The Brooklyn Nets and philadelphia 76ers completed the trade, and the Nets sent James Harden to Ben Simmons, Seth Curry, as well as an unprotected 2022 first-round pick and a protected 2027 first-round pick. Nash has repeatedly said in recent days that Harden won't be traded, but when the deal was officially reached, both Nash and the Nets players blessed Harden.
Owen said he and Harden have mutual respect and wish harden all the best, and he's amused about the Nets' future. Owen said, "To be honest, I think in our industry you never really know what the players are going through or what they're going to decide what they're going to do, you have to sit down and respect their wishes and that's what I did. For Harden, we play together and it's a mutual respect. We just wish him all the best and hope he will eventually succeed. Ultimately, I want everyone to be happy and do what they love. Harden made the decision, we respected him, and we didn't lose the love we had for each other. We hope he will have great success and now we will also move forward with our new teammates. ”
Nash revealed that he and Harden were in touch to wish each other good luck, and Nash admitted that he was not surprised by the deal, especially when Harden's willingness to go to the 76ers became more and more obvious. Nash said he hadn't discussed the alleged unpleasantness with Harden and said he was happy to be able to execute such a star.
Owen has expressed sympathy for Harden's situation, and at the same time has not tried to convince Harden to stay, "This is really not what I should do, try to convince others." 」 Harden certainly can't see what we're doing, and my pausing may affect some things, but I can't say anything for Harden. I've asked for a trade before, so I won't criticize him or demean Harden. ”
For the new arrivals, Nash said it's unclear when Simmons will play for the Nets because Simmons hasn't played for the 76ers for a long time, and it's up to the coaching staff to assess Simmons' condition. The Nets are currently losing in a ten-game losing streak, with the next opponent being the Miami Heat, and Nash remains confident that the Nets can win the championship, especially after new players arrive and the team recovers.
Curry Jr. and Chuang Shen are still uncertain when to play, with Durant, Joe Harris and Nico Clarkston all affected by injuries. "Yes, our goal has always been on the championship," Nash said, "we're excited about the new squad, obviously we're a bit tight on time right now, to get everybody back to health, to get some cohesion, to build a team that can be good offensively and defensively, we're not relaxing, and we also have to have a sense of urgency as the new people come in." ”
Owen said Simmons would certainly be welcomed by the Nets and veteran guard Australian player Patty Mills would help Simmons integrate into the team, "I'll always be there for him, there's a need, I can help him in any way I can." I think it's good for both of us and to share it with him as much as I can. ”
Despite the Nets' recent poor form, Irving said that April is the real start of the game, feeling that the team is getting better and looking forward to seeing what the final result of the game is.