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sports Diabierna 15 Januari 2021

Nets GM: Superstars will sacrifice to make Harden trade work

(AP) — As the Nets were closing and I think these guys are going to
in on the deal for James Harden, have to sacrifice without a doubt,”
general manager Sean Marks Marks said. “But they’re also going to
wanted to know if his two super- push us. They’re going to push our
stars really wanted to share the franchise and hopefully take us to
stage — not to mention the ball where we need to go.”
— with a third.
Harden was due to arrive in Brook-
Marks said Thursday that both Kev- lyn on Thursday and Marks believed
in Durant and Kyrie Irving told him he could be cleared to play once all
what he needed to hear, so he pulled the players in the deal had passed
the trigger on the blockbuster deal their physicals. The Nets play Satur-
that landed the NBA's three-time day against Orlando and then Mon-
scoring champion in Brooklyn. day in a Martin Luther King Jr. Day
showdown with Milwaukee that now
“They understand what’s at stake looks like a potential preview of the
here,” Marks said. “Everybody’s Eastern Conference finals.
raised their hands and said, ‘Look,
we’re in. We know what we’re shoot- Harden's unhappiness in Houston
ing for’ and that includes James, had been clear since he arrived late
the new player. He knows what’s at and out of shape to training camp.
stake.” Marks said the Nets had been look-
ing into the situation before things three players under contract at least support, whether it’s our players or
The Nets acquired Harden from truly sped up over the last 48 hours through next season, he may have whether it’s our staff, and you would
Houston in a multiteam deal that be- — though said that was unrelated to made the move anyway. do that in any industry,” Marks said.
came official Thursday, paying a huge Irving's absence. “But you also hope there is an ade-
price by sending Caris LeVert and “At the end of the day, it goes back quate, more than adequate excuse as
Rodions Kurucs to Houston, along He said he never had to address sac- to when you have the opportunity to like, why he needs personal time.
with 2022, 2024 and 2026 first-round rificing shots with the superstars, be- to add James Harden to your roster, And he will address that without a
picks and the right to swap first- cause they did it first. you’re certainly going to do your due doubt.”
round picks in 2021, 2023, 2025 and diligence and you’re going to do ev-
2027. “They were the ones to bring it up erything you possibly can to make Irving and Durant are close friends
right off the bat, which was, they that happen,” Marks said. who came to Brooklyn together
The Nets also sent center Jarrett Al- want to win,” Marks said. “That's all as free agents in 2019. Durant and
len and forward Taurean Prince to I heard from James, is, 'I want to win, The Nets will have to fill out a roster Harden were teammates in Okla-
Cleveland. I'm all about winning.'” that has holes, though Marks said he homa City and have remained close.
won't rush that. He wants to see how Marks believes those prior relation-
Brooklyn now has undeniable fire- The deal comes with huge future the current team fits and it's unclear ships are another reason the players
power, with Durant a four-time scor- risks, and few organizations know how soon that can happen, with Ir- will be willing to leave behind their
ing champion who looks as good as them better than the Nets. They gave ving's return date still unknown after egos and a few shot attempts.
ever in his return from Achilles ten- away years of picks in the trade to a five-game absence.
don surgery and Irving pouring in get Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett in If they do, the Nets might meet the
nearly as many points before taking 2013, managing only a second-round Marks said Irving has continued daily expectations that Marks said he won't
a leave of absence from the team for playoff appearance while Boston coronavirus testing while gone, which run from.
personal reasons. rebuilt one of the top teams in bas- could pave the way for a quick return
ketball with picks that became even once he rejoins the team. He has “I think everybody knows what this
But only the commitment from the more valuable after Brooklyn tum- been talking to Irving but wouldn't team is positioned and potentially ca-
three players will allow the Nets to bled toward the basement. say why he remains out, saying the pable of doing,” he said. “Now we’ve
fully utilize it and Marks is confident point guard would eventually do that. got to get everybody jelling, get ev-
he secured that from his own players Marks denied the Nets had again erybody on the same page and I don’t
and from Harden. mortgaged their future, saying: “I think it’s been well documented know if that takes two games, 10
“We're not bankrupt right now.” And that if there's reasonable excuses for games, 20 games, whatever it is. But
“I think he’s looking for a fresh start with a clear window to win with all their absence, fine, we have got to there’s certainly the talent there.”

UFC won't punish fighters for marijuana use in policy change

( AP) - The UFC will no vitzky, the UFC's senior vice doesn't affect the rules of marijuana use have previ- juana and CBD products
longer punish fighters for president of athlete health various state athletic com- ously argued that a relaxation have had a prominent role in
using marijuana in most and performance. missions and international of the UFC's anti-marijuana many MMA fighters' training
cases, making a major governing bodies, but those rules could lead to a reduc- and financial backing. Many
change to its anti-doping “The bottom line is that in groups often follow pro- tion in the use of more addic- fighters have sponsorships
policy. regard to marijuana, we care moters' leads on anti-doping tive pain medications. from CBD businesses, while
about what an athlete con- policy. The UFC hopes state others have launched CBD-
The world's largest mixed sumed the day of a fight, not commissions will similarly The UFC partnered with the related business ventures.
martial arts promotion con- days or weeks before a fight, relax their rules to reflect the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency in
firmed Thursday that it will which has often been the case more widespread tolerance 2015 to produce a compre- Nick and Nate Diaz, two
no longer worry about posi- in our historic positive THC for marijuana use. hensive anti-doping program semi-retired but wildly pop-
tive tests for carboxy-THC, cases," Novitzky said. "UFC in a notoriously fractious ular fighters from Stockton,
the psychoactive ingredient athletes will still be subject The UFC won't allow fight- sport. Mixed martial arts California, have built their
in cannabis, unless it believes to marijuana rules under ers to compete while under once frequently showcased outlaw image partly around
a fighter used it intentionally various athletic commission the influence of cannabi- fighters semi-openly using their enthusiastic use of mar-
to enhance performance. regulations, but we hope this noids, but Novitzky said the steroids and testosterone re- ijuana and CBD products.
is a start to a broader discus- promotion recognizes that placement therapy, among Nick Diaz, who hasn't fought
All other cannabinoids de- sion and changes on this is- MMA fighters often use mar- other performance enhance- in six years, tested positive
rived naturally from mari- sue with that group.” ijuana for pain management ments. for marijuana use after two of
juana are no longer prohib- or relaxation. Fighters advo- his last three fights.
ited substances, said Jeff No- Indeed, the UFC's decision cating for legal competitive Despite its prior ban, mari-