NEW YORK – As the Nets were closing in on the deal for James Harden, general manager Sean Marks wanted to know if his two superstars really wanted to share the stage — not to mention the ball — with a third.Marks said Thursday that both Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving told him what he needed to hear, so he pulled the trigger on the blockbuster deal that landed the NBA's three-time scoring champion in Brooklyn.“They understand what’s at stake here,” Marks said. “Everybody’s raised their hands and said, ‘Look, we’re in.
We know what we’re shooting for’ and that includes James, the new player. He knows what’s at stake.”The Nets acquired Harden from Houston in a multiteam deal that became official Thursday, paying a huge price by sending Caris.