An hour after news broke of a blockbuster James Harden trade that will define the tenure of Nets GM Sean Marks and the organization for the foreseeable future, the visitor’s side of Madison Square Garden sat empty, without a sole on Brooklyn’s share of the hardcourt.
Slowly, but surely, the remaining members of the Nets made their way onto the court to begin their pregame routine with rookie Reggie Perry arriving first. Perry was joined shortly after by sharpshooter Joe Harris and forward Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot and eventually guards Landry Shamet and Chris Chiozza.
A night earlier, the Nets looked like a team prepared to fight without star point guard Kyrie Irving, who is away from the team for personal reasons, as Caris LeVert and Kevin Durant carried the Nets to a come-from-behind win over the Denver Nuggets. On Wednesday, they looked like half a team as Brooklyn suited up just nine players after the four-team blockbuster trade to acquire Harden…
