The Nets Are Reportedly Ready To Offer Anyone Not Named Kevin Durant In A Trade For James Harden

Should we consider the source here? Maybe, but who has time for that. Yes, I know who tweeted that thread but at the same time, I don't really care. It's juicy enough for me. A Big 3 Trade 2.0? As someone who is currently benefitting from the Nets making such a decision, this doesn't surprise me one bit. The Rockets should be elated because in this game of chicken it sure looks like the Nets are blinking first. Obviously, the big piece here is Kyrie, and that doesn't make a whole lot of sense since they just traded for John Wall. I'm also not totally sure Kyrie is still an active NBA player so there's also that to consider.

But if I'm the Rockets, what interests me isn't just the player return. Sure getting guys like Caris LeVert and whatever else might help soften the blow of losing a franchise talent, but the big thing is the picks. If a KD/Harden duo with whatever is left in Houston doesn't work out, those picks could be gold. Just look at how things worked with Danny Ainge and his BKN picks. If that trio fails to come through and in 2-3 years those guys are off the team, the Nets are going to be right back to where they were when Sean Marks first took over. A big time rebuild with little to no assets. If the Rockets could get those picks to be unprotected, there might not be a better offer out there.

There's no denying that if they were able to keep Kyrie and he actually shows up again, that trio is pretty damn tough. Especially now that Durant looks like the same MVP caliber player he was before he got hurt. But it most certainly does not guarantee a title if they have to gut their depth to do it. If they are only able to get Harden by trading Kyrie, I'm not sure that makes them a title favorite either. 

Putting all your eggs in the James Harden basket like this is certainly very risky. But you aren't making a move like this unless Durant has signed off on it. I am a little confused as to why the Nets so are hell-bent on bringing Harden in. I get he's an all time scorer, but the KD/Kyrie duo with their current depth looked pretty damn good when everyone showed up. It feels wild to blow that all up just 10 games into the season when it was your depth combined with the elite talent that made them so good in the first place. Steve Nash is already up to his eyeballs in drama, now you want to add James Harden to the mix? Good luck.