James Harden demands credit for leaving Nets before Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant’s DRAMATIC exit
Harden says he foresaw the Nets’ collapse and made the right decision to join the 76ers.
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Sixers guard James Harden (Via Twitter)
James Harden has no regrets about leaving the Brooklyn Nets to join the Philadelphia 76ers. The former MVP believes he made the right decision to request a trade from the Nets, who have been dealing with injuries, and inconsistency.
Harden played only one season with the Nets, forming a super-team with Kevin Durant and Irving. But he was not happy with the situation in Brooklyn, where he felt he had to carry the team too often, especially when Durant and Joe Harris were out with injuries.
“There’s a lot of internal things that was going on which was one of the reasons why I made my decision,” Harden said before facing his former team in the playoffs. “And everybody talked down on me & gave me negative feedback…But now fast forward today, nobody’s like, okay, James was smart.”
Harden’s trade to Philadelphia has worked out well for him and the Sixers, who finished with the best record in the Eastern Conference and are one of the favorites to win the title. Harden has formed a dynamic duo with Joel Embiid, who is having an MVP-caliber season. He has also reunited with his former GM Daryl Morey, who traded for him in Houston and Philadelphia.
Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant’s exit leaves the Nets in disarray
The Brooklyn Nets had high hopes when they landed Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant in free agency, but their dream of forming a dynasty in the Big Apple quickly turned into a nightmare. After a season marred by injuries, and chemistry issues, both stars decided to leave the Nets this summer, forcing the team to rebuild from scratch.
Irving and Durant signed four-year deals worth $164 million apiece in 2019, with options to opt-out after the third year. They also convinced James Harden to join them via trade in 2022, creating a potent trio that was expected to compete for multiple titles.
But things never clicked for the Nets. Irving played only 27 games, while Durant missed 47 games due to various ailments. The Nets then finished sixth in the Eastern Conference with a 44-38 record and were eliminated by the Bucks in the second round of the playoffs.
Irving and Durant then shocked the NBA world by requesting trades from the Nets, citing personal and professional reasons. The Nets had no leverage and had to accommodate their demands, sending Durant to the Phoenix Suns, and Irving to the Dallas Mavericks.
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Ankush Singh
(616 Articles Published)