Nets Mortgage Future for Disgruntled James Harden

 The Nets already have one disgruntled super star in Kyrie Irving, who for whatever reason has kept away from the team for personal reasons. The reason's why are manifold, but it hasn't made Kyrie look good at all. Whether it be using last week's U.S. Capital riots as an excuse or attending a jam-packed, maskless birthday party, one would think the last thing the Nets would do -- or even should do -- is add to the difficulty. 

But that is what the Nets essentially did on Wednesday afternoon when they completed a deal with the Houston Rockets for their disgruntled superstar, James Harden. Now the Nets boast a big three of talented, and even highly opinionated stars in Harden, Irving and Kevin Durant. If all three play and play with a smile on their face, the Nets will be very difficult to stop. 

If the egos get in the way, as it normally does with so many superstars under a rookie head coach -- in this case Steve Nash, it is a formula for a total and utter disaster.

The Nets mortgaged their future for this gamble. They sent draft picks and players including Caris Lavert to the Rockets. The Rockets in turn traded Victor Oladipo to the Indiana Pacers. Former Nets center Jarrett Allen and Taurean Prince went from Brooklyn to the Cleveland Cavaliers. Houston also swaps gets the Nets first round picks in 2022, 2024 and 2026, and swap picks with Brooklyn for 2021, '23, '25, and 2027. 

At 6-6, the Nets proved Wednesday that they are a team, an organization, that can't help itself. In case you are wondering Harden was already fined by the NBA some $50,000 for being at a gathering maskless, and has spent a better part of the last year pouting about getting out of Houston. This was worth losing first round picks and good, solid bench guys for? This is what is going to put fans in the seat when and if the NBA allows fans to return? 

This is insanity redefined and then some by the Nets -- an organization so terrified of its own shadow, or even the prospect that the New York Knicks might finally, after more than 20 years be getting out from underneath the rock they buried themselves in. 

Unless the Nets win the Eastern Conference, hell, unless the Nets win the NBA Finals, this can't help but end badly for Brooklyn.