BROOKLYN (January 14, 2021) – Brooklyn Nets acquired the six-time All-NBA First Team point guard, James Harden of the Houston Rockets, as part of a three-team exchange that includes the Cleveland Cavaliers. As part of the exchange, Brooklyn sends center Jarrett Allen and striker Taurean Prince to Cleveland, and guard Caris LeVert and striker Rodions Kurucs, as well as three first-round draft choices (2022, 2024 and 2026) and four options choice of the first round (2021, 2023, 2025 and 2027) for Houston. The Rockets also receive owner Dante Exum and a choice of the 2022 draft of Cleveland’s first round (via Milwaukee), and Brooklyn acquires a choice of the draft of the second round of 2024 from the Cavaliers to complete the deal.
“Adding an All-NBA player like James to our squad better positions our team to compete against the best in the league,” said general manager Sean Marks. “James is one of the most prolific scorers and game makers in our game, and we are excited to bring his special talents to Brooklyn. While we are excited to welcome James and his family to the Nets, we also want to thank the players who are leaving. Caris, Jarrett, Rodions and Taurean were instrumental in the team’s success and had a huge impact on our organization. It was a pleasure to see them grow as players and as people and they will always be part of our Nets family. We wish each of them and their families all the best in the future. “
The most valuable player in the league in 2018, Harden (6’5 ”, 220) has been named an All-Star in each of the last eight seasons (2013-20), which marks the All’s second longest active streak of appearances. -Star behind LeBron James (16 consecutive games). He is a three-time champion (2018-20) and has become the first player to win three consecutive goal titles since Kevin Durant did so in 2010-12. Harden was also the league leader in assists in 2017, and he is one of only six players in NBA history who have won both goals and assistential titles in their careers, joining James, Nate Archibald, Oscar Robertson, Jerry West and Russell Westbrook. Harden’s six All-NBA First Team teams tie with Durant as the second most active player, second only to James’ NBA record with 13 first team titles. He is 36th on the NBA all-time scoring list, with 21,160 career points (fourth among active players) and 54th on the league’s all-time assist list, with 5,338 career assists (sixth among active players).
Harden appeared in 841 games (628 matches) in 12 NBA seasons with Houston (2012-21) and Oklahoma City (2009-12), registering career averages of 25.2 points, 5.3 rebounds, 6.3 assists and 1.6 steals in 34.3 minutes per game while shooting 44.3 percent of the field, 36.3 percent of the 3-point line and 85.8 percent of the free-throw line. In the 2019-20 season, Harden averaged 34.3 points on 44.4% of field shots, 35.5% of distance shots and 86.5% of free throw line shots with 6.6 rebounds, 7.5 assists and 1.8 steals in 36.5 minutes per game through 68 regular season games, earning All-NBA First Team honors for the fourth consecutive season and finishing third in the MVP vote. Since the beginning of his NBA career, Harden has played in 841 of the 885 possible regular season games, and no player has appeared in more games since the start of the 2009-10 season than Harden.
The Compton, California native has also never missed the playoffs in his NBA career, taking action in 128 games (85 matches) in 11 postseason appearances and posting averages of 23.5 points, 5.4 rebounds, 5, 8 assists and 1.7 steals in 35.3 minutes per contest. He has made four trips to the Western Conference finals in his career, twice with Rockets (2015 and 2018) and twice with Thunder (2011 and 2012). Harden also represented the United States in international competitions, winning a gold medal with the US men’s basketball team at the London Olympics in 2012.
Harden was originally selected as the third overall choice in the 2009 NBA Draft by the Oklahoma City Thunder. Before starting his NBA career, Harden spent two years (2007-09) in the state of Arizona, winning two All-Pac-10 First Team honors and achieving consensus on the first All-America team, as well as the Pac-10 Player Award. Year, in its second and final high school season.
Allen was in action in 234 games (180 games) in his four seasons (2017-21) with the Nets, posting averages of 10.1 points, 7.9 rebounds, 1.2 assists and 1.4 blocks in 24.4 minutes per game. In the 2020-21 season, Allen participated in 12 games (five games), averaging 11.2 points, 10.4 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 1.6 blocks in 26.6 minutes per game. The Austin, Texas native was nominated for the Mtn Dew Ice Rising Stars as part of the 2019 NBA All-Star Weekend in Charlotte during his second season. He is also the all-time leader of the Nets in percentage of pitches (61.2%) and set the franchise record in percentage of pitches last season (64.9%). The 22-year-old was originally selected with the 22nd overall choice in the 2017 NBA Draft by Brooklyn.
LeVert appeared in 225 games (96 matches) over 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 games) this season, the Columbus, Ohio native averaged 18.5 points, 4.3 rebounds, 6.0 assists and 1.1 steals in 27.8 minutes per competition. The 26-year-old was originally selected as the 20th overall choice in the first round of the 2016 NBA Draft by the Indiana Pacers and was traded to Brooklyn after the draft.
Kurucs was in action in 115 games (55 games) over three seasons with the Nets, averaging 6.5 points and 3.4 rebounds in 17.3 minutes per game. The Latvian was originally selected as the 40th overall choice in the second round of the 2018 NBA Draft by Brooklyn.
Prince appeared in 272 games (204 games) 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 games) in Brooklyn, Prince averaged 11.4 points, 5.5 rebounds and 1.6 assists in 27.3 minutes per contest. In the 2020-21 season, the San Antonio, Texas native saw action in 12 games (four games), averaging 8.1 points and 2.8 rebounds in 18.1 minutes per contest. The 26-year-old was originally acquired by Brooklyn through the exchange with the Atlanta Hawks on July 6, 2019.