Brooklyn Nets: Maybe James Harden can win MVP after all

The Brooklyn Nets knew this wouldn’t be an easy journey to the top when they signed Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, but it’s been a whole lot weirder than they expected.

Especially lately.

Irving has declined to submit to a New York City mandate requiring that all residents be vaccinated against COVID-19 in order to take part in events held indoors. As a result, he will not be allowed to play or practice with the team in Brooklyn. And the organization appears disinclined to allow him to be a part-time player, only playing on the road in regions that will allow unvaccinated players on visiting teams.

The Brooklyn Nets have a harder road than expected as Kyrie Irving’s unvaccinated status continues, but James Harden may be the beneficiary.

Things are harder in a world where the Nets must play without Kyrie Irving, but they’re still one of the most talented teams in the NBA without him. The addition of James Harden to the roster in January is the biggest reason for this, even beyond Kevin Durant’s presence.

It’s safe to say Durant will likely miss a reasonable number of games this season, even assuming good health throughout the campaign. Saving him wear and tear in advance of the playoffs is important for a team expecting to make a deep run, and the Nets will surely find ways to do that.

On the other hand, James Harden is an iron man with very few exceptions aside from last season’s hamstring strain. If Irving is indeed sidelined, Harden may have a surprise inside track to a top MVP candidacy.

Luka Doncic is the current betting favorite for MVP, while Giannis Antetokounmpo SHOULD be the heavy favorite, but Harden will likely shoulder the heaviest load on a Nets team that expects to challenge for the East crown with or without Irving.

With the Big 3 intact, Harden would have no credible case. There’s a limit to how much talent an MVP candidate can have around oneself, and one of the most talented Big 3s in NBA history is definitely beyond that threshold. However, subtracting the third member of that trio changes the equation.

Using last season as a metric, the Nets were very good with Harden on the floor even without Durant and Irving on the floor. With these particulars in place, the Nets had a +3.0 net rating. The duo of Durant and Harden only got 216 possessions together thanks to poor injury luck, but they were utterly devastating when they were on the floor together, posting a net rating of +19.9.

Harden’s production is nearly unmatched in the NBA, and the kind of consistent output he provides (especially in the regular season) should swiftly vault him up MVP leaderboards. In spite of the roster instability the Brooklyn Nets endured last season, Harden put up solid numbers but nothing to the spectacular degree he did with the Houston Rockets.

The thing is, that’s because the Nets didn’t need him to be a world-beater last season, they just needed him to be a great quarterback. Assuming Kyrie Irving is a non-factor this season, they’ll need a whole lot more out of him. And that’s where James Harden shines.