Getty Brooklyn's James Harden takes the ball as Kyrie Irving runs behind him in the second half against the Miami Heat at Barclays Center on January 23, 2021 in New York City.
In the final hours of the February 10 NBA trade deadline, the Brooklyn Nets surprised everybody and pulled the trigger on a trade that sent 10-time NBA All-Star James Harden to the Philadelphia 76ers. In exchange, the Nets received sharpshooter Seth Curry and elite rebounder Andre Drummond along with several draft picks from the 76ers.
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Details on What Ensued at Nets Team Dinner After Harden Trade
While the trade may have come as a surprise to some, it was expected by others. There had been speculation about a Harden trade in the weeks leading up to the trade deadline. With all of the turmoil surrounding a trade of the superstar guard, you can imagine that it may have been taxing on other members of the team. NBA Insider Brandon ‘Scoop B’ Robinson of Bally Sports says that members of the Nets stayed overnight in Washington, D.C. following their game against the Washington Wizards for a team dinner on the night that Harden was traded.
“The Brooklyn Nets recently made a trade with the Philadelphia 76ers to bring in Ben Simmons and sources within the Nets organization shared [with me] that night the Nets were in Washington D.C. they stayed overnight and left the next day. And they had a team meeting in Washington D.C. Kevin Durant was also there, Kyrie Irving was there, you also had Patty Mills who is also from Australia and knows Ben Simmons and has known him since he was a kid,” Robinson said.
“There was a level of bonding that the Nets did have over a meal in Washington, D.C. and there is a continued effort to continue to weather the storm. Simmons will return any day, Kevin Durant, any day, but ultimately when you look at the Brooklyn Nets, this is still a team that wants to compete for a championship.”
Brooklyn Nets had a team dinner in DC the night that James Harden got traded, Kyrie Irving’s still dedicated despite NYC’s mandate!
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Kyrie Wants To Win Title With the Nets
With the return of Simmons looming, the Nets, at least on paper, look like a championship squad. But Kyrie Irving is still a part-time player with less than a month to go before the NBA playoffs start. Scoop B says that despite Irving’s unwillingness to get the vaccine, he is still fully committed to winning a title with the Nets.
“One of the hurdles is that despite the fact that the city of New York will roll back mandates as far as masks and vaccinations go, it appears as if Kyrie Irving will still not be eligible to actually play for the Brooklyn Nets. I’m told that Irving, no matter the situation, is committed to the Brooklyn Nets. [He] wants to see them win a championship, and he is on board to make sure that he does his part whatever the outcome comes between New York City Mayor Eric Adams and the City of New York,” Scoop B continued.
“It has been reported from multiple outlets that unless there is a religious exception Irving will not be able to play despite the fact that the mandates are what they are. [It is] disappointing for some Nets fans, disappointing for Irving. Irving still has the desire to win a championship with his brotherhood of Ben Simmons, Kevin Durant, and others including Blake Griffin and head coach Steve Nash.”
Trading a player of Harden’s caliber is never easy for a team to do. It will be interesting to see if it pays off for the Nets in the long run.
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