Rockets Benefit Greatly From Nets' failures With James Harden And Kyrie Irving
HOUSTON — The Brooklyn Nets have imploded 25 months after they constructed a super team with Kevin Durant, James Harden and Kyrie Irving.
The Nets traded Irving to the Dallas Mavericks Sunday afternoon. And his departure came a year after Brooklyn traded Harden to the Philadelphia 76ers last February.
The Nets have lost two future Hall-of-Famers and are plummeting toward basketball purgatory. And one of the biggest winners in Brooklyn's failures are the Houston Rockets.
The Rockets are on the verge of finishing with the league's worst record for the third consecutive season. They remain committed rebuilding through the draft. But the Nets' chaotic situation could quickly boost the Rockets back to relevancy.
As a result of the trade that sent Harden to the Nets in January 2021, the Rockets currently own the Nets' first-round picks in 2024 and 2026. And they hold the rights to a first-round pick swap in 2023, 2025 and 2027.
"You have to remember in my first four years, I did not know what a draft pick was," Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta said in June. "When you look at Boston [Celtics] and Golden State [Warriors] those are teams that are great because those are players who were drafted.
"Sometimes, bad things have to happen in order for you to be great. And when you look at the past of this franchise, the Rockets were always great after the draft picks they had."
The Nets were on the verge of dominating the league when they acquired Harden from the Rockets. But instead, injuries and lack of cohesion turned Brooklyn into the most disappointing super team in league history.
The Nets won only one playoff series. And the Big 3 of Durant, Harden and Irving played 16 games together. They went 8-2 in the regular season and 5-1 in the playoffs.
The departures of Harden and Irving could ultimately lead to Durant's inevitable exit.
According to Bleacher Report, the Phoenix Suns will pursue Durant should he become available before the NBA's trade deadline on Feb. 9. And there is a good chance the Suns will not be the only team attempting to land the former MVP, which would mark another significant win for the Rockets.
Irving signed with the Nets in July 2019. In four seasons, he averaged 27.1 points, 5.8 assists and 1.3 steals in 143 career games with Brooklyn.
You can follow Coty M. Davis on Twitter at @CotyDavis_24
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