James Harden is not shocked that the Nets’ Large 3 parted methods, as a result of he felt they had been dysfunctional from the beginning. He mentioned that he did not get sick as soon as he left Brooklyn, however that he left as a result of he was already sick.
“It was improper. It was undoubtedly… it was improper. It wasn’t proper,” Harden mentioned Saturday evening after his 76ers beat the Nets 101-98 at Barclays Heart. “It wasn’t good. It wasn’t proper. So one thing good wasn’t popping out of this.”
Harden insisted he wasn’t shocked that lower than a yr after he left Brooklyn (he was traded to Philadelphia on February 10), Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant adopted him out the door of Barclays Heart.
“I did not ask to only depart for no cause,” Harden mentioned of the Rockets’ commerce request, which introduced him to the Nets in January 2021. “I used to be in a very good place in Houston. So for me, to stand up and depart my household, all of the issues I created there, to come back to Brooklyn for a yr and a half to attempt to stand up and go. [the Nets]It was for a cause, you already know what I imply?
We expect so.
Irving missed two-thirds of the 2021-22 season on account of his refusal to adjust to New York’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate. Sources have mentioned that he was maddening to Harden, even when he would not say it.
“That is not one thing I’ll reply. However the cause I made the choice to get out of my consolation zone, which was to go away Houston and do all the things I did to get out of there, was to come back in and play with KD and Kyrie,” Harden mentioned. “That did not occur as a lot as I would really like or in all probability the group needed. It was simply one thing that I knew was not going to vary.”
The Nets gained greater than 81 p.c of their video games with the entire Large 3 collectively. The issue is, that solely occurred 16 instances.
“Irritating. There are a whole lot of what-ifs while you play fewer than 20 video games collectively. So it is slightly irritating,” Harden mentioned. “However it’s what it’s. Hopefully everyone seems to be in a great place now and we are able to transfer on.”
Durant is in Phoenix, Irving is in Dallas, Harden is in Philadelphia and the Nets are in reorganization mode. When requested if the Nets may have accomplished something to maintain him, Harden mentioned sure, however would not elaborate on what.
“Sure, there have been many issues. But it surely was only a bunch of dysfunction. Clearly,” Harden mentioned. “However there have been many inner issues that I’ll by no means put within the media. And that was one of many the explanation why I selected to make my determination.
“However now, quick ahead to this point, I do not seem to be the loopy one. I do not see myself because the quitter. … I knew what was occurring and I simply determined [say] ‘Hey, I am not constructed for this. I do not need to take care of it. I need to play basketball and have enjoyable and revel in doing it.’ And quick ahead to right now, they’ve a complete new roster.”
