What the James Harden Trade Means to the Brooklyn Nets

Last month, James Harden packed his things, hired Brooklyn Movers 101, and made the move across from Houston to Brooklyn in one of the worst kept secrets in NBA history. After showing discontent in Houston, it became clear that Harden wanted a move away from the organization that he had become the face of since the 2012 trade away from Oklahoma City.  However, this is more than just a simple trade and it means much more to Brooklyn than first meets the eye. 

Completing the Trio 

Of course, this isn’t the first time the Nets has been in the spotlight. Around 18 months ago, the basketball world got excited about Brooklyn after they managed to obtain both Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant. When all three are fit, there’s no doubting the excitement this trio could bring to the court. 

If we look back at some of the greatest teams throughout the decades, they often perform so well because of a trio at the core. For example, who can forget Bryant, O’Neal, and Fisher in LA? Or perhaps Duncan, Ginobli, and Parker in San Antonio? Of course, one of the most successful franchises (and dynasties) of all-time relied on a trio of Pippen, Rodman, and Jordan at the Bulls. Even after this, we could point to Johnson, Abdul Jabbar, and Worthy for the Lakers and plenty of others. 

For the Brooklyn Nets, James Harden moving to Brooklyn means a genuine shot at exciting, and perhaps successful, basketball. Let’s not forget, this is an organization with plenty of history but without an NBA championship ring. 

Building a Brand in New York 

As the whole basketball world knows, this sport is more than just what happens on the court. Look at Kobe Bryant, Michael Jordan, and LeBron James – three all-time greats with brands that became just as important as the franchise itself. When James Harden moved to Brooklyn, the world took notice, and now they finally have the potential to become a force in the business world.

With Durant and Irving, the Nets were able to secure a deal with Motorola recently, but they’re probably kicking themselves that they didn’t wait a little longer. As the Nets continue to build a strong brand in New York, this is all while its neighbors can only watch. The Knicks season has gotten off to yet another difficult start and it looks as though the franchise will struggle to reach .500 (while watching as its neighbors continue to gain the spotlight). 

The James Harden Impact 

What’s more, the Harden trade means more for the Brooklyn Nets because of the support that James Harden brings with him. While soccer fans in the UK are staunch followers of their local teams, there’s growing evidence to show more support for players than organizations in the NBA.  In other words, many fans follow the player rather than the team, and this is true for many Harden supporters. 

For the avid Harden fans, they will follow Harden to Brooklyn and adopt the Nets as their new team providing yet another opportunity to grow the brand and overshadow other sports franchises in New York. As well as players on the court, praise has to go to the new owner, Joe Tsai, who brings a wider perspective coming from outside the country. 

While all sporting organizations rue lost gate/ticket revenues from fixtures, the people in charge of the Nets are doing their best to make up for this loss by significantly boosting the brand. While the pandemic stops fans from seeing their Nets at the moment, the organization is certainly making up for this loss by transforming the team both on and off the court.