Honestly, it’s still kind of hard to believe. Looking back at the Brooklyn Nets 2021 roster, you’re basically looking at one of the greatest "what if" collections of talent ever assembled on a basketball court. It wasn’t just a team; it was a video game cheat code brought to life in the middle of a pandemic.
We’re talking about Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, and James Harden all wearing the same jersey. At the time, if you’d told any Nets fan that this group wouldn't even make a Conference Final, they would have laughed you out of the Barclays Center. But that's the NBA for you. Chaos is the only constant.
The Big Three: How the Brooklyn Nets 2021 Roster Changed Everything
The season didn't even start with the "Big Three." People forget that. When the 2020-21 campaign tipped off, the Nets were built around the duo of KD and Kyrie, supported by a deep, gritty cast of home-grown talent like Caris LeVert and Jarrett Allen.
Then came January 14, 2021.
The blockbuster four-team trade that brought James Harden to Brooklyn changed the entire DNA of the league. To get him, Sean Marks had to ship out the soul of the team—LeVert, Allen, and a mountain of draft picks. Suddenly, the Nets had three of the most unstoppable isolation scorers in history.
The Stars and the Stats
When they actually played together—which, let’s be real, wasn't often—they were terrifying.
✨ Don't miss: What Time Did the Cubs Game End Today? The Truth About the Off-Season
- Kevin Durant: Even coming off an Achilles tear, KD was averaging 26.9 points on nearly 54% shooting. He looked like he hadn't missed a beat.
- Kyrie Irving: He put up a historic 50-40-90 season. That’s 50% from the field, 40% from three, and 90% from the line. It's a club so exclusive most Hall of Famers aren't even in it.
- James Harden: After forcing his way out of Houston, "The Beard" transformed into a pass-first maestro, leading the team with 10.9 assists per game.
The Supporting Cast: More Than Just Bench Warmers
While the headlines were all about the superstars, the Brooklyn Nets 2021 roster had some fascinating depth pieces that kept the engine running when the stars were resting (or injured).
Joe Harris was the flamethrower. He led the NBA in three-point percentage that year, hitting a ridiculous 47.5% of his shots from deep. If you left him open because you were doubling KD, you were basically gifting Brooklyn three points.
Then there was Bruce Brown. He was essentially a 6'4" center. He did all the dirty work—setting screens, rolling to the rim, and defending the other team's best player. He was the glue.
The veteran ring-chasers joined the party too. Blake Griffin signed after being bought out by Detroit and suddenly started diving for loose balls and dunking again. LaMarcus Aldridge joined mid-season, though he briefly had to retire due to a heart scare after just five games. Jeff Green was perhaps the most underrated piece, playing "small-ball five" and hitting huge shots in the playoffs.
Why Didn't It Work? The 2021 Playoff Heartbreak
If you want to know what happened to the Brooklyn Nets 2021 roster, you just have to look at the second round of the playoffs against the Milwaukee Bucks.
🔗 Read more: Jake Ehlinger Sign: The Real Story Behind the College GameDay Controversy
It was a total mess of bad luck.
James Harden’s hamstring popped in the literal first minute of Game 1. Then, in Game 4, Giannis Antetokounmpo accidentally went under Kyrie Irving on a layup, and Kyrie’s ankle turned 90 degrees.
Suddenly, it was just Kevin Durant against the world.
And he almost won.
In Game 7, KD played all 48 minutes. He scored 48 points. He hit a turnaround jumper that would have won the series if his toe hadn't been about an inch too long. His foot was on the line. It was a two-pointer, not a three. The game went to overtime, the Nets ran out of gas, and the Bucks went on to win the title.
💡 You might also like: What Really Happened With Nick Chubb: The Injury, The Recovery, and The Houston Twist
The Full 2020-21 Roster List
- Guards: Kyrie Irving, James Harden, Joe Harris, Landry Shamet, Bruce Brown, Tyler Johnson, Chris Chiozza, Mike James.
- Forwards: Kevin Durant, Jeff Green, Blake Griffin, Timothé Luwawu-Cabarrot, Alize Johnson, Reggie Perry.
- Centers: DeAndre Jordan, Nicolas Claxton, LaMarcus Aldridge.
The Fallout: Where Are They Now?
The 2021 season was the peak. After that, things got weird. Between vaccine mandates, trade requests, and chemistry issues, the superteam dissolved faster than it formed.
By 2022, Harden was in Philly. By 2023, KD was in Phoenix and Kyrie was in Dallas.
Today, the Nets are in a total rebuild. They’ve recouped some of those picks they gave away, but the era of the "Big Three" serves as a cautionary tale. Talent wins games, but health and timing win championships.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Analysts
If you're looking back at this roster to understand team building, there are a few things to keep in mind:
- Depth over Top-Heavy: The Nets proved you need more than three stars. When two go down, the "minimum contract" guys can only carry you so far.
- Asset Management: Brooklyn is still feeling the effects of the Harden trade today. Never underestimate the value of home-grown stars like Jarrett Allen.
- The "What If" Factor: Don't let the ending fool you; the 2021 Nets had the highest offensive rating in NBA history at the time. They were objectively great, just unlucky.
If you want to dive deeper into the current state of the team, you should look at their upcoming draft capital—it’s the only way to see how they plan to move past the 2021 ghost.