BROOKLYN (January 14, 2021) – The Brooklyn Nets have acquired NBA first team guard James Harden from the Houston Rockets six times in a three-team trade that includes the Cleveland Cavaliers. As part of the exchange, 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 draft picks (2022, 2024 and 2026 ) and four first-round picks (2021). , 2023, 2025 and 2027) in Houston. The Rockets also receive 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 close the deal.
“Adding an All-NBA player like James to our roster allows our team to better compete with 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’re excited to bring his special talents to Brooklyn. While we are delighted to welcome James and his family to the Nets, we also want to thank the players who are leaving. Caris, Jarrett, Rodions and Taurean have contributed to the success of the team and have had a huge impact on our organization. It was a pleasure to watch them grow both as players and as people and they will always be a part of our Nets family. We wish each of them and their families the best for the future.
The league’s 2018 MVP, Harden (6’5 “, 220) has been named all-star in each of the past eight seasons (2013-20), marking the second longest active streak of All- appearances. Star 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 made it from 2010 to 2012. Harden was also the league leader in assists in 2017, and he is one of six players in NBA history to have won both goal and assist titles in their careers, joining James, Nate Archibald , Oscar Robertson, Jerry West and Russell Westbrook. Harden’s six All-NBA first-team caps are tied with Durant for the second-most active players, behind just 13 first-team honors, NBA record of James. He ranks 36th on the scorecard list. th all-time in the NBA 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 among active players).
Harden has appeared in 841 games (628 starts) in 12 NBA seasons with Houston (2012-21) and Oklahoma City (2009-12), recording career averages of 25.2 points, 5.3 rebounds, 6.3 assists and 1.6 steals in 34.3 minutes per game. shooting 44.3% from the field, 36.3% from 3 points and 85.8% from the free throw line. During the 2019-20 season, Harden recorded averages of 34.3 points on 44.4% shots from the field, 35.5% from range and 86.5% shots from the pitch line frank with 6.6 rebounds, 7.5 assists and 1.8 steals in 36.5 minutes per game. through 68 regular season games, winning All-NBA first-team honors for the fourth straight season and finishing third in the MVP vote. Since the start of his NBA career, Harden has played 841 out 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 has never missed the playoffs of his NBA career, seeing action in 128 games (85 starts) in 11 playoff appearances and averaging 23.5 points , 5.4 rebounds, 5.8 assists and 1.7 steals in 35.3 minutes per contest. He’s 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 US 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. Prior to starting his NBA career, Harden spent two years (2007-09) at Arizona State, twice winning All-Pac-10 first-team honors and securing All-America first-team honors, as well. as the Pac-10 player of the year award, in his second and final college season.
Allen has appeared in 234 games (180 starts) over his four seasons (2017-21) with the Nets, averaging 10.1 points, 7.9 rebounds, 1.2 assists and 1.4 blocks in 24.4 minutes per game. During the 2020-2021 season, Allen appeared in 12 games (five starts), averaging 11.2 points, 10.4 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 1.6 blocks in 26.6 minutes per match. The Austin, Texas native was named to the Mtn Dew Ice Rising Stars as part of the 2019 NBA All-Star Weekend in Charlotte in his second season. He is also the Nets’ all-time field goal percentage leader (61.2%) and set the franchise’s one-season record for field goal percentage last season (64.9%). %). The 22-year-old was originally selected with the 22nd overall pick in Brooklyn’s 2017 NBA Draft.
LeVert played 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 fight. The 26-year-old was originally selected with the 20th overall pick in the first round of the 2016 NBA Draft by the Indiana Pacers and was traded to Brooklyn after the draft.
Kurucs has had 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 overall pick in the second round of the 2018 NBA Draft by Brooklyn.
Prince has appeared in 272 games (204 starts) in five NBA seasons with Brooklyn (2019-21) and Atlanta (2016-19), averaging 11.4 points, 4.3 rebounds and 1.9 assists in 26 , 0 minutes per game. In 76 games (65 starts) in Brooklyn, Prince averaged 11.4 points, 5.5 rebounds and 1.6 assists in 27.3 minutes per fight. In the 2020-2021 season, the San Antonio, Texas native saw 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.
