James Harden Trade Rumors: Dinwiddie Injury Isn't 'Make or Break' for Nets Deal

Spencer Dinwiddie's season-ending injury reportedly won't have a significant impact on any potential discussions the Brooklyn Nets have with the Houston Rockets regarding a trade for James Harden.

According to ESPN's Zach Lowe on The Lowe Post Show (h/t RealGM), Dinwiddie was never a "make-or-break" factor in discussions centered on Harden.

Lowe added that it is unclear if the Nets and Rockets have had "anything resembling a serious conversation" regarding Harden and noted, "I don't sense that there's been hardly any traction there at all."

The Nets announced Monday that Dinwiddie would have surgery on a partially torn ACL suffered Sunday against the Charlotte Hornets.

Harden was a late arrival to training camp after he requested a trade, and ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported last month that he had his sights set on a deal to the Nets so he could play alongside Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving.

The Nets opened the season with wins over the Golden State Warriors and Boston Celtics before dropping back-to-back games to the Charlotte Hornets and Memphis Grizzlies to fall to 2-2, although neither Durant nor Irving played against Memphis.

In three games together, Durant and Irving have combined to average 56 points per contest, which suggests the Nets could be major threats in the Eastern Conference as the duo returns from Achilles and shoulder injuries, respectively.

Trading for Harden would give the Nets a third superstar, a one-time NBA MVP and the reigning three-time NBA scoring champion, but it remains unclear how feasible such a trade may be.

If the deal were to happen, one can only assume the key piece going back to Houston would be guard Caris LeVert, who is averaging 17.0 points, 5.8 assists and 4.8 rebounds per game this season as the No. 3 option behind KD and Kyrie.

Brooklyn could also offer promising center Jarrett Allen and draft picks, although the selections would likely be late in the first round for at least the next few years.

The Rockets are off to an 0-2 start, but Harden has been spectacular amid the trade buzz with 39.0 points, 12.5 assists and 5.0 rebounds per contest.

Houston isn't obligated to trade him since he is under contract through at least the 2021-22 season, but dealing him sooner than later could be the best way to maximize value.

Dinwiddie may no longer be in play since he can become a free agent at the end of the season (player option for 2021-22), but one can only assume based off their ages and skill levels that LeVert, 26, and Allen, 22, are more enticing targets for the Rockets anyway.