James Harden's former Rockets teammates indicated they were ready for him to move onNBAE/GETTY IMAGES
The Nets "will embark on an ambitious attempt to blend three high-scoring stars together" after they agreed to acquire G James Harden from the Rockets in a four-team trade, according to Stein & Deb of the N.Y. TIMES. The trade will reunite Harden with the Nets F Kevin Durant and send Pacers G Victor Oladipo plus four future first-round picks to the Rockets. Nets coach Steve Nash, before his team's game against the Knicks yesterday, said, "I can’t comment on the rumors, but we know this is a star’s league" (N.Y. TIMES, 1/14).
LOSING THE LOCKER ROOM: In Houston, Jonathan Feigen notes before and after the trade, Harden's former Rockets teammates "made it clear they’d had enough." Rockets C DeMarcus Cousins said of Harden's remarks after Tuesday's loss to the Lakers, “The disrespect started way before any interview. Just the approach to training camp, showing up the way he did, his antics off the court, the disrespect started way before. This isn’t something that all of a sudden happened last night" (HOUSTON CHRONICLE, 1/14). Sources said that Harden hired Wasserman's Jason Ranne and Chafie Fields to help facilitate the move, and they "worked closely with the Rockets and all teams involved to secure the trade for him." Wasserman also represented Russell Westbrook and "worked closely with the Rockets on his trade to Wizards" (ESPN.com, 1/13).
END OF AN ERA: The CHRONICLE's Feigen writes after eight-plus seasons as the "unquestioned face of the franchise and one of the premier scorers of his generation, Harden got his wish" yesterday to join Durant and Nets G Kyrie Irving. It means Harden, the "longtime headliner and record setter," wanted to leave the team "with which he has had his greatest success and the city he said he loves." The "breakup -- as with many of his seasons leading the Rockets -- brought an agonizing and perhaps fitting end of once enormous hope his excellence had inspired" (HOUSTON CHRONICLE, 1/14). In N.Y., Brian Lewis cited sources as saying that Rockets Owner Tilman Fertitta "wasn’t enamored of the Nets’ assets." But "despite Fertitta’s reservations about the Nets’ offer," Harden’s "disinterested play and open grousing eventually incentivized the Rockets and paved the way" (N.Y. POST, 1/14).
KINGS OF NEW YORK: In N.Y., Kristian Winfield writes the Nets already are the "main basketball draw in The Big Apple, and they’re gunning to set a new standard by which to judge New York basketball." Nets C DeAndre Jordan said after last night's game, “We’re just trying to win New York, and our goals are very low, no disrespect to those guys at all.” Winfield: "The Knicks have set the bar low enough for the Nets to leap over" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 1/14). On Long Island, Barbara Barker writes the Nets have "created a big three of their own and the immediate goal has to be making a run at an NBA title" (NEWSDAY, 1/14). The WALL STREET JOURNAL's Ben Cohen writes the Nets "created a team of temperamental superstars" by dealing for Harden (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 1/14).
PLAYER POWER: SI.com's Rohan Nadkarni wrote by insisting on being dealt to the Nets, Harden "exercised his might as one of the league’s premier players, and propelled himself into a situation of his choosing." Both Harden and the Nets are "pushing all their chips to the middle of the table" (SI.com, 1/13). CBSSPORTS.com's Colin Ward-Henninger wrote with Harden "forcing his way to his preferred destination, superstar players may see this as a blueprint for getting out of an undesirable situation." Harden was able to "leverage the situation despite having two more years left on his contract, opening the doors for even earlier demands from stars in the future." The "so-called player empowerment era in the NBA is in full swing" (CBSSPORTS.com, 1/13).
