Does the Brooklyn Nets' firing of Steve Nash help or hurt the Houston Rockets?

Why the Steve Nash firing helps the Houston Rockets

There’s an old saying, “where there’s smoke, there’s fire,” and the Nets have been letting off smoke like a 19th-century coal-powered locomotive. Now, is Nash the fire sign of fire? I’m going to go out on a limb and scream, “no,” because the fire has been obviously ablaze since James Harden said get me out of here.

Desperate times call for desperate measures, but desperate measures hardly ever work. The Nets aren’t in a situation where making the playoffs is a success. They’re not in a situation where winning a single playoff series is a success. Hell, even just making the Finals would be a disappointment. This is a championship-or-bust team, and Durant has already made it known that he is a championship-or-bust player. 

Nash was the last scapegoat protecting Kevin Durant. There are now no more excuses. If the Nets falter, it will all come back to Durant. Sure, some people will blame Ben Simmons and Kyrie Irving, but most of the heat will rightfully be directed toward Durant. And there is one thing that we know about Durant, he runs from the heat. 

The other reason the Nash firing is good for the Rockets is the symbolism. The organization had stuck by Nash and Marks after Durant asked for their firings. With Nash gone, the power dynamics once again shift back toward the players, after it looked like the organization secured a massive victory in the summer. 

Empires crumble from within, and the Nets’ foundation has been deteriorating for ages. Their owner, Joe Tsai, has already expressed interest in retaking control of the organization. NBA franchises are stable assets that don’t solely hinge on the performance of the team. Tsai is one of the richest owners in the league. He can afford to watch it all burndown and start from scratch, and that would be to the benefit of the Rockets. 

The Nets are on their last legs. Firing Nash could be the move that pushes them toward the greatness that was expected of them, or it could be the final desperate move of a crumbling state. While Nets fans will have to live the collapse or salvation of their franchise, Rockets fans get to kick back, eat some popcorn and watch where this saga goes. Either way, they’re collecting the Nets’ picks.