Although the NBA's free market has not yet opened, the teams have started negotiations in private. The Rockets are currently in the trading whirlpool. Their double MVP combination Harden and Westbrook seems to have intentionally left the team. The willingness to leave the team is even stronger. Although Harden has already shown that he wants to stay on the team, no one can guarantee that after the opening of the free market, other teams will offer Harden.
According to the latest report from Sports Illustrated reporter Farbod Esnaashari, the Nets intend to pursue Harden. Harden’s contract next season is as high as 40.82 million. Therefore, this is also a big deal for the Nets. Players who paid a lot, the Nets have now negotiated with the Rockets. The latest deal is that the Rockets sent Harden and Tucker, while the Nets sent LeVille, Dinwiddie, Allen and Prince. At the same time, the Nets will also give the Rockets the No. 19 pick in 2020 (from the 76ers) and the first round picks in 2021, 2023 and 2025.
If this deal is reached, it will undoubtedly be the heaviest deal of the season. You must know that Harden is the MVP of 2018, but in the last two seasons they have lost the Western Conference semifinals in the playoffs. The team’s head coach and general manager have left the team this season, which also caused concerns within the team for their future, including the team’s two core cores, Harden and Westbrook. Although the Nets broke into the postseason last season Game, but the core of the team Durant and Irving did not play, the true strength of the team is still worth looking forward to, if you add a heavyweight star like Harden, the Nets form the Super Big Three, then next season I'm afraid this team is unstoppable.
It is worth mentioning that in the Nets coaching staff, Harden also has an old acquaintance, that is D'Antoni, who has just joined the Nets coaching staff. He has coached Harden for the past 4 seasons, and the two are very familiar. , This may be one of the reasons why Harden joined the Nets. This news is probably the worst for the defending champion Lakers. It will be really difficult for the Lakers to defend their title next season!