Harden has already proven time and time again that he can be a one-man army offensively. The Beard hasn’t dipped below seven assists per game since the 2013-14 season—his second year as the face of the Houston Rockets. A natural scorer who sees plentiful passing lanes based on defensive coverages, Harden is and always has been a more natural playmaker than Irving in the first place.
Kyrie being removed from the lineup only highlights what we already know about James Harden. Since the 2016-17 season, Harden has played a higher percentage of his minutes at the point guard than at the shooting guard—but that doesn’t mean he should be defending that position.
Being a lead ball-handler and defending other lead playmakers are completely different scenarios. While he can be trusted to initiate the team’s offense when Kevin ‘Thanos’ Durant doesn’t choose to just “Do it himself,” Harden’s highly specific defensive capabilities are better suited defending true wings and even forwards instead of true point guards.
One of Harden’s best defensive abilities is his prowess guarding in the post. The Nets have experimented with uber small-ball lineups featuring the likes of Bruce Brown as a big man. Their frontcourt is deep enough that it may not make complete sense, but Harden is actually well-suited to play up against small-ball fours and fives in a similar role.
So while Harden is poised to operate as the team’s lead playmaker and initiator, Brooklyn will need true guards to slide into their lineup alongside him to supplement his defensive deficiencies.
Brooklyn Nets</a> are days away from a season with the highest stake in franchise history.</p>
<p>Nets brass has made it clear that Irving will not play for the team so long as he refuses vaccination, but someone will have to fill those minutes in the rotation. Luckily for them, Brooklyn rosters one of the deepest rotations of talent in professional sports headlined by two players capable of manufacturing an entire offense unto themselves in Kevin Durant and <a href=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/10/18/brooklyn-nets-rotation-without-kyrie/2/"https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/h/hardeja01.html?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-%22 target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener" ref="nofollow">James Harden</a>.</p>
<h2>Operating under the assumption that Kyrie Irving won’t lace up this year, the Brooklyn Nets need to figure out their updated point guard rotation quickly.</h2>
<p>Brooklyn’s preseason debut would suggest that fourth-year journeyman <a href=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/10/18/brooklyn-nets-rotation-without-kyrie/2/"https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/c/carteje01.html?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-%22 target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener" ref="nofollow">Jevon Carter</a> is in line for an influx of minutes; although preseason isn’t a great indicator for what’s coming when wins and losses count most.</p>
<p>The team added Australian sensation <a href=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/10/18/brooklyn-nets-rotation-without-kyrie/2/"https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/m/millspa02.html?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-%22 target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener" ref="nofollow">Patty Mills</a> from the San Antonio Spurs this offseason, and while he’s never been a featured point guard in the NBA, he’s got the leadership qualities to assume a greater role. Or, they could come from left field and lean on rookie scoring phenom Cam Thomas for spot minutes until Irving’s return.</p>
<p>Playing without their perennial All-Star and showstopping crossover artist is surely less than ideal, but Brooklyn will hang on without Irving for the time being. For the sake of their championship aspirations, let’s just hope that the next man up is ready for his opportunity.</p>
<div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background:#222423" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/10/18/brooklyn-nets-rotation-without-kyrie/2/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> The Obvious Answer for Starting Point Guard </a>
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@Patty_Mills 🍪🍪🍪 <a href=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/10/18/brooklyn-nets-rotation-without-kyrie/2/"https://t.co/aDCYOMjuqh">pic.twitter.com/aDCYOMjuqh
<p>— Brooklyn Nets (@BrooklynNets) <a href=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/10/18/brooklyn-nets-rotation-without-kyrie/2/"https://twitter.com/BrooklynNets/status/1448802202718457859?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%22>October 15, 2021</a></p></blockquote>
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<p>During the Brooklyn Nets’ media day just prior to training camp, Patty Mills emphasized the fluidity of his role in the team’s offense.</p>
<p>“Something I can bring to this team is the ability to play both on and off the ball—being able to ping the ball around; fly around, create confusion, create havoc and try to be that threat,” Mills said. “If everyone has that mindset, it’s tough to guard already.”</p>
<p>Patty has a lot more to show than just his off-ball antics. A pesky defender who makes up for a lack of size with wit and irritation, Mills isn’t afraid to compete with the greatest athletes in the world—even those who stand a foot taller than him. Coming off his two best scoring seasons in terms of points per game, Mills will assuredly benefit from playing with generational talent in Harden and Durant.</p>
<p>Don’t be surprised if Patty Mills’ performance this season earns him serious consideration for the Sixth Man of the Year award or even Most Improved Player.</p>
<div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background:#222423" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/10/18/brooklyn-nets-rotation-without-kyrie/2/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> Which bench guard benefits the most from Irving's absence? </a>
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<img class="size-full wp-image-436832" src=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/10/18/brooklyn-nets-rotation-without-kyrie/2/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_2134,w_3200/http%3A%2F%2Fhoopshabit.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2018%2F08%2F1235781217.jpeg" alt="Brooklyn Nets" width="3200" height="2134" srcset="https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1235781217.jpeg 3200w, https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1235781217-768x512.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 3200px) 100vw, 3200px"><div class="fs-center-img">
<p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:3200px;">Brooklyn Nets (Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images).</p>
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<h2>Discarded and underutilized, Jevon Carter found his perfect fit in Brooklyn</h2>
<p>Trivia time — Who do you think logged the most minutes for Brooklyn this preseason? I’ll give you some hints: He’s a 6’1″ point guard with the strength of a rottweiler and determination that’s sure to impress the team’s Big 3 of basketball purists.</p>
<p>Now on his third team in four years, Jevon Carter profiles as the perfect third-string point guard for this team. His skill-set is quite specific, but the 26-year-old’s basketball intelligence is wise beyond his years and his identity as a hard-nosed, energetic floor general fills a legitimate need for one of basketball’s deepest rotations.</p>
<p>For an average team, Carter would serve as a capable bench guard whose defensive intensity supplements a somewhat limited scoring upside. In Brooklyn, there are legitimate reasons to believe Carter is the right pick to start at point guard until Irving is vaccinated or traded.</p>
<p>During his four-year college career at West Virginia, Carter earned two Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year awards for his smothering on-ball defense coupled with active hands that swat shots and rip crossovers with ease. His scoring increased slowly and steadily along with improved 3-point efficiency which peaked once he became an upperclassman.</p>
<p>In the NBA, Carter has taken a bit of time to adjust; but he’s ultimately become a capable deep shooter. He excels when given a chance to spot up for his jumper instead of having to create it himself. Last season, he benefited from playing in an up-tempo Phoenix Suns offense that led to his A- 3-point shot quality rating from B-Ball Index.</p>
<p>If you thought he was getting great shots in Phoenix, wait until he starts playing off of Harden and Durant. After hitting 37.1 percent of 151 3-point attempts last season, it wouldn’t be surprising to see Carter surpass the 40 percent mark in Brooklyn. It can be argued that no one draws more defensive attention than Harden and Durant do, which automatically improves shot quality for the rest of their teammates. Tack on Steve Nash’s selfless offense predicated on ball movement and you’ve got a recipe for Carter’s success.</p>
<p>Despite his excellent offensive fit with Harden and Durant, it’s the defense that makes him a logical fit at the starting point guard spot. Carter ranked in the 92nd percentile of both steals and deflections per 75 possessions last season because of his affinity for getting after the rock. On a team with two of the greatest scorers in NBA history, Carter can hone in and do what he does best: Get after it as a blistering defensive stalwart.</p>
<p>Having Irving out of the lineup is certainly less than ideal, but if the Nets end up giving Carter between 19-25 minutes per game, I’d guarantee they’ll be better off defensively than they would’ve been with Irving in the lineup. It’s easy to get caught up in the dazzling scoring displays of the modern league, but nothing puts a team on track for championship contention more than elite defensive play.</p>
<div class="fs-shortcode" data-type="StoryLink" data-theme="light" data-text="Did the Nets address these glaring holes in the offseason?" data-url="https://hoopshabit.com/2021/07/06/brooklyn-nets-4-glaring-holes-issues/" data-call-to-action="Related Story"> <div class="story-link-related"> <a class="story-link-related-btn" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="story-link-related-shortcode" href=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/10/18/brooklyn-nets-rotation-without-kyrie/2/"https://hoopshabit.com/2021/07/06/brooklyn-nets-4-glaring-holes-issues/"> <span class="call_to_action">Related Story:</span> Did the Nets address these glaring holes in the offseason? </a> </div>
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<p><strong>BONUS CONSIDERATIONS:</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>Bruce Brown has a history of playing spot minutes at point guard. Considering his withstanding chemistry with the Nets’ core, it would be unsurprising to see his minutes increase as a result of Kyrie’s absence.</li>
<li>Cam Thomas is a walking bucket and the fact that he slipped into the late 20s in this year’s draft is an absolute travesty. Still, Thomas has a long way to go before being more than a zero in the playmaking category.</li>
<li>Brooklyn has a ton of playmaking from its frontcourt between Durant, Brown, and Paul Millsap. They don’t necessarily need to rely on the point guard position for playmaking.</li>
</ul>
<div class="fs-shortcode" data-type="StoryLink" data-theme="dark" data-text="Grading the Brooklyn Nets' transactions in the 2021 offseason" data-url="https://hoopshabit.com/2021/08/23/brooklyn-nets-grading-2021-offseason/" data-call-to-action="Next"> <div class="story-link-next"> <a class="story-link-next-btn" style="background:#222423" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="story-link-next-shortcode" href=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/10/18/brooklyn-nets-rotation-without-kyrie/2/"https://hoopshabit.com/2021/08/23/brooklyn-nets-grading-2021-offseason/"> <span class="call_to_action">Next:</span> Grading the Brooklyn Nets' transactions in the 2021 offseason </a> </div>
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