Sources: Houston Rockets trade James Harden to Brooklyn Nets in 4-team megadeal sending Caris LeVert to Indiana Pacers
The Nets sent Houston a package that includes multiple players and draft picks and features guard Caris LeVert, who was then traded to the Pacers for Victor Oladipo, sources told ESPN.
Center Jarrett Allen and forward Taurean Prince are headed from the Nets to the Cavs in the deal, sources told ESPN, while the Rockets receive Cleveland guard Dante Exum and Brooklyn forward Rodions Kurucs.
Houston also receives Brooklyn’s three unprotected first-round draft picks in the deal — in 2022, 2024 and 2026 — plus pick swaps in 2021, 2023, 2025 and 2027, sources told ESPN. The Rockets also get Cleveland’s 2022 first-round pick, via the Milwaukee Bucks, and Houston is sending a 2023 second-round pick to the Pacers, sources told ESPN.
Brooklyn also gets a 2024 second-round pick from the Cavaliers. The Nets have three open roster spots to fill out their bench, if they choose — a $5.7 million tax mid-level, the minimum exception and likely a $5.7 million disabled player exception.
The megadeal reunites Harden with former Oklahoma City teammate Kevin Durant in Brooklyn and positions the Nets, who also have All-Star guard Kyrie Irving, as a title contender in the Eastern Conference.
TO NETS: James Harden (from Rockets), 2024 second-round pick from the Cavaliers
PLAYERS TO ROCKETS: Victor Oladipo (from Pacers), Dante Exum (from Cavs), Rodions Kurucs (from Nets)
PICKS TO ROCKETS: Brooklyn’s three unprotected first-round draft picks — 2022, 2024 and 2026 — in the deal, plus pick swaps in 2021, 2023, 2025 and 2027. Also, Cleveland’s 2022 first-round pick, via the Milwaukee Bucks.
TO PACERS: Caris LeVert (from Rockets via Nets); 2023 second-round pick from the Rockets
TO CAVALIERS: Jarrett Allen (from Nets), Taurean Prince (from Nets)
“I think basketball is about playing together and being the best you can be. So, no matter who you are, it’s about finding connectivity and balance within a team and trying to be greater than the sum of your parts,” Nets coach Steve Nash said before Wednesday’s game against the Knicks. “So, that doesn’t change no matter what your team looks like, and that’s definitely a goal and a thread of our team from Day One.”
The trade was agreed to after the Rockets opted to keep Harden away from Wednesday’s practice, following the former MVP’s comments Tuesday that Houston isn’t “good enough” to compete for a championship.
Harden hired Jason Ranne and Chafie Fields from Wasserman, and they worked closely with the Rockets and all teams involved to secure the trade for him, sources told ESPN. Wasserman also represented Russell Westbrook and worked closely with the Rockets on his trade to Wizards.
The Nets are scheduled to visit the Rockets on March 3 (7:30 p.m. ET, ESPN) — the last game of the first half of their schedules.
At the Caesars Sportsbook by William Hill, the Nets moved ahead of the Bucks and are now the second-favorites to win the NBA title, behind only the Los Angeles Lakers. The Nets’ title odds improved from +550 to +300.
“My first thought: It’s good to get James Harden to the East,” Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr told 95.7 The Game in San Francisco. “A lot of the dominant NBA players have been in the West for whatever reason. And it’s good to balance it out.”
By adding Harden, a three-time scoring champ, the Nets will be able to trot out a lineup of three players capable of scoring 25 or more points on any night, giving them a collection of firepower to rival any Big Three in recent years.
Harden and Durant, who have combined to win seven of the past 11 NBA scoring titles entering this season, become the fifth pair of teammates in NBA history to play on the same team after winning multiple scoring titles, according to Elias.
Durant, who scored 26 points in the Nets’ 116-109 win over the Knicks on Wednesday, is averaging 29.4 points through nine games in his first season back from surgery to repair a ruptured Achilles tendon. Irving was scoring 27.1 per game before leaving the team last week for personal reasons.
Harden, who had joined the Rockets after training camp began, is averaging 24.8 points this season after three straight seasons above 30.
ESPN’s Malika Andrews and The Associated Press contributed to this report.