’re definitely committed to these guys. We’re not doing these trades like this thinking ‘Hey look, it’s a fleeting moment here,” he said in response to extending The Beard, Kyrie, and Kevin. “We want to put ourselves as the leader in the clubhouse. We want these guys to stick around.”
Nets Have Taken Risks Before
The Nets had to give up Caris LeVert, Jarrett Allen, four first-round picks, and four first-round pick swaps to land James. Obviously, they are in it to win championships now but also want to make sure that they are set for the future. The Nets swung for the fences in 2013 when they traded a heap of picks to acquire Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce from the Boston Celtics as well as shooting guard Joe Johnson from the Atlanta Hawks. That team saw minimal playoff success and all three of the players they traded for were nearing the end of their careers. This time feels different, as Kyrie, Kevin, and James are all in their primes.
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“We’re trying to maximize the window we have with this group,” The Nets general manager said. “To be quite honest, I know what’s at stake. I get it. This is pro sports, and at the end of the day, our entire front office and coaching staff has the conviction to know that we want to do what’s best for Brooklyn —the borough — and the organization. And that’s doing everything we can to bring a championship here and have success.”
Brooklyn’s GM Knows Nothing Is Guaranteed
As inviting as an extension to keep Brooklyn’s ‘big three’ together sounds nothing is a foregone conclusion. Before being traded, James Harden turned down an extension from the Rockets that was worth $50 Million per year. As much as Brooklyn’s General Manager would like to think about the chances of keeping the Nets’ stars together long term, this is the NBA, where nothing is guaranteed.