Getty Nicolas Claxton, Joe Harris, and Blake Griffin chat during a matchup with the Charlotte Hornets.
With Brooklyn Nets superstar Kyrie Irving missing the first 35 games of the season and James Harden still trying to work his way back to 100% health the Nets have continually struggled against the NBA’s elite teams. Aside from their win against the Eastern Conference-leading Chicago Bulls on January 12 the Nets have yet to beat a top 8 team in the NBA this year. This includes double-digit losses to the Golden State Warriors, Milwaukee Bucks, and Miami Heat. The Nets still currently hold the third playoff spot in the Eastern Conference standings.
Nets sharpshooter Joe Harris led the NBA in three-point percentage last season. The Nets sniper was starting to find his groove this season after the shooting slump from last year’s playoffs seemed to carry over into the beginning of the year. But Harris has not played since injuring his ankle on November 12 and to this point does not have a return date in sight. As much as the Nets would like to keep their sharpshooter, things may get interesting around February’s trade deadline. Being a team with championship aspirations often means having to make tough decisions.
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Cleveland Cavaliers ‘Very Interested’ in Trading for Joe Harris
This year’s injury combined with a lackluster performance in last year’s playoffs might be enough for the Nets to at least inquire about what Harris’ value would be on the trade market. Despite being injured Harris is drawing interest from one of the top contenders in the Eastern Conference ahead of the February 10 trade deadline. Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com reported that the Cleveland Cavaliers have shown interest in the Nets sniper during a recent episode of the “Wine and Gold Talk Podcast”.
“If the Nets make Joe Harris available—and I’m not saying that they’re going to—but if they make him available, the Cavs would be very interested there,” Fedor said.
Nash: Steve Nash: Mid-season Surgery Was Best Option for Harris
Harris’ ankle injury was so severe that he had to have midseason surgery which is not ideal for a player of his caliber. But Nets head coach Steve Nash says that Harris getting surgery less than a month after the season started, was better than him trying to play hurt for several months.
“We think this is a really positive thing that can put this situation behind him long term rather than risking reoccurrences or uncertainty with the injury,” Nash said of Harris’ injury in November per NetsDaily.
“There’s a little bone particle in there. Just the uncertainty of it, just better to take it out. We thought that it would potentially sort itself out because it’s been there, but it’s not. Hopefully, that’s the end of it.”
Before suffering that injury in November, Harris was averaging 11 points per game on 45/47/83 shooting splits. The Nets sharpshootier could be a big help to a lot of young teams who have bright futures. But for a player of his caliber, the Nets would need to get a significant player, who could make an immediate impact in exchange for Harris.
With the February 10 trade deadline approaching, the Nets will likely get more calls about their sharpshooter, as it has been well documented that they are in win now mode.
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Cavaliers ‘Very Interested’ in Trading for Injured Nets Starter: Report