The Brooklyn Nets dreams of winning a championship featuring a Big 3 of Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, and James Harden are officially dead.

With less than two hours to go before the NBA season’s trade deadline, Brooklyn agreed to move Harden to the Philadelphia 76ers for Ben Simmons, Seth Curry, Andre Drummond, and two first-round picks.

Brooklyn acquired Harden from the Houston Rockets last year in exchange for three first-round picks, four first-round swaps, Caris LeVert, Jarrett Allen, Taurean Prince, and Rodions Kurucs. Despite forming a Big 3 of Durant, Irving, and Harden, the Nets were knocked out of the NBA Playoffs in the second round, losing to the eventual champion Milwaukee Bucks.

This season, Irving has been used as a part-time player because his refusal to get vaccinated against Covid-19 bars him from entering Brooklyn’s home arena. Durant is currently injured and Harden grew increasingly disgruntled as the lone superstar.

The Nets chose to trade Harden now, rather than lose him without a return in free agency at the end of the season.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady has officially announced his retirement.

Brady is the NFL’s all-time passing leader for yards (84,520) and touchdowns (624), as well as quarterback wins (243).

The seven-time Super Bowl champion confirmed his decision in a lengthy post shared on his verified Instagram account.

“This is difficult for me to write, but here it goes: I am not going to make that competitive commitment anymore. I have loved my NFL career, and now it is time to focus my time and energy on other things that require my attention.”

The San Mateo native spent his first 20 seasons with the New England Patriots, leading the franchise to an NFL record six Super Bowl championships (tied with the Pittsburgh Steelers), before joining the Bucs as a free agent in March 2020, which resulted in Tampa Bay winning its second Super Bowl in franchise history, becoming the first NFL team to win a Super Bowl in its home stadium, last February.

The Miami Dolphins hired San Francisco 49ers offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel as their head coach.

McDaniel replaces Brian Flores, who was fired despite posting winning records in the final two of his three seasons in Miami.

Flores sued the NFL, the Dolphins and two other teams last week over alleged racist hiring practices for coaches and general managers, saying the league remains “rife with racism” even as it publicly condemns it.

McDaniel had worked under 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan for the past 11 seasons and gets his first shot as a head coach after only one year as offensive coordinator.

McDaniel was credited for his role in developing San Francisco’s creative running game that featured receiver Deebo Samuel as a running back at times, along with other wrinkles.