Feb 1, 2022; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Brooklyn Nets guard Kyrie Irving (11) and guard James Harden (13) against the Phoenix Suns at Footprint Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Kyrie Irving bashes unfair James Harden, Ben Simmons trade

Originally posted on Dallas Mavericks on SI
By Keenan Womack | Last updated Jul 26, 2025 1:45 PM ET

Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving has always been outspoken, for better or for worse. Never one to pull punches, he speaks his mind often and has recently been opening up about his ill-fated stint with the Brooklyn Nets.

The grouping of Irving, James Harden, and Kevin Durant in Brooklyn never bore fruit the way many thought it would, resulting in trades, conflicts, and eventually, players requesting out. One of the more controversial moves was Brooklyn's dealing James Harden to Philadelphia for Ben Simmons, a swap that Irving addressed recently on a stream.

"I didn't feel like that was a fair trade. But at the time, when it happened, [James Harden] went to our division. He went to Philly...so not only did we lose Ime Udoka...and one of our assistant GMs, but we lost James [Harden] to Philly. So we're in the same division with our brothers...When you spend a season or two with somebody, you gonna know their habits...their strengths and weaknesses. You know that."

What Irving is essentially saying is that sending James Harden to a division rival gave the 76ers an advantage, and that the return for the trade was not adequate for what Harden brought to the table, especially offensively.

Harden, who averaged 22 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 10.3 assists per game in his 44 games with the Nets that season, was sent off in a package centered on Ben Simmons, who was at the time not playing due to a back injury. There were other pieces involved, including first-round picks, but it was not the ideal trade for a Nets team that had championship aspirations the season before.

The Nets eventually traded Kyrie Irving to the Mavericks for a similarly poor return relative to Irving's skill set. Since joining Dallas, Irving has been one of the Mavericks' biggest stars, playing alongside former Dallas/current Lakers guard Luka Doncic in 2024 and helping lead the franchise to the NBA Finals for the first time since 2011.

This article first appeared on Dallas Mavericks on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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