The Brooklyn Nets blew up the NBA landscape earlier this week by acquiring James Harden in a blockbuster trade with the Houston Rockets.
With the three-time defending scoring champion ready to make his debut for Brooklyn soon -- he's starting on Saturday against the Orlando Magic (6 p.m. ET), then the Nets play the Bucks on Monday (7:30 p.m. ET) -- let's look at five interesting things to watch with this new superteam right away:
1. How much will Harden control the rock?
Harden has been by far the most ball-dominant player in pro basketball over the past three seasons. Watching Harden has meant seeing an isolated superstar hunt and peck away at the top of the arc in isolation. The rinse-and-repeat aesthetic was both effective and monotonous.
There's a reason Charles Barkley called him "The Dribbler" last season. Check this out:
Per NBA Advanced Stats data, since the 2018-19 regular season, Harden leads the NBA in dribbles per game with 497.75. That's more than 10 per minute, folks. The Dribbler must reduce his bounces in Brooklyn.
As Harden acclimates to his new superstar ecosystem, he must find ways to both share the ball and play effectively without it in his hands. As one of the most shrewd players in the world, he offers reason to be optimistic here, especially considering the Nets' coaching staff includes Steve Nash and Mike D'Antoni.
Still, it's going to be fascinating to watch how exactly Harden's usage decreases and his off-ball actions increase.
2. Can these guys get stops?
In an embarrassing home loss Sunday against the Oklahoma City Thunder, the pre-trade Nets gave up 129 points to the second-worst offense in the NBA -- and that was with Jarrett Allen. Brooklyn's title pressure is elevated now, and the old cliché that "defense wins championships" is still gospel in the modern game.
Every NBA champion since the 2002-03 Lakers has ranked 11th or better in defensive efficiency. Every single one! Brooklyn currently ranks 13th, and that was before this monster trade that likely makes it easier to score on the Nets.
Any squad with Harden and Durant (and, eventually, Kyrie Irving) on board will get buckets. It's hard to imagine Brooklyn not quickly emerging as one of the league's most efficient offenses. But one thing to watch for in Harden's first game: Can these guys find a workable defensive system?
Both Harden and Irving aren't great defenders, and the Nets' front office exported many of the roster's best defenders in the blockbuster trade. Durant at least has a high ceiling on D, but legitimate questions remain here. Good defense might not show up in viral NBA highlights, but it is a prerequisite for success.
3. Who plays when?
One of the perks of being a superteam is that you can have a superstar or two on the floor virtually anytime you want. Nash now has to figure out how to stagger his superstars' minutes. Harden, Durant and Irving likely all will start when available, but after that it will be interesting.
One source close to the team told ESPN that Nash probably will attempt to keep two of the three superstars on the floor for most of the game -- and that Harden could benefit most from participating in the small-ball lineups that feature either Jeff Green or Durant at center. That makes sense: Harden is arguably the finest attacking guard on the planet, and he's virtually unstoppable when operating within a spaced-out set of shooters.
Speaking of which -- the idea of Durant at the 5 is downright incredible. One truly terrifying lineup features Irving, Harden, Durant at the 5 and two shooters -- say Joe Harris and Landry Shamet. That group might struggle to get stops, but it would be impossible to defend.
4. Who gets the most shots?
Brooklyn's three superstars are all big-time volume scorers. Each will have to sacrifice some of that volume. One big question will be who will end up with the most field goal attempts and highest usage rate. Expect Durant and Harden to compete for that honor. Irving is no slouch, but Durant and Harden have won seven of the past 11 scoring titles, and both will be very active scorers regardless of circumstances.
As a scorer and a ball handler, Harden controls his own destiny. It's hard to imagine anyone else trumping his usage. That said, Durant is an elite threat and Harden has seen that firsthand.
Whose team is this? The stats will let us know.
5. Will they dominate?
Brooklyn's big three is the most exciting combo in the league right now, but how good will these dudes be?
NBA history is littered with superteams that never won it all. Just ask Nash and D'Antoni, who remember the 2012-13 Lakers squad winning the preseason media cycles but fizzling out fast in the face of real basketball.
This Nets team has no shortage of big-time stars. The organization is all-in. It's officially title or bust in Brooklyn. Whether the team rips off an unstoppable winning streak or struggles to find a rhythm early, the Nets are going to be fun.