Just hours from the NBA trade deadline, it seems like an eventuality that the Sixers will trade Ben Simmons in a package to the Nets and get James Harden in return. Whether it happens by the deadline or this coming summer, president of basketball operations Daryl Morey will get what he said he would: a star-quality player in return for a guy who has made it clear he wanted out.
Mission accomplished? Yeah. But …
Don’t get confused. No one is arguing that the Sixers keep Simmons for any reason. That train is so far out of the station, it’s beyond the horizon. I’m certain that virtually every Sixers fan would not only help Simmons pack but give him a piggyback ride to the airport.
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SIGN UP HERE But don’t get blinded by the prospect of finally being rid of Simmons. There is risk in any trade and in acquiring Harden, there are a handful.
He’s 32 years old already. If acquired, Morey will have to sign Harden to a contract beyond this season. He could sign a four-year deal worth more than $200 million. How effective do you think Harden will be at 35 and 36 years old?
He already has a lot of miles on his odometer — 37 minutes a night for a decade — and his numbers suggest a trend that won’t keep Sixers fans happy.
His 41.4 field goal percentage is his worst since his rookie season. His 3-point percentage of 33.2 is a career low. He’s averaging 22.5 points per game, his worst rate in a decade, and his true shooting percentage of 57.6 is a sizable drop from his career rate of .610. He still averages 10.2 assists per game, but his turnover percentage of 19.8 is a career high.
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The Sixers would also be adding a player who has been dealing with hamstring injuries in both legs for nearly a calendar year. Since April 1, 2021, Harden has missed 35 games, including the postseason. The injury problems certainly have to affect his ability to stay in game shape.
Then there’s the real possibility that Harden could decide in six, nine, 12 months or so, that Philadelphia — like Houston and potentially Brooklyn — isn’t the place he wants to spend his NBA golden years. Now, the Sixers likely won’t be giving up the truckload of draft picks and swaps that the Nets did to get Harden, but does Morey want to hitch his wagon to a player who will tap out at the first sign of trouble?
Isn’t that how we got here?
I’m not saying that Harden can’t be the last piece of the puzzle. There’s a real possibility he can help the Sixers break their four-decade championship drought.
But let the buyer beware.