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Philadelphia 76ers: Making the case for and against trading for James Harden

By Michael Saenz

Houston Rockets James Harden (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
Houston Rockets James Harden (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) /
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Philadelphia 76ers
Philadelphia 76ers Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) /

Why the Philadelphia 76ers shouldn’t trade for James Harden

On the other hand, there should be some natural hesitation from the Philadelphia 76ers in trading for James Harden. For one, there’s no guarantee that he wants to remain with any team that he’s traded to for longer than his current contract (which he could opt out of in two years).

If there’s no foregone conclusion that this is a move that will help the franchise for more than two (or three( years, I’m not sure you jump to make such a move. Especially if it’s going to cost you an asset as valuable as Ben Simmons (and possibly more). Plus, there’s no guarantee that a Harden and Embiid (plus supporting cast) core is enough to win a championship.

In fact, there’s no real guarantee that this would even be the best team in the Eastern Conference next season. That should spark some added hesitation. Another factor that could bring the franchise pause is whether or not he’d fit into the system and would be a good complimentary player for Embiid.

Finally, and perhaps the biggest factor that could turn the Sixers off a potential trade for James Harden falls with the fact that the franchise would essentially be throwing in the towel on Ben Simmons. Whether you believe he’s lived up to expectations or not, one thing is clear – he’s arguably the most talented 25 and under player in the league right now.

Simmons was touted as the next LeBron James and is a menace on both ends of the floor. He’s a great playmaker and one of the most athletic players in the league. He’s a nightmare in transition and nearly unstoppable when he’s engaged on the offensive end. Short of a slow-developing jump shot, there are no holes in his game fundamentally.

If Simmons ever develops a respectable jump shot, it’s over. He’ll take over the league. Are the Sixers ready to give up him at the ripe age of 24? That’s a tough question, especially if it comes without any guarantees of a championship or 5-10 years of contention.