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NETS GET JAMES HARDEN IN FOUR-TEAM DEAL FOR CARIS LEVERT, JARRETT ALLEN, TAUREAN PRINCE, PICKS, SWAPS

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Los Angeles Lakers v Houston Rockets Photo by Cato Cataldo/NBAE via Getty Images

It happened. The Nets have a “Big Three.”

The Nets have acquired former MVP and eight-time All-Star James Harden in a four-team deal that cost them Caris LeVert, Jarrett Allen, Rodions Kurucs, Taurean Prince, three first round picks and another four pick swaps ... not one of them protected.

Shams Charania had the details...

In addition, the Nets receive a 2024 second rounder from the Cavaliers.

The deal is as big as any trade in Nets history and perhaps the organization’s biggest gamble. It is certainly the biggest NBA trade since the Lakers acquired Anthony Davis for a similar haul before last season.

Along with Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, Harden will give the Nets three superstars. Combined, the three players have been named to 24 All-Star games and 18 All-NBA teams. Durant and Harden have won a combined seven NBA scoring championships and have won two MVP awards. Harden, unlike his teammates, does not have an NBA championship, which was one reason he wanted to play with Durant and Irving.

As more than one pundit noted, the trade once again shows the influence of Kevin Durant who reportedly wanted Harden to join him in Brooklyn.

The trade ends two months of rumors that began after Harden, Durant and Irving scrimmaged together in southern California. According to reports at the time, Harden down an extension offer from the Rockets that would have made him the first $50 million-a-year player in league history.

Of course, both Irving and Harden have had personal issues in the first month of the season. Harden is out of shape physically and Irving has now missed four games to unspecified “personal reasons.”

Steve Nash, in his pregrame Zoom with reporters offered little insight on Irving’s situation.

“I haven’t had an opportunity to know any new details about Kyrie’s situation, so I’ll just rely on the front office to learn more as we go. They’re the ones who will be doing the messaging on that front.”

Also, there’s no official word when Harden will join Brooklyn, but Anthony Puccio says the belief is that his first game will be Saturday vs. the Magic. He will have to quarantine once he arrives in New York.

Nash said he couldn’t comment on trade “rumors” but noted, “I know this is a star’s league so we can reimagine that question at another time.”

Nash did say that the players rumored to be moved were not at Madison Square Garden. At the time of the Zoom call, just after 6:00 pm, Nash said he hadn’t met yet with his players.

“I haven’t been in there. We have been preparing in the coach’s locker room and I have not been in the player’s locker room.”

The deal will require the Nets to sign three other players to fill out their roster. They only receive Harden and a 2024 second rounder from Cleveland in the deal.

Woj first reported the details...

Woj later implied that the deal was done to please Kevin Durant...

At the end of the day, three hours before the Nets face the Knicks at Madison Square Garden, here’s the layout of the roster and the Nets resources...

Moreover, the trade suggests that Joe Tsai is still willing to spend money, per Twitter capologist Yossi Gozlan: Nets will now go from $23.3 million over the luxury tax threshold with a potential $87.1 million tax bill with just 12 players on the roster.

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