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The Brooklyn Nets are at a point of their franchise where they are looking to do what they can to find their way back to competing for championships. As Brooklyn moves through this offseason looking to add more talent, the fanbase is reminded of a certain trade that has them over a barrel right now.
On Jan. 14, 2021, the Nets acquired James Harden from the Houston Rockets in exchange for Caris LeVert, Rodions Kurucs, three first-round picks, and four first-round pick swaps. At the moment, Brooklyn is paying the price for Harden leaving the team a little over a year since he was brought to the Nets to help Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving try to win a title in short order.
After a full season in Brooklyn, Harden wanted out after there was some drama going on with the franchise in multiple ways and he was eventually traded to the Philadelphia 76ers for a trade that brought Ben Simmons to Brooklyn. Since the trade, Nets fans have been lamenting how Brooklyn had an opportunity to win a championship with a big 3 along with the fact that Simmons has played in just 57 games in his 2.5 seasons with the Nets.
When it comes to the Harden trade, one of the biggest reminders of how badly the deal went is the fact that the Rockets have the third overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft via the Nets. Brooklyn finished the 2023-24 season with a 32-50 record, but because of how the NBA Draft Lottery is set up, Houston beat the odds by coming away with a top-3 pick.
Add to the fact that Brooklyn does not have a pick in this upcoming draft despite their obvious need for young talent and you have a combination of a move that the Nets had to make if they wanted to chase a title, but are paying for that very move because of how quickly their championship window closed.
As it stands, the Rockets are trying to acquire players that can help the team reach the next level and as such, are willing to engage the Nets to get their picks back in exchange for either Mikal Bridges or the picks that Brooklyn got in the Durant trade. Either way, the Nets are painfully being reminded of what could have been and will continue to be reminded if things progress as they are.