Nets likely will need third team to complete James Harden deal

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The Nets might not have enough to land James Harden. But the question is: Do they have enough to get what it takes to land him?

As the feeling in NBA circles grows the Nets will be able to retain free agent Joe Harris, questions abound regarding whether they can trade directly for Harden. With the Rockets believed to be demanding a star in any deal, the Nets could (and most likely would) consider bringing in a third team.

Despite Harden’s clear intention of leaving Houston, and preference for coming to Brooklyn, the Rockets are signaling publicly they don’t plan to trade him — and signaling privately that if they do, it won’t be for anything less than a replacement face of the franchise.

“We’re willing to get uncomfortable,” a Rockets source told ESPN, pushing the narrative that Houston would rather go into the season with Harden and Russell Westbrook on the roster rather than trade them on the cheap.

Still, that’s unlikely to deter Nets general manager Sean Marks, even if he has no All-Stars — such as Philadelphia’s Ben Simmons, or Boston’s Kemba Walker and Gordon Hayward — to offer.

Marks does have the leverage of knowing Harden has zeroed in on Brooklyn, and has the support of Kevin Durant. And Marks has a bunch of assets — such as Caris LeVert, Spencer Dinwiddie, Jarrett Allen and Taurean Prince — as well as all his first-round picks. Even if the Nets can’t fill Houston’s requirements, they could form a package to reroute the kind of star who will.

Acquiring Harden wouldn’t be easy, and isn’t likely to be quick. And if it eventually happens, it certainly won’t be cheap either, in terms of assets or finances.

While Harris is an unrestricted free agent, the feeling around in the NBA is the former 3-point shooting champ will stay put. A deal in the $12 million range annually is expected to hit the Nets with a luxury tax bill in the neighborhood of $50 million. But the numbers the Nets could end up looking at to get Harden and keep Harris make that neighborhood look poor.

A Harris contract at $18 million would require $82 million in luxury tax, according to ex-Nets assistant general manager Bobby Marks, now ESPN’s cap guru. He said adding Harden could bloat that tax to a mind-bending $148 million, and opined the Nets could become the first $300 million team in NBA history.

“This is the current team, where we stand with Brooklyn. We have Joe Harris in here; he’s not going anywhere,” Bobby Marks said on ESPN, adding “If they get James Harden in a trade and sign Joe Harris, say, to an $18 million contract, your tax bill goes from $82 million to $148 million.”

The Nets have been intent on re-signing Harris, understanding that agent Mark Bartelstein will get him a raise on his $7.7 million salary.

“Priority No. 1. It’s that simple, yeah,” Sean Marks told YES Network. “Signing him and seeing him with this group will certainly be a priority for us.”

It’s easy to see why. Harris’ 43.9 percent shooting from deep since 2017-18 is second only to that of Seth Curry (minimum of 100 attempts, according to Elias Sports Bureau). Fortunately for the Nets, Harris has said his preference is to re-sign with Brooklyn and play with Durant and Kyrie Irving.

“Definitely. Why wouldn’t you?” Harris said. “Those are guys I’ve gotten close with now that I’ve been with them this past year. They’re obviously incredible players. You see what they’re able to do when they are healthy and playing. I don’t think there’s anybody in the NBA who wouldn’t want to play with those guys.”