Dallas Basketball

Kyrie Irving bashes unfair James Harden, Ben Simmons trade

The Mavericks star was not a fan of the trade from his time with the Brooklyn Nets.
Keenan Womack|
Feb 1, 2022; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Brooklyn Nets guard Kyrie Irving (11) and guard James Harden (13) against the Phoenix Suns at Footprint Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
Feb 1, 2022; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Brooklyn Nets guard Kyrie Irving (11) and guard James Harden (13) against the Phoenix Suns at Footprint Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

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Dallas Mavericks

Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving has always been outspoken, for better or for worse. Never one to pull punches, he speaks his mind often and has recently been opening up about his ill-fated stint with the Brooklyn Nets.

The grouping of Irving, James Harden, and Kevin Durant in Brooklyn never bore fruit the way many thought it would, resulting in trades, conflicts, and eventually, players requesting out. One of the more controversial moves was Brooklyn's dealing James Harden to Philadelphia for Ben Simmons, a swap that Irving addressed recently on a stream.

READ MORE: San Antonio Spurs star praises Mavericks' Kyrie Irving

Brooklyn Nets guard Ben Simmons
Feb 5, 2025; Brooklyn, New York, USA; Brooklyn Nets guard Ben Simmons (10) at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images | Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

"I didn't feel like that was a fair trade. But at the time, when it happened, [James Harden] went to our division. He went to Philly...so not only did we lose Ime Udoka...and one of our assistant GMs, but we lost James [Harden] to Philly. So we're in the same division with our brothers...When you spend a season or two with somebody, you gonna know their habits...their strengths and weaknesses. You know that."

What Irving is essentially saying is that sending James Harden to a division rival gave the 76ers an advantage, and that the return for the trade was not adequate for what Harden brought to the table, especially offensively.

READ MORE: Mavericks star rookie Cooper Flagg makes Larry Bird statement

Harden, who averaged 22 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 10.3 assists per game in his 44 games with the Nets that season, was sent off in a package centered on Ben Simmons, who was at the time not playing due to a back injury. There were other pieces involved, including first-round picks, but it was not the ideal trade for a Nets team that had championship aspirations the season before.

The Nets eventually traded Kyrie Irving to the Mavericks for a similarly poor return relative to Irving's skill set. Since joining Dallas, Irving has been one of the Mavericks' biggest stars, playing alongside former Dallas/current Lakers guard Luka Doncic in 2024 and helping lead the franchise to the NBA Finals for the first time since 2011.

READ MORE: Former Lakers, Mavericks wing signs with unexpected team

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Keenan Womack
KEENAN WOMACK

Keenan Womack is a sportswriter native to Dallas, Texas, who has spent the last 12 years in Austin, the home of his alma mater, the University of Texas. Keenan has covered sports for SB Nation, Bleacher Report, Rivals/Orangebloods, a host of his own sites and now, Fan Nation. Focusing on basketball, Keenan was on the beat for the Longhorns hoops team for the last two-and-a-half years before moving on to pursue other opportunities. He is married and lives with his wife close to the Moody Center, so they can continue to catch games together.

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