Nets not trading James Harden amid All-Star's struggles
To say the last two weeks for the Brooklyn Nets have been a whirlwind of drama would be an understatement.
The Nets (29-24) have now lost eight in a row — the longest such streak in the NBA — and could potentially have a fractured locker room to deal with as well.
Fresh off of being named to his 10th All-Star Game, rumors have swirled around James Harden's future with the franchise, with the former MVP even being discussed as a trade candidate.
During the Nets' current losing streak, Harden has either been absent due to hamstring tightness or looked like a shell of himself while on the floor, as evidenced by his four-point, six-turnover outing against the Sacramento Kings on Wednesday.
That has led to questions about his commitment to the franchise in the interim — and moving forward — with Harden set to become a free agent after this season.
For now, it appears that he wants to stay in Brooklyn for the remainder of the season to try winning a championship, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, who discussed Harden's present and future on Saturday.
On Sunday, ahead of an eventual 124-104 loss to the Denver Nuggets, Nets head coach Steve Nash also reiterated that the guard won't be on the move at the trade deadline.
Despite being named an All-Star, it has been a difficult season for Harden, who has posted a 41.4 field goal percentage, the lowest since his rookie season. He's also shooting a career-worst 33.2% from the 3-point line.
Harden missed his second consecutive game on Sunday with hamstring soreness, signaling bad news for the Nets on a deeper level.
When the losing streak started on Jan. 23, the Nets were second in the Eastern Conference standings. They now sit in seventh place, squarely in play-in territory.
No team has ever won an NBA championship in a season where they have lost eight games in a row.
During the losing streak, Brooklyn is scoring 107.9 points per game while allowing 119.8 points, with six of the eight losses coming by double digits.
In other words, a reversal of fortune is needed if Brooklyn's "Big 3" is hoping to turn this season around in a big way.
