Decisions to move on from players like James Harden 'never easy,' says Brooklyn Nets GM Sean Marks

Brooklyn Nets general manager Sean Marks said that the blockbuster trade that sent James Harden to the Philadelphia 76ers in exchange for Ben Simmons was a difficult one to make, but one that ultimately will allow both Harden and the Nets to get the fresh start they needed.

«Make no bones about it: we went all in on getting James Harden and inviting him to the group,» Marks said during a video conference call discussing the trade deadline Friday afternoon. «And these decisions to move on from a player like that, of that caliber, are never easy ones. I just want to be clear that this is not something that you think, great, let's just make a split decision and move on from that. I give James a lot of credit for having open dialogue, open discussions with me and with the group, [Nets coach Steve Nash] and [owner] Joe Tsai and everybody over the last 24, 48 hours.

»Again, I said they're not easy, but I think that's something we pride ourselves on is being open and honest. James was honest with us and we were honest with him. I think it's a move that enables him to have a fresh start, enables this team to have a fresh start, without trying to push things to make things work.

«If we realize this is not going to work, short-term or long-term, then it's time to say for both parties involved, this is better off.»

The decision to part ways with Harden meant that, just a little more than a year after trading for him, the Nets find themselves moving on from him after only seeing their Big 3 of Harden, Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving on the court together for a total of 16 games together — 10 during the regular season, and another six in last year's playoffs.

It also coincides with the Nets plummeting down the Eastern Conference