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BROOKLYN (January 14, 2021) – The Brooklyn Nets acquired six-time NBA first-team guard James Harden from the Houston Rockets as part of a three-team trade that includes the Cleveland Cavaliers. As part of the trade, Brooklyn sends center Jarrett Allen and forward Taurean Prince to Cleveland, and guard Caris LeVert and forward Rodions Kurucs, as well as three first-round picks (2022, 2024, and 2026) and four pick-up changes from first round (2021). , 2023, 2025 and 2027) to Houston. The Rockets also get guard Dante Exum and a 2022 first-round pick from Cleveland (via Milwaukee), and Brooklyn acquires a 2024 second-round pick from the Cavaliers to complete the deal.
“Adding an All-NBA player like James to our roster better positions our team to compete against the best in the league,” said general manager Sean Marks. “James is one of the most prolific scorers and playmakers in our game, and we are delighted to bring his special talent to Brooklyn. While we are excited to welcome James and his family to the Nets, we also want to thank the players who are leaving. Caris, Jarrett, Rodions and Taurean were critical to the team’s success and have had a huge impact on our organization. It has been a pleasure watching them grow as players and as individuals and they will always be part of our Nets family. We wish each of them and their families all the best in the future. “
The league’s MVP of 2018, Harden (6’5 ”, 220) has been named an All-Star in each of the last eight seasons (2013-20), marking the second-longest active streak of appearances in the All-Star Game. behind only LeBron James (16 consecutive appearances). He is a three-time scoring champion (2018-20) and became the first player to win three consecutive titles since Kevin Durant did so in 2010-12. Harden was also the league leader in assists in 2017, and is one of only six players in NBA history to have won scoring and assist titles in their careers, joining James, Nate Archibald, Oscar Robertson, Jerry West. and Russell Westbrook. Harden’s six All-NBA first-team picks are tied with Durant for second among active players, behind only James’ NBA record of 13 first-team titles. He ranks 36th on the NBA’s all-time scoring list with 21,160 career points (fourth among active players) and 54th on the league’s all-time assists list with 5,338 career assists (sixth between active players).
Harden has appeared in 841 games (628 starts) in 12 NBA seasons with Houston (2012-21) and Oklahoma City (2009-12), posting career averages of 25.2 points, 5.3 rebounds, 6.3 assists and 1.6 steals at 34.3. minutes per game. while shooting 44.3 percent from the field, 36.3 percent from 3-point range and 85.8 percent from the free throw line. In the 2019-20 season, Harden averaged 34.3 points on 44.4 percent from the field, 35.5 percent from distance and 86.5 percent from the free throw line with 6.6 rebounds, 7.5 assists and 1.8 steals at 36.5 minutes per game. through 68 regular season games, earning NBA First Team honors for the fourth consecutive season and finishing third in the MVP vote. Since the beginning of his NBA career, Harden has played in 841 of a possible 885 regular season games, and no player has appeared in more games since the start of the 2009-10 season than Harden.
The Compton, Calif., Native hasn’t missed the playoffs in his NBA career, seeing action in 128 games (85 starts) in 11 postseason appearances and averaging 23.5 points, 5.4 rebounds, 5.8 assists and 1.7 steals in 35.3 minutes per day. competition. He has made four trips to the Western Conference Finals in his career, twice with the Rockets (2015 and 2018) and twice with the Thunder (2011 and 2012). Harden has also represented the United States in international competitions, winning a gold medal with the United States men’s basketball team at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London.
Harden was originally selected with the third overall pick in the 2009 NBA Draft by the Oklahoma City Thunder. Before beginning his NBA career, Harden spent two years (2007-09) at Arizona State, twice winning All-Pac-10 First Team Honors and earning All-America First Team Honors by Consensus, as well as Pac-10 Player of the Year Award, in his second and final college season.
Allen saw action in 234 games (180 starts) in his four seasons (2017-21) with the Nets, posting averages of 10.1 points, 7.9 rebounds, 1.2 assists and 1.4 blocks in 24.4 minutes per game. In the 2020-21 season, Allen has appeared in 12 games (five starts), recording averages of 11.2 points, 10.4 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 1.6 blocks in 26.6 minutes per game. The Austin, Texas native was named a member of the Mtn Dew Ice Rising Stars as part of the 2019 NBA All-Star Weekend in Charlotte during its second season. He is also the Nets’ all-time leader in field goal percentage (61.2 percent) and set the franchise record for a season in field goal percentage last season (64.9 percent). The 22-year-old was originally selected with the 22nd overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft by Brooklyn.
LeVert appeared in 225 games (96 starts) in five seasons (2016-21) in Brooklyn, averaging 13.1 points, 3.7 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1.1 steals in 25.9 minutes per game. In 12 games (four starts) this season, the Columbus, Ohio native has averaged 18.5 points, 4.3 rebounds, 6.0 assists and 1.1 steals in 27.8 minutes per game. The 26-year-old was originally selected with the 20th pick in the first round of the 2016 NBA Draft by the Indiana Pacers and was traded to Brooklyn after the draft.
Kurucs saw action in 115 games (55 starts) in three seasons with the Nets, averaging 6.5 points and 3.4 rebounds in 17.3 minutes per game. The Latvian native was originally selected with the 40th pick in the second round of the 2018 NBA Draft by Brooklyn.
Prince appeared in 272 games (204 as a starter) in five NBA seasons with Brooklyn (2019-21) and Atlanta (2016-19), recording averages of 11.4 points, 4.3 rebounds and 1.9 assists in 26 , 0 minutes per game. In 76 games (65 starts) at Brooklyn, Prince averaged 11.4 points, 5.5 rebounds and 1.6 assists in 27.3 minutes per game. In the 2020-21 season, the San Antonio, Texas native has seen action in 12 games (four starts), averaging 8.1 points and 2.8 rebounds in 18.1 minutes per game. The 26-year-old was originally acquired by Brooklyn through a trade with the Atlanta Hawks on July 6, 2019.
