So, who really won the James Harden trade?

Times are tough in our country right now, so it was nice to see some news come out of the NBA yesterday.

I definitely think getting James Harden out of Houston was the right move for both him and the Rockets. The more I look at it though, I realize that not every team came out of this trade a winner.

Brooklyn, Houston, Indiana and Cleveland have some questions they'll need to answer. Maybe things will work out for every team involved, but I think some franchises came out of the trade luckier than others.

Here are some of my thoughts:

1. Will Caris LeVert be a good fit for the Pacers?

Every year LeVert has been in the NBA, he's shown improvement. He's currently averaging 18.5 points and a career-high 6.0 assists per game. It'll be interesting to see how LeVert fits into Pacers head coach Nate Bjorkgren's system, especially if he wants to insert the former Michigan Wolverine into his starting lineup.

In Brooklyn, LeVert had a firm grip on the squad's sixth man spot. I believe he'll work well with the team in Indiana, especially because the franchise has been able to get more out of players that didn't necessarily blossom in other cities. Teams around the league didn't seem to flinch when the Pacers picked up Victor Oladipo and Domantas Sabonis in a 2017 trade with Oklahoma City, but both of those players turned in All-Star level performances in Indiana.

If LeVert catches on quickly, Indiana got a good piece to add to a nucleus consisting of Sabonis, Malcolm Brogdon and Myles Turner.

2. Will Houston get anything out of Victor Oladipo?

Speaking of Oladipo, he hasn't really looked the same since he suffered a ruptured quad tendon in his right knee in Jan. 2019. He seems to slowly be getting back into form, averaging 20 points through nine games this season.

If he gets near his All-Star level of play, that would make Houston one of the winners of this trade alongside Indiana. They would replace James Harden with a capable and younger shooting guard. They shouldn't place the weight of the franchise on his shoulders, though.

I think Houston is a future winner of this trade because of the haul of first round picks it acquired from Brooklyn for Harden. The Rockets shouldn't rely on Oladipo too much because he is still sort of an unknown after his injury and I just don't see this team competing against tougher teams in the West like the Lakers or Clippers. Not when they're relying on guys like John Wall and DeMarcus Cousins, who are coming back from injuries like Oladipo. Those draft picks are super important for the future of this franchise.

3. How long will the Nets' new big three stay together and can they all coexist?

On paper, the combination of James Harden, Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving is one of the most dangerous in the NBA. The move should put the Brooklyn Nets in firm contention for a title for the next two, maybe three years.

I mention that the fit is good on paper because you never know how a group of players is going to gel until they all take the court together. Kind of like when Durant signed with Golden State in 2016, I wonder who the primary ballhandler will be on this team.

I think Durant won't have an issue playing off the ball because he has done it before with two other All-Stars on the Warriors. Harden played off the ball before when he was in Oklahoma City and in his early days in Houston, but can he go back to that playing style if head coach Steve Nash asks him to do so? Maybe.

There was a time Steph Curry spoke with Milwaukee Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer, saying Harden wanted to play "beautiful basketball" again and focus less on iso ball situations. This team can be great if Durant is the first scoring option, followed by Harden and Irving.

One thing to remember about this squad is their age. Durant is 32, Harden turns 32 in August and Irving is 28. That doesn't translate well to long term success and the Nets also shipped out a big package of first round picks to the Rockets.

I'm also slightly worried about this team's defense. I know the Nets can score on anybody at will, but losing a young center like Jarrett Allen hurts them. He was a defensive anchor and it'll be interesting to see how they make up for his loss. Brooklyn should be good in the short term, but we'll need to see how the new big three fares against tough teams like the Bucks or Lakers.

4. What is Cleveland doing with so many big guys?

I'm glad to see the Cavaliers try to toughen up their defense by acquiring Jarrett Allen, but the move was a headscratcher for me. Mostly because I don't know what the plan is with so many big men on the roster.

As of right now, Cleveland has at least six players on the roster capable of playing the center position. The improved play of guards Collin Sexton and Darius Garland helps the team on the offensive side of the ball, but I wonder why they didn't try to go for someone like Caris LeVert.

They have enough centers in Andre Drummond, JaVale McGee and Larry Nance. Maybe they'll get another solid offensive piece or a draft pick for one of those big guys?

Overall, this was a fun trade to see and dissect. I'll keep things short to close this one out.

Winners: Indiana Pacers, Houston Rockets

Short Term Winners: Brooklyn Nets

Losers: Cleveland Cavaliers