James Harden to the 76ers, Ben Simmons and More to the Nets in Trade
In a blockbuster move just hours before the trade deadline, the Brooklyn Nets are trading All-Star guard James Harden to the Philadelphia 76ers in exchange for Ben Simmons, Seth Curry, Andre Drummond and a pair of first-round picks, as first reported by ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
The drama that has unfolded between the pair of franchises with respect to Simmons and Harden has been well documented. The pair had both voiced their displeasure with their respective situations and asked for trades, although Harden allegedly never explicitly requested a move, per a report from Score. The report alleged that the 10-time All-Star was concerned about the public’s perception of a potential move from Brooklyn to Philadelphia.
Harden will find out the answer to that hypothetical scenario soon enough.
As for the Nets, they acquired a wealth of resources in exchange for the 32-year-old guard. Simmons and Curry are immediate plug-and-play assets that should complement superstars Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving. For all of Simmons’ baggage – and there is a lot of it – he is a defensive talent and another playmaker for a Nets squad with loads of it. The Nets also snag two first-round picks in the deal: a 2022 unprotected which could be deferred to the 2023 draft and a 2027 pick which is protected 1-8 but could roll over into the following draft while remaining protected 1-8, per Wojnarowski.
Harden, meanwhile, joins a 76ers side that is 32-22 and 2.5 games from first place in the Eastern Conference. He will play alongside MVP candidate Joel Embiid, in addition to key pieces in Matisse Thybulle and Tyrese Maxey – who Philadelphia miraculously kept out of the deal. Need I mention the massive $269 million contract Harden is eligible for, per ESPN’s Bobby Marks.
Ultimately, this Harden-Simmons trade is one which was bound to happen. Both teams wanted the No. 2 guy to their superstar on another franchise, and it became a realization just mere hours before the deadline. It remains to be seen if the chaos and drama travels cities, though.
* This is breaking news, refresh for updates.
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