James Harden of Houston Rockets Trade to Brooklyn Nets

As part of a three-way deal that involves the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Brooklyn Nets have acquired six-time All-NBA First Team guard James Harden from the Houston Rockets.

2023

In each of the last eight seasons, the League’s Most Valuable Player in 2018, James Harden was designated an All-Star, marking the second-longest active string of All-Star appearances behind only LeBron James. He is a three-time scoring champion and after Kevin Durant did so became the first player to win three consecutive scoring titles. Harden was also the 2017 assists leader in the league, and he is one of only six players in the history of the NBA who have earned both scoring and assisting titles in their careers, joining Lebron James, Nate Archibald, Oscar Robertson, Jerry West, and Russell Westbrook.

For the second-most among active players, Harden’s six All-NBA First Team choices tie with Durant, behind only Lebron’s NBA-record 13 first-team honors. He ranks 36th with 21,160 career points on the NBA’s all-time scoring list and 54th on the league’s all-time assists list with 5,338 career assists.

“Adding an All-NBA player such as James to our roster better positions our team to compete against the league’s best,” Brooklyn Nets general manager Sean Marks said in a statement released by the team.

Brooklyn is sending center Jarrett Allen and forward Taurean Prince to Cleveland as part of the trade, and guard Caris LeVert and forward Rodions Kurucs, as well as three first-round drafts, picks to Houston, and four first-round pick swaps. The Rockets also receive guard Dante Exum and a 2022 first-round draft pick from Cleveland via Milwaukee, and Brooklyn acquires a 2024 second-round draft pick from the Cavaliers to complete the deal.

On the other hand, for the first time since joining the Brooklyn Nets in the blockbuster trade on Wednesday, James Harden addressed the media Friday, denying the narrative he was disrespectful to former teammates, thus justifying his reasons for choosing to leave the Houston Rockets.

“I wasn’t disrespectful to anyone,” Harden said. “Those guys had just got there to Houston. I’ve been there for a very long time. I’ve been through all the ups and downs with that organization, and I wasn’t disrespectful towards anyone. I just commented that the team as a whole wasn’t good enough to compete for a title. And the stage in my career where I am now, that’s what I would love. So, I wasn’t trying to be disrespectful to anybody, especially not to the organization. As I said, I’m excited to be here in Brooklyn, excited for a new start,” the star player said.