The Brooklyn Nets already had Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant.
They then added James Harden last year and the chase was on for a championship.
Unfortunately, they had trouble staying whole.
That became an even bigger problem this season when Irving refused to get a COVID-19 vaccine.
He can now only play on the road after sitting out a good portion of the early part of the season.
His status may have been the final straw for Harden, who successfully forced his way out via trade Thursday afternoon.
Harden is now headed to the Philadelphia 76ers as Ben Simmons tries to revive his own career in Brooklyn.
So that is it for this version of the Nets Big 3.
The amount of games they actually played together will shock plenty of fans.
James Harden, Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving played in only 16 games together.
The Nets went 13-3 in those games (8-2 in the regular season and 5-1 in the playoffs). pic.twitter.com/DzVP9wX9Sj
— CBS Sports (@CBSSports) February 10, 2022
For all the hype surrounding the trio, they played a total of 16 games together.
That is a jarring total and shows just how much of a failure this experiment was.
Nets Headed In A New Direction
Durant and Simmons are locked in for several more seasons.
But Irving has a player option next year and could decline it if New York City COVID restrictions stay in place.
He is the ultimate wild card and has been since arriving in Brooklyn.
After all that, Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, and James Harden played 16 games and 364 minutes together.
(via @nbastats)
— Paul Hembekides (@PaulHembo) February 10, 2022
Harden is now trying to form a dynamic duo in Philadelphia with Joel Embiid.
He opted into his player option for next season, meaning this is not just a short-term rental.
As part of deal, new 76ers star James Harden is opting into his $47.3 million player option on contract for next season, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 10, 2022
Nets fans now have to hope Simmons can show up and form a new dominant trio in Brooklyn.
Yet even if he does, more change could come next year as Durant continues to be the focal point of the team no matter who else surrounds him.
NEXT: NBA Insider Reveals James Harden's Trade Deadline Wish
