Unable to comment specifically on the Nets’ new Big 3 because his trade with James Harden is unofficial, Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau said three superstar scorers together will always have to “sacrifice themselves.”
But an Eastern Conference NBA scout told The Post that it’s easier said than done with the Nets’ newly barbaric beast trio, Harden, that Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving had formed Wednesday, circling the NBA.
The explorer is more concerned with the chemistry between Harden and Irving.
“It’s going to be an ongoing job,” the NBA scout said. “You have literally and statistically two of the five most dominant boys in the league. I saw Houston with John Wall and Harden, and maybe it’s because of the issues, but it didn’t seem like a comfortable environment for Harden with Wall dominating the ball. Then you have Durant, who I wouldn’t say is the dominant ball, but he definitely needs a lot of touches. “
At least Harden and Durant played together in Oklahoma City. But that happened before Harden became the league’s top scorer, averaging at least 29 points in five straight seasons in Houston.
“The dynamic between Harden and Irving is key,” the scout added. “During it can be adjusted. A Golden State, [Klay] Thompson was not a guy who needed the ball. Fewer touches were required for this big 3. Defensively they got worse. Harden doesn’t save. And they lose [Jarrett] Allen “.
Another NBA talent appraiser wondered if the Brooklyn Dream Team would run as smoothly as the Miami Dream Team of LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh.
“In Miami you had a hierarchy: LeBron, Wade and then Bosh,” he said. “Who’s shooting with the game on the line?”
Thibodeau was assistant coach of the Celtics title team in 2008 presenting his own Big 3.
“There’s a sense that the challenge is the same,” Thibodeau said. “I know in Boston when we had Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen, that was the big question. I think great players always figure out how to play each other. They also make other players much better. So I think it’s not as difficult as people would do. I think the biggest challenge is the will to sacrifice everyone. If this happens normally the result is very good “.
The Nets picked up their future, giving up several first-round players and selecting swaps, but the goal in each of the next three seasons is to win the first NBA title in franchise history. Maybe two titles, even without Allen and Caris LeVert.
“They dropped a lot of players, but they have so much depth on the roster,” the NBA’s first scout said. “They had three superstars and they still had a lot of actors. They are worse off losing Allen in the middle. But [Jeff] Verd, [Landry] Shamet, [Joe] Harris, TLC [Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot], [DeAndre] Jordan, it’s still a reasonable deal. “
Of course, no one can be sure if Irving will be back soon, which could make the question of putting the three superstars together debatable.
“Kyrie can’t be counted on right now,” an NBA personnel director said. “But Harden and KD will be fine. But it will be a minute before everything starts working. “
The explode. As Bryan Oringher, a former Wizards and Hawks explorer, said in The Post, “they either sink terribly or win several titles.”
“Harden is a good insurance policy for Irving,” the Eastern Conference listener added.
One player can see how the Nets become the basketball version of the Yankees’ “Bronx Zoo,” except in a different district.
“There’s as much potential to twist as it is to go right,” the agent said. “You have Kyrie, who can be a loose cannon. You have Harden, who just called his team and his teammates. And you have KD that seems very passive on the surface, but he likes to let a lot of things sink in and talk about it after the fact, like in Golden State. “
Adding “The Beard” to KD and Kyrie is even more appealing than a Knicks team that has suddenly become the low-profile team in town without a star, let alone three.
“For us, we have to focus on ourselves and the players we have,” Thibodeau said before facing the Nets without a team on Wednesday. “We just need to focus on our improvement and do the things that are needed to improve. We don’t care. They care about themselves and we have to worry about ourselves. Our division is loaded. We know that. We know the composition of each staff and we know that we have a lot of work to do and we look forward to this challenge ”.