James Harden frustrated by Nets spacing?

Nets Daily: “I have heard that is frustrated with the lack of spacing on the team,” ESPN’s Zach Lowe on a recent “Lowe Post” podcast. “And the reason they don’t have spacing right now is because very often two or three of their best shooters are out.” (and Kyrie Irving is parttime.)
Source: Twitter @NetsDaily

What’s the buzz on Twitter?

Sean Grande @SeanGrandePBP
Celtics at Nets – Barclays Center – Feb 8, 2022 – Starters
Boston – Smart, Brown, Tatum, Horford, R. Williams
Brooklyn – Bruce Brown, Patty Mills, Kessler Edwards, DeAndre Bembry, Blake Griffin
OUT Boston: Bol, Dozier Brooklyn: Harden, Irving, Durant, Millsap, Harris, Aldridge pic.twitter.com/9wmXAiUtfz – 7:14 PM Sean Grande @SeanGrandePBP
Although it feels like a lot more, tonight will be only the 3rd time the Nets will be without all of their Big 3 (Durant, Harden, Irving).
They lost by 7 to Orlando here December 18, and by 6 to Denver here January 26. – 6:59 PM Ryan Blackburn @NBABlackburn
Taking a trip down memory lane. From 2015-16 to 2017-18, there were 7 players to play 5,000 total minutes while maintaining a 15 PER, 59% True Shooting, and a 2% Steal Rate:
Steph Curry
Chris Paul
James Harden
Kawhi Leonard
Kyle Lowry
Otto Porter
and Gary Harris. – 6:24 PM Dave Early @DavidEarly
“He didn’t really go through shoot-around, he was here….when he shoots he still looks like James, but as far as changing ends and accelerating…I think we’re being conservative right now.”
-Steve Nash gives an update on James Harden’s left hamstring tightness, strength deficit pic.twitter.com/SPjJpnIhh5 – 6:16 PM Alex Schiffer @Alex__Schiffer
Steve Nash said Nic Claxton is in a similar place with his hamstring as Harden. Adds it’s bit more of a confidence thing with Claxton’s hammy than with Harden’s. – 5:53 PM Brian Lewis @NYPost_Lewis
Steve Nash said James Harden didnt fully go through shootaround and was really here “supporting his teammates.” Says he still isn’t exploding off his hamstring yet and is at a strength deficit. Too early to know if he’ll play Thursday vs the #Wizards. #Nets – 5:52 PM Alex Schiffer @Alex__Schiffer
Steve Nash disputes Patty Mills’ comments that James Harden went through shootaround this morning. Said he’s still strengthening the muscle. Calls it premature to expect him to play Thursday in DC. – 5:51 PM Kristian Winfield @Krisplashed
Steve Nash on Patty Mills’ comments that James Harden looked like the “same-old James” in shootaround this morning: “He didn’t really go through shootaround. He was here supporting his teammates.” – 5:50 PM Dave Early @DavidEarly
Steve Nash says James Harden looks fine when he’s shooting but not in terms of explosiveness with the strength deficit in his hamstring. – 5:50 PM Jon Johnson @jonjohnsonwip
So…
Harden or bust? – 5:00 PM The Ringer @ringernba
🏀 CJ McCollum trade reaction
🏀 Will James Harden get traded?
🏀 How the Raptors’ depth has led to a successful season
#TheMismatch with @Chris Vernon and @Kevin O’Connor: open.spotify.com/episode/7ErG23… – 4:21 PM Derek Bodner @DerekBodnerNBA
I tried to set probabilities on Simmons/Harden coming to fruition. I gave a 15-30% chance a deal happens this week, and a 40-60% range in the next 5 months.
Those odds are, admittedly, throwing darts in the dark. But here’s everything that went into it:
dailysix.com/making-sense-o… – 4:21 PM John Schuhmann @johnschuhmann
Good point by @Zach Lowe on a recent podcast that Harden needs more shooters around him than the currently-healthy Nets can offer. Landry Shamet isn’t healthy himself these days & there were beyond-this-season aspects to it, but the Shamet-Carter swap has hurt BKN. – 3:37 PM Chad Ford @chadfordinsider
Sophomore of the Week
Tyrese Maxey
It’s pretty amazing that an NBA sophomore drafted in the 20s could end up being the swing player who kills or fuels the biggest trade of the year. The Nets want him in a Simmons/Harden deal. The Sixers are saying no.
https://t.co/EeYR68AaFh pic.twitter.com/EbXTnVWorN – 3:30 PM Chuck Cooperstein @coopmavs
You could almost see the pain on the producers of NBA Today on @ESPNNBA knowing they’d have to spend 10-12 minutes on the SAC-IND trade, blowing up the usual (now Daily) Simmons/Harden talk, and having to cut back (Not cut out) Lakers talk. Believe it or not #itsa30teamleague – 3:29 PM Sam Amick @sam_amick
Sources: There is no traction on a possible James Harden-Ben Simmons deal, but the Sixers – who are confident they can land Harden this summer – remain hopeful that the Nets’ stance changes soon
theathletic.com/3118759/2022/0… – 3:07 PM Sam Amick @sam_amick
As the Thursday deadline looms, an update and analysis on the Nets-Sixers situation and a key question that looms large: Which team has the right intel on James Harden and his happiness (or lack thereof)?
Intel and insight here, at @TheAthletic
theathletic.com/3118759/2022/0… – 3:03 PM Nick Friedell @NickFriedell
As James Harden made his way out of Barclays after shootaround he acknowledged that he wouldn’t be playing vs. Celtics –but declined to comment on anything else. The speculation about his future continues to hover over a Nets team that has lost 8 in a row espn.com/nba/story/_/id… – 1:34 PM Derek Bodner @DerekBodnerNBA
If Harden was 100% content in Brooklyn and had signed an extension last fall (which he never was going to, but hypothetically): would the Sixers have had interest in a Haliburton package? Of the players not currently in the star tier, Haliburton was among the most intriguing. – 1:33 PM Sirius XM NBA @SiriusXMNBA
Caris LeVert is headed to the @Cleveland Cavaliers!
One year after the Nets traded for James Harden, @TermineRadio & @Eddie Johnson can’t believe two former Brooklyn teammates, Caris LeVert & Jarrett Allen, might be in a better situation in Cleveland pic.twitter.com/yN63YK2yCR – 1:30 PM Zach Lowe @ZachLowe_NBA
Lowe Post podcast: @Ramona Shelburne on all things Ben Simmons/James Harden (fit both ways, likelihood of a deal, Harden’s legacy, much more), then @Tim Bontemps on LeVert trade, more:
Spotify: spoti.fi/3HCnt3M
Apple: apple.co/34q7VC3 – 1:28 PM Joe Mussatto @joe_mussatto
After last night, Lu Dort is tied for fifth with Thabo Sefolosha on the Thunder’s all-time 3-pointers list
1. Kevin Durant: 1,084
2. Russell Westbrook: 922
3. Paul George: 536
4. James Harden: 320
T5. Thabo Sefolosha: 265
T5. Lu Dort: 265 – 1:20 PM Derek Bodner @DerekBodnerNBA
My thoughts on the chances of a Simmons for Harden swap before the deadline:
* What I’m hearing
* Why I think the Sixers should be more aggressive than they (seemingly) are in pursuing Harden now
* How the cap factors in
And more: dailysix.com/making-sense-o… – 1:06 PM Michael Pina @MichaelVPina
new column @SInow — on james harden and joel embiid potentially becoming the nba’s next superstar duo. why fit, risk, upside, and the need for sacrifice is all so fascinating to consider: si.com/nba/2022/02/08… – 11:57 AM Christian Clark @cclark_13
Included in the story: CJ McCollum made 2.1 pull-up 3s per game last season. Only 4 players averaged more: Dame, Steph, Harden and Luka. nola.com/sports/pelican… – 11:56 AM Brian Mahoney @briancmahoney
The Nets are now ruling James Harden out tonight with his hamstring injury. – 11:47 AM John Karalis @John_Karalis
James Harden and Nic Claxton are both out for the Nets tonight against Boston. Durant and Kyrie are also out – 11:46 AM Keith Smith @KeithSmithNBA
I’m officially on Harden Watch now (well, I really was already, like everyone else!). Reports from shootaround were that he looked good and like himself. And now he’s out again? That’s got my eyebrows raised. – 11:45 AM David Hardisty @clutchfans
All James Harden has to do this offseason is put out word that he’s willing to pair up with Damian Lillard in Portland and Brooklyn will trade him anywhere he wants to go. – 11:45 AM John Schuhmann @johnschuhmann
No Durant, Harden or Irving vs. Boston tonight. Probably gonna be the Cam Thomas show.
Note: Cam Thomas (65-for-119, 54.6%) has shot better than Chris Paul (53.4%) on pull-up 2-pointers this season: go.nba.com/cug8n – 11:44 AM Brian Robb @BrianTRobb
Celtics will be going for their sixth straight win tonight against a Nets team without James Harden (hamstring), Kevin Durant (knee) and Kyrie Irving (ineligible to play in NY). – 11:43 AM Keith Smith @KeithSmithNBA
James Harden is OUT tonight vs the Boston Celtics, per the Brooklyn Nets.
Nic Claxton is also OUT. – 11:42 AM Alex Schiffer @Alex__Schiffer
Nets downgrade James Harden and Nic Claxton to out tonight against Boston. Both have left hamstring tightness. – 11:42 AM Brian Lewis @NYPost_Lewis
Nic Claxton (left hamstring tightness) and James Harden (left hamstring tightness) are both out for the #Nets tonight vs the #Celtics. #NBA – 11:41 AM Ian Begley @IanBegley
Nets announce that both James Harden and Nic Claxton are out tonight due to hamstring tightness. – 11:41 AM Chris Haynes @ChrisBHaynes
Brooklyn Nets star James Harden (hamstring) is out tonight against the Boston Celtics on @NBAonTNT. – 11:41 AM Marc Stein @TheSteinLine
The Nets say James Harden (left hamstring tightness) is out tonight against Boston. – 11:41 AM JD Shaw @JShawNBA
Brooklyn Nets superstar James Harden will miss his third straight game with hamstring tightness against the Celtics tonight. – 11:41 AM Kristian Winfield @Krisplashed
Nets say James Harden is out tonight against the Celtics with left hamstring tightness. – 11:41 AM Nick Friedell @NickFriedell
James Harden says he’s not playing tonight vs. Celtics. This will be the third straight game he’s missed due to hamstring tightness. – 11:35 AM John Gonzalez @JohnGonzalez
Went on Open Floor w/ my man @Michael Pina to discuss the Ben Simmons/James Harden trade rumors.
Pina tried to antagonize me by wearing a Boston Celtics hoodie. I did not fall for his mind games
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ope… – 11:32 AM Kristian Winfield @Krisplashed
DeAndre’ Bembry says he doesn’t know how long James Harden will be out for. – 11:10 AM Kristian Winfield @Krisplashed
The Nets had a walkthrough version of shootaround today, but Patty Mills said James Harden (left hamstring tightness) looked like himself. Harden walked straight from the court to the weight room and is lifting right now. – 11:00 AM Nick Friedell @NickFriedell
Patty Mills said James Harden went through shootaround and looked like himself this morning. Harden is still listed as questionable with hamstring tightness for Celtics game tonight. – 11:00 AM Adam Zagoria @AdamZagoria
The Nets have lost 8 straight and will be without KD, Kyrie, LaMarcus Aldridge and possibly James Harden tonight vs. the Celtics at home pic.twitter.com/9sPJt60hii – 9:30 AM Tom Ziller @teamziller
In the Sixers’ Harden chase, it comes down to a philosophical question: pry the window open wider now or let it stay open (and maybe open wider) in the future?
My dispassionate, unspiritual take on Harden, Embiid and the Sixers’ potential paths 🔓: ziller.substack.com/p/how-to-think… – 9:30 AM Brian Windhorst @WindhorstESPN
New podcast. The complex James Harden-Ben Simmons trade negotiation, a look a deals that have happened & might happen (w/@Marc J. Spears & @Kevin Pelton) es.pn/3Gzsj0s – 9:19 AM Eric Koreen @ekoreen
Since Jan. 1, players averaging more PTS+Rebs+AST than Siakam: Embiid, LeBron, Giannis, Morant, Trae, Doncic, Jokic, Harden – 10:19 PM Joe Cowley @JCowleyHoops
DeMar is the NBA’s master of the phantom call … sorry Harden. – 10:06 PM Jordan Schultz @Schultz_Report
“James isn’t going to Philly; I’ll tell you that with absolute certainty,” says a #Nets’ source. “They called and we didn’t listen. We want to win a championship and trading James does nothing but hurt that goal.” – 9:06 PM Keith Pompey @PompeyOnSixers
The Sixers are unlikely to trade Ben Simmons before June’s NBA draft despite James Harden chatter, sources say inquirer.com/sixers/76ers-b… via @phillyinquirer – 8:42 PM Ryan Blackburn @NBABlackburn
How many hours of podcasting and national TV have been spent discussing Ben Simmons and James Harden?
I’m not gonna lie, I don’t think either team touches Phoenix. – 8:18 PM Zach Lowe @ZachLowe_NBA
Lowe Post podcast: @Ramona Shelburne and I on all things Harden/Simmons, then @Tim Bontemps on Cavs/Pacers trade, Toronto options, New Orleans/McCollum rumors, more:
Spotify: spoti.fi/3HCnt3M
Apple: apple.co/34q7VC3 – 7:51 PM Wes Goldberg @wcgoldberg
Latest James Harden trade odds (via @betonline_ag ) has the the Sixers at 1/3 odds and the Heat third at 4/1. pic.twitter.com/seV4vERCyD – 6:07 PM Sean Grande @SeanGrandePBP
James Harden (and Nic Claxton) upgraded from out Sunday to questionable for tomorrow against the Celtics.
Boston is healthy. pic.twitter.com/nyyq8iQKmg – 5:24 PM Brian Mahoney @briancmahoney
Nets listing James Harden (hamstring) as questionable for their game Tuesday against the Celtics. – 5:15 PM Marc Stein @TheSteinLine
The Nets say James Harden (hamstring) is questionable for Tuesday’s game against Boston.
More NBA from me: https://t.co/A6ycVmnrjq pic.twitter.com/VWW5KO9ZPP – 5:15 PM Alex Schiffer @Alex__Schiffer
Nets say James Harden and Nic Claxton are both questionable for tomorrow’s game against Boston. LaMarcus Aldridge is out. – 5:14 PM Tim Bontemps @TimBontemps
The Nets list James Harden as questionable for tomorrow’s game against Boston. He’s sat out the last two games with hamstring tightness. Nic Claxton is also questionable. – 5:14 PM Mark Medina @MarkG_Medina
Brooklyn Nets list James Harden (left hamstring tightness) as questionable for tomorrow’s game against the Boston Celtics – 5:14 PM Ky Carlin @Ky_Carlin
Miss any of Joel Embiid’s time on 97.5 earlier? No worries. I’ve got you covered as he addressed the Ben Simmons saga as well as some James Harden stuff. #Sixers sixerswire.usatoday.com/lists/sixers-s… via @SixersWire – 5:11 PM NBA Math @NBA_Math
🗣NEW @HardwoodKnocks
Fake Trades Galore w/ @btoporek!
🔘 Caris LeVert trade (0:50)
🔘 Clippers/Blazers (20:50)
🔘 James Harden (30:49)
🔘 TRADE-IDEA DUMP (50:56)
🔘 Trade-idea mailbag (1:42:45)
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FULL BREAKDOWN pic.twitter.com/DE0b9erRGN – 5:08 PM Sirius XM NBA @SiriusXMNBA
“I don’t think Brooklyn will engage with the Sixers”
Former #Nets Assistant GM & ESPN Front Office Insider @Bobby Marks tells @BCusterTV and @LegsESPN why he believes James Harden will be a member of the Nets for the remainder of the season #NetsWorld pic.twitter.com/4IVtB3OQv6 – 5:04 PM Sam Quinn @SamQuinnCBS
Really fun All-Star subplot @SPianovich pointed out on Slack:
The trade deadline is Thursday. So is the All-Star Draft. Imagine Kevin Durant being faced with the prospect of whether or not to pick Harden mere hours after he’s traded to Philly. – 4:45 PM Derek Bodner @DerekBodnerNBA
Joel Embiid on @975TheFanatic trying to dodge tampering fines when asked directly about James Harden. “He plays for the Brooklyn Nets…(but) who is not a fan of Kevin Durant or Steph Curry or James Harden? They’re all top players in this league.” pic.twitter.com/34LowrSm2p – 4:10 PM Kyle Neubeck @KyleNeubeck
Embiid mostly side stepped a question about Harden on the radio just now, noting he’s on another team and he can’t do anything about that. Talked up his current teammates. But…
“Who’s not a fan of Kevin Durant, or 𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐏𝐇 Curry, or James Harden?” – 4:10 PM Kristian Winfield @Krisplashed
I still stand by this and share this sentiment with Pompey’s reporting, too. Very sharp, but all the reporting on Harden trade talks are coming from Philly, in my opinion, and not Brooklyn: nydailynews.com/sports/basketb… – 3:47 PM Brian Lewis @NYPost_Lewis
#Nets–#76ers James Harden trade still possible despite Steve Nash’s vow nypost.com/2022/02/07/jam… via @nypostsports – 3:19 PM Stephen Noh @StephNoh
There’s been plenty of focus on how a potential Simmons-Harden swap could help the Sixers. But how would it affect the Nets? I took a look: sportingnews.com/us/nba/news/ja… – 3:11 PM

More on this storyline

Brooklyn’s stance remains to keep James Harden and let him and Kevin Durant get healthy alongside a part-time playing Kyrie Irving and chase the championship this season. “The Nets aren’t trading Harden,” one NBA executive said when speaking with HoopsHype. “He’s staying, and they’ll take their chances in the playoffs. Maybe they’ll look to trade in the summer. They gave up too much to get him and have to see it through this year.” -via HoopsHype / February 8, 2022 NBA teams suspect the Sixers are tampering in the hope of acquiring Harden through a forced sign-and-trade for Simmons this summer. However, people close to the Sixers don’t believe they will face any tampering charges. -via The Philadelphia Inquirer / February 8, 2022 But a source said Morey and Marks did have a preliminary discussion that included Harden and Simmons a month ago at the urging of others. Those discussions are typically about what teams would want in a trade. Multiple sources said the Sixers also asked if Brooklyn was interested in acquiring Paul Reed and Isaiah Joe to help with a deal as a third team. -via The Philadelphia Inquirer / February 8, 2022