The big deal came by surprise. According to NBA Shams, the Rockets, Nets, Cavaliers, and Pacers completed a four-way deal.
Rockets sent Harden, the second round pick in 2023, got Oladipo, Ixam, Kurutz, 3 unprotected first round picks for the Nets (22, 24, 26) , 1 unprotected 22-year first-round pick from the Cavaliers (from the Bucks), 4 first-round draft exchange rights for the Nets (21, 23, 25, 27), and 1 from Pacers got the second round pick.
The Nets sent Lever, Jarrett Allen, Torrien Prince, 3 first-round picks and 4 first-round picks to swap rights to get Harden.
Pacers sent Oladipo , a second round pick, and got the second round picks from Le Vere and the Rockets.
The Cavaliers sent a first-round pick and a second-round pick to get Jarrett Allen and Torrien Prince. The
transaction can be completed so quickly, Lakers contributed. The Lakers technically knocked down the Rockets in two consecutive games, making Harden determined to leave and making the Rockets no longer have any illusions. Everyone knows that if the Harden deal continues, it will only hurt the Rockets and Harden. In order to avoid this situation, the Rockets can only lower their asking price for Harden and fulfill Harden. After the completion of the
deal, the Rockets will naturally enter the reconstruction mode. The Pacers and Cavaliers acted as lubricants in this transaction, and they gained a little benefit, but they had little impact on their own strength.
The Nets are the most concerned. After the completion of the transaction, the Nets formed a combination of Harden + Durant + Irving and .
According to statistics, the Nets have become the third team in NBA history to have three players averaging over 22 points per game. In the past 11 scoring titles, Harden and Durant have won 7 of them. Durant is the leading scoring team from 2010 to 2012 and 2014, and Harden is the leading scoring team from 2018 to 2020 for three consecutive years.
In addition, the Nets have also become the Warriors and the Rockets, another player with 2 peak MVPs. Durant was the 2014 MVP, and Harden was the 2018 MVP. Because Durant and Harden's resumes are too glamorous, this makes Irving, who is also an All-Star, look very ordinary.
Of course, the lineup is luxurious, and the money spent is definitely indispensable. During the 2019 offseason, Durant and Irving joined the Nets. Durant had a 4-year contract of 164 million and Irving’s 4-year contract of 141 million. In 2017, Harden and the Rockets renewed their contract ahead of schedule, with a four-year contract of 170 million. The three-person contract is the maximum salary, and Harden is still the super maximum salary.
Harden's annual salary this season is 40.82 million, Durant is 39.06 million, Irving is 33.33 million, and the total salary of the three is 114.8 million. The salaries of the Big Three alone have exceeded the total salaries of the five NBA teams ( Knicks 92.10 million, Thunder 95.6 million, Hornets 105.1 million, Kings 107.8 million, Hawks 114.7 million)
plus Joe -Harris , Dinwiddie and other players, the Nets' total salary exceeds 160 million. If this lineup is maintained until the end of the season, the Nets are expected to have to pay a luxury tax of $87.1 million. But still not better than the Warriors.
nearly 100 million in luxury tax, and all future first-round picks (including 4 swap rights) are given to the Rockets. The Nets can be said to be stud this time. Success will win the championship, and failure will become the league's biggest joke.
After acquiring Harden in the trade, the biggest problem they have to solve next is Irving. With Durant and Harden, the Nets will not have any difficulty in entering the playoffs, and the second round is also a high probability. But to win the championship, they still need Irving to return and play well.
