Getty Images Kevin Durant #35 of the Golden State Warriors and James Harden #13 of the Houston Rockets during the Western Conference Finals of the 2018 NBA Playoffs
Imagine a world where the Brooklyn Nets paired Kyrie Irving, James Harden and Kevin Durant together.
James Harden has officially requested a trade.
It’s been the talk of the town, but a trade hasn’t happened…at least not yet.
Harden expressed earlier this month that he wants to be traded.
Now what?
“I’m a big Net fan so I don’t like people bringing that up with James Harden,” New York City hoops legend and New Jersey Nets legend, Kenny Anderson told me on the Heavy Live With Scoop B Show.
“He’s an awesome player, but NOT a good fit for the Brooklyn Nets. So you know; they got Kyrie, they got Kevin Durant and let’s build around those two guys and let out young guys grow with [Spencer] Dinwiddie there, [Caris] LeVert; we got a good team and a young nucleus. Steve Nash is a rookie coach; first year…let him build and I think we’re gonna be good this year coming up. But with Harden, he would’ve changed all of that a little bit. I really believe that.”
Million Dollar Question: Is Caris LeVert that third star that Brooklyn has alongside Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant? “That’s it,” Kenny Anderson tells Heavy Live With Scoop B.
“He’s that third star to me.”
In his second season in Brooklyn, LeVert averaged 18.7 points, 4.2 rebounds, 4.4 assists and 1.2 steals per game.
In LeVert’s last five games, before the NBA shut down on March 11, 2020 due to COVID-19, Brooklyn went 4-1 with LeVert in the starting lineup and without Nets stars Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant.
This season, LeVert posted a 50 point game and his first career triple-double.
“He’s blowing up in the league,” said Kenny Anderson.
“He’s playing very well – now with Kyrie and Kevin Durant there, this guy is gonna be awesome for many years to come. LeVert can shoot the ball and put the ball on the floor, penetrate, has great size, he can pass the ball…he can do it all. I think that the Nets are going to be fine with the team that they have this year and they signed Joe Harris; you know, he’s from Virginia and he’s an ACC guy so I gotta rep ACC, so he’s gonna be great you know, Joe Harris and we got bigs. The guy that I get mixed up with his name he was on the Clippers…DeAndre Jordan. He’s there. We got a VERY good team I believe and I’m saying that we’re going to make a run for it next year. And the only reason we don’t make a run for it this year… in 2-3 years I think we’re gonna win it.”
Getty ImagesCaris LeVert suffered a gruesome injury on Monday.
That’s high praise for LeVert and the Nets.
The NBA’s 2020-21 season will begin on December 22, 2020. The Brooklyn Nets will begin their season under first year head coach, Steve Nash and newly minted assistant coaches Amare Stoudemire, Mike D’Antoni, Ime Udoka and Royal Ivey.
Returning this coming season will be a healthy Durant and Irving who are on the mend after significant injuries.
In addition to LeVert, the Nets supporting cast includes Joe Harris, Jarrett Allen, Spencer Dinwiddie, DeAndre Jordan, Nicolas Claxton and Wilson Chandler.