Brooklyn Nets' Steve Nash wonders what could've been with Big Three after James Harden trade

WASHINGTON — As the Brooklyn Nets closed the book on James Harden's brief tenure with the franchise, coach Steve Nash acknowledged he couldn't help but wonder what might have been had circumstances worked out differently for Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving and Harden over the past two seasons.

Speaking after Thursday's 113-112 loss to the Washington Wizards, Nash reflected on some of the «what-ifs,» including last season's playoffs, when the Nets bowed out in seven games to the Milwaukee Bucks in the Eastern Conference semifinals.

«You're up 2-0 against the NBA champs, and then to not have James in the first games and then Kyrie in the last games, James being on one leg, Jeff Green being out of the lineup, all sorts of things that hampered our opportunity to win,» Nash said. «To take them to overtime in Game 7, you definitely think there are some what-ifs, but that's life. You can't look back. You've got to look forward.»

That was the message Nash pushed in the wake of Thursday's blockbuster deal that sent Harden to the Philadelphia 76ers in exchange for Ben Simmons, Seth Curry, Andre Drummond and two future first-round picks. Nash said several times in recent days that Harden wouldn't be moved, but once the deal became official Thursday night, Nash and his players wished Harden the best.

Irving said he and Harden shared «a mutual respect» and that he wished him well, but that he is excited about what lies ahead for the Nets.

«To be honest with you, and I think this is something that's not spoken about often in our industry or in our business, you never really know what people are going through or what they're going to decide to do,» Irving said. «And you've got to sit back and respect their wishes and that's what I do.

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