This is delicious. The Nets are already combusting less than two years into their super team experiment, with their latest embarrassment coming when the Celtics tore them apart at Barclays Center Tuesday. Hours before Thursday's NBA trade deadline, the skidding Nets are seemingly preoccupied with James Harden's demands, rather than focused on improving their team.
The Celtics may not be championship contenders right now, but they're in a better spot than the Nets.
Who would've thought that when Kyrie desecrated Lucky just nine months ago?
Losers of nine straight, the Nets have fallen back to No. 8 in the Eastern Conference, meaning their star-studded group would be stuck competing in the lowly play-in game if the postseason started today. Fortunately for them, it doesn't, and there is still a lot of time. Brooklyn probably believes it will be ready for a resurgence when Kevin Durant returns after the All-Star Break. Even with all of the Nets' struggles, they're only 1.5 games behind the sixth-place Raptors, and just three games behind the divisional leading Sixers.
But still: it wasn't supposed to go like this. The bad omens started with Kyrie Irving's refusal to get vaccinated and subsequent two-month absence. He returned to the Nets in December to fill out their Covid-ravaged roster, even though he can only play road games, thanks to New York City's indoor vaccine mandate. (He's only eligible to play in 10 more games this season, though NYC's mandate could change with cases steadily declining.)
Then Durant sprained his MCL, leaving Harden out there without his running mates. Apparently, Harden isn't pleased with the picture. The 10-time All-Star wants to be traded to the 76ers, but won't formally request a trade out of fear of the public backlash, reports ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.
Sounds like a healthy dynamic.
It's hilarious the Nets surrendered seven first-round picks or swaps for Harden — as well as Caris Levert and Jarrett Allen — and might only get one playoff run out of him. Either way, it seems like Harden will only be around for two postseason trips. He can be a free agent this summer.
The Celtics are hardly in a perfect position. Despite winning six straight, there are still valid questions about whether this group is anything more than mediocre. Nearly two years of enraging underachievement supersedes a week and a half of good play.
But give the Celtics this: they didn't quit. It's easy to check during an NBA season. The Lakers are doing exactly that.
Right now, it's not so hard remembering Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown are only entering their mid-20s, and signed for the long-term.
Boston is looking better than Brooklyn. How sweet.
