Oct 22, 2021; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Brooklyn Nets guard James Harden (13) controls the ball against the Philadelphia 76ers during the first quarter at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
The deal nobody was sure was actually going to happen heading into Thursday’s NBA trade deadline mercifully happened. And there’s a lot to unpack.
In arguably the most memorable “problem for problem” deadline deal ever, the Sixers went out and acquired James Harden (and Paul Millsap) from the Nets in exchange for Ben Simmons, Seth Curry, Andre Drummond, and a couple of future first-round picks. Amid a flurry of activity before the deadline, this is the deal that stands above all others, since the Simmons era in Philadelphia, and Harden’s brief Brooklyn sojourn, ended in such spectacularly dramatic fashion.
After handing out grades for the trade—along with all the other significant transactions that went down around the Association throughout the week—we need to take a step back and look at all the layers involved in the deal between Atlantic Division rivals.
As we do for all the major trades, it’s time to declare winners and losers after taking some time to digest the swap. Away we go.
Winner: Ben Simmons
The maligned former Philadelphia point guard got his wish. He’s no longer a Sixer, and he takes his talents to Brooklyn, where he fits in nicely on a Nets roster that clearly could use his defense and play-making skills. We have no idea when Simmons will be ready to suit-up for the Nets, since we haven’t seen him play in almost nine months, but he notably has been vaccinated, which means there will be no issues when he’s finally ready to play. And, from the petty perspective, in the game of chicken played with the Sixers, Simmons comes out on top by getting dealt to a team that remains the odds-on favorite to capture a championship this June instead of forfeiting an entire season’s worth of salary.
Loser: NBA Insiders
No one could properly peg if this trade was going down until it actually did early Thursday afternoon. ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski gets credit for breaking the news, but if you were following the rumors (approximately 3,453,304 of them circulated over the past month), it became dizzying trying to decipher what to believe and what to dismiss. At times the trade felt inevitable. Other times it sounded there was a snowball’s chance in hell it was going down. Reporting about trades is always filled with smoke screens and nonsense—everybody has “sources”—but considering the names and franchises involved, I’m ultimately surprised so many struggled to extract the proper intel until Woj dropped his bomb on Twitter.
Winner: James Harden
The Beard reportedly wasn’t happy in Brooklyn—his effort the past few weeks certainly showed that—and while one day we’ll find out the exact reasons why James Harden wanted to divorce himself from Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, and the rest of the Nets, he ultimately received his wish. He was shipped to a championship contender that is run by the executive who catered to his every need in Houston. It’s also owned by a close friend of his (Michael Rubin) and features a top 10 player in Joel Embiid that takes a ton of pressure off of Harden. Notably, he is extension-eligible (in excess of $220 million) this summer, and it’s probably a safe bet that Philly will pay big bucks to keep Harden after going all-in on this trade.
Loser: Daryl Morey
The Sixers president of basketball operations gets props for getting bold and acquiring a legendary player who will undoubtedly help Philly in its pursuit of a championship. But Morey’s legacy takes a hit here, since he was reportedly so adamant about receiving future first-round picks in any deal for Simmons in the months and weeks leading to the deadline. Instead, one of the execs renowned for his love of future selections had to surrender two of them in this deal, and while, yes, he got his man in Harden, I bet Morey secretly seethed as he forked over those first-rounders.
Winner: Joel Embiid
The center, who’s playing like an MVP, has to be incredibly hyped that the Philly front office fortified the roster and brought in a legendary scorer who won’t hesitate to shoot or go to the basket when it really matters. Embiid now has a running mate in Harden unlike any he’s ever played with, and we all know that in today’s game you need at least two All-Stars to seriously contend for a title. The Sixers have ’em, and instead of wasting one of the best seasons we’ll ever seen from a center by holding on to Simmons, they got bold and gave the big man a potent offensive weapon. Plus, Embiid continues to be a master troll on social media.
Loser: Tyrese Maxey
Stepping into Simmons’ vacated point guard position at the beginning of the season, Tyrese Maxey blossomed and proved he has a very bright future despite not being the most natural of floor generals. But assuming Maxey now slots into the shooting guard role, that growth is going to get stunted with Harden and his massive usage rate. Props, though, are due to Morey and the Sixers for refusing to give up Maxey or Matisse Thybulle in the deal.
Winner: NBA fans
The. Drama. Is. Over. We no longer have to exhaustingly keep up with the latest reports about negotiations between Simmons’ reps at Klutch Sports and the Sixers or his frigid relationship with the staff at Philly’s practice facility. Nor do we have to hear about how Harden apparently wasn’t happy in Brooklyn, souring on a roster that (when healthy and fully committed) was unlike any in NBA history. Nor do we have to hear Morey hop on another radio show and spit borderline bullshit about the franchise’s stance on Simmons. Our long national nightmare is over. We can all get on with our lives and just worry about actual basketball—until we get to free agency this summer.
Loser: James Harden Nets jersey owners
He played in 89 games over two regular seasons and one postseason in Brooklyn. If you’re one of the individuals who forked over $75 for a replica Harden kit, I sincerely hope you bought it with an American Express so you have jersey swap protection.
Winner: Meek Mill
The Philly rapper gets to revel in watching his bearded pal play for the hometown team. If Meek isn’t courtside for every playoff game, something’s seriously wrong.