A report Friday from The Athletic’s Shams Charania that the Nets are “open to discussing” a pre-trade deadline James Harden deal with the Sixers likely sent some fans’ minds running in a few dozen directions at once.
Though not all-encompassing — we’ll have more coverage through the Thursday afternoon deadline — here are seven thoughts on Harden, Ben Simmons and the Sixers’ current position:
1. It probably doesn’t hurt to emphasize the point that Brooklyn’s reported openness to trading Harden before the deadline is not equivalent to a deal absolutely happening over the next five days. Harden has a $47.4 million player option for next season and Simmons is under contract for three and a half more years. It would be fair for the Sixers to view those simple facts as sound logic for being steadfast about not parting with valuable players in addition to Simmons. Indeed, PhillyVoice’s Kyle Neubeck reported Friday, “The idea that (the Sixers) should have to give up multiple valuable trade chips for a disgruntled player who could outright walk away from Brooklyn in the summer has already been mocked internally.” At a minimum, there’s no obvious pre-deadline trade that will please both sides here. And there’s clearly a good chance we’re still thinking in a few months about the possibility (not reality) of Harden on the Sixers.
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2. About those extra pieces Brooklyn might desire: It’s sometimes necessary to relax hard-line stances to nab superstars. That said, it would be hard to argue with the Sixers if the Nets demanded Tyrese Maxey and president of basketball operations Daryl Morey refused. Unlike many 21-year-old players, Maxey isn’t just potential. He’s got Simmons-esque speed, habitually makes solid decisions, and is perpetually dangerous when he drives into the paint. He’s already played an important role in playoff wins and could certainly do so for another decade-plus. “Untouchable” is too strong in our eyes for players who aren’t MVP-level — the Sixers have one of those guys in Joel Embiid — but Maxey isn’t a million miles behind Embiid in terms of how reluctant the Sixers should be to give him away.
3. We’re not sure how much better Matisse Thybulle can get defensively. That’s not intended as an insult, but it’s a point that might be relevant. In his third year, Thybulle still does have room to grow on defense. “As good as he is, it has nothing to do with him improving on it,” Danny Green last season, “but him figuring out certain guys’ rhythms, certain guys’ tendencies, and how to guard certain guys.” Further honing his sense of how and when to gamble would help, too. However, Thybulle’s 2.2 block percentage and 3.0 steal percentage rank first among NBA wings, per Cleaning the Glass. Opponents have shot only 37.6 percent with Thybulle guarding them, per NBA.com/Stats. Perhaps the best method for him ascending to another defensive level is one day playing 35 minutes a game. To do that, he likely must take and make more threes. At the moment, though, he’s the logical candidate to fill the dunker spot in the Sixers’ offense, and he’s the player teams prefer to send help defenders off to swarm Embiid. Counting out significant offensive progress from Thybulle would be premature, but he’s played six and a half seasons since high school. Maxey has played two and a half.
4. A post-Harden trade Sixers offense would revolve around Embiid and the 10-time All-Star guard, but that doesn’t mean their teammates would spectate. One aspect of the Harden-Embiid duo’s appeal is both players are so talented offensively that single coverage is risky. Harden is averaging over 10 assists for a second straight season (with a 1.18 assist-to-usage ratio that ranks in the 70th percentile for point guards, according to Cleaning the Glass). Embiid is having his best season as a passer; he now invites and manipulates double teams instead of being frustrated by them. Scoring isn’t the only reason an Embiid-Harden team would look destined for great things offensively.
5. Age, health and lucrative contract are all valid, intertwined reasons for pause with Harden. Green’s 2021-22 season isn’t a bad example of how lingering and recurring injuries can trouble once-durable players in their mid-30s. Harden reinjured his right hamstring during Game 1 of the Nets’ second-round playoff matchup with the Bucks last year, a series Brooklyn ultimately lost in seven games. Rotten luck, but with the harsh nature of aging in the NBA, something similar wouldn’t be shocking a year or two down the line. Harden is 32 years old and still an All-Star player, but sustained health and elite production aren’t guaranteed despite the 2017-18 MVP leaning on lots of tools besides athleticism.
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6. Morey’s patience with Simmons lasting through the deadline would be justified if he believes a good star trade will later be on the table. For instance, if he’s confident the Sixers can land Harden in the offseason without shipping out prized players Brooklyn currently insists upon having (Maxey, Thybulle, etc.), then that’s the smart move on paper. Morey’s main obligations, which go hand in hand, are to maximize the Sixers’ chance at a championship and to do right by Embiid. It’s prudent not to be fixated solely on this season, even if Simmons remaining on the roster and Embiid not receiving any star-level immediate assistance would inevitably disappoint some fans. Morey will mainly be judged by how the Simmons saga ends. Thus far, however, it's difficult to spot any major flaws with the process.
7. The potential drama of a Sixers-Nets playoff series after a Simmons-Harden deal is almost impossible to overstate. The vitriolic component would be massive, yes, but the on-court matchups and strategy would be fascinating. How would Simmons fare against Harden? Would he guard Embiid some as a small-ball five? What would the Sixers do against Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant? When would the Sixers start intentionally fouling Simmons? As noted above, the renewed buzz isn’t at all the same as a deal being done … but it is undeniably interesting to imagine.