The Brooklyn Nets have been stealing all of the NBA headlines as of late after their latest blockbuster trade to acquire superstar James Harden.
They did have to give up quite a bit in order to get Harden, and while the team is currently playing well there are certainly some red flags.
The Nets had to give up Jarrett Allen, Caris LeVert, Taurean Prince, and Rodions Kurucs leaving them with a depleted bench and just 13 players at the time.
Yet with Harden, a healthy Kevin Durant and an active Kyrie Irving, the Nets now could be considered frontrunners in the Eastern Conference.
However, their defense has certainly come into question after giving up 149, 125 and 128, points in the past few games.Â
The good news is that since the Harden trade, the Nets are 6-3. After trading away these crucial role players, the Nets were forced to sign Norvel Pelle and most recently have added the veteran guard Iman Shumpert.
Irving has come back and has mostly quieted any questions about his long-term commitment to the franchise.
Recent acquisition Shumpert is 30 years old and has not played in the NBA since last season with the Nets prior to being waived.
He is being brought in for some much-needed defense to help the three superstars rest and provide a spark off the bench.
Harden, Irving and Durant will often not all play in the same game as well and bringing in Shumpert is a step towards helping bring the team some balance outside of their big three.Â
Shumpert was brought in because the team has one of the lowest ranked defenses in the league and are currently allowing 117.7 points per game on the season.
They are scoring roughly 122.2 points per game, which is a league-high.Â
Thus, there should be a lot of shootouts in Brooklyn this season and this is certainly something head coach Steve Nash seeks to address.
Nash is used to these kinds of teams having played on a similar squad for multiple seasons with the Phoenix Suns when he was a two-time Most Valuable Player.
In the East, the Nets currently hold the #2 seed behind the 76ers and also sit in front of contenders like the Milwaukee Bucks, Boston Celtics, and Indiana Pacers.
The East also has a few surprise teams still in contention early in the season with the Pacers, Hawks, Cavaliers, and the upstart Charlotte Hornets.
One thing is for certain: the Nets are perhaps the most fun team to watch with these three stars, but their depth could hinder them.
Kyrie Irving has had his own troubles off the court early in the season but is playing well, while Harden leaving Houston seems to be the most logical move for the star.
Durant is always an injury concern but has played well averaging 30.9 points per game.
The NBA may have never seen three players on one team of this quality and they are still in the early days as teammates. Any of them could pop for 40 or even 50 on any given night.
NBA fans should definitely keep an eye on some of the moves they make like the signing of players like Shumpert because it could prove to be a big impact on how far they get during what is likely to be a competitive playoff season this year.
