If the Brooklyn Nets aren’t interested in acquiring James Harden, it could be because of someone already on their bench.
In an episode of his podcast this week, Bill Simmons of The Ringer hinted that Mike D’Antoni, now an assistant coach for the Brooklyn Nets, may have talked the team out of trading for Harden.
“I heard Brooklyn cooled off on Harden,” said Simmons. “I think one reason was D’Antoni. He was kinda like, ‘We’re good. Keep what you have. I think he [Harden] presents some problems.’”
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D’ Antoni knows first hand what Harden can and can’t do on the court. Under D’Antoni, Harden was competing for an NBA championship and the team was a win away from reaching the NBA Finals back in 2018. After reports of what was happening in Houston with Harden getting preferential treatment within the organization, maybe D’Antoni felt Harden would be a problem in Brooklyn.