NBA Rumors: Philadelphia 76ers to target James Harden during the offseason?
Even though the Philadelphia 76ers reportedly are in no rush to trade Ben Simmons, that doesn’t mean that they’re already preparing for what seems like a formality at this point. It’s just a matter of when, not if.
That said, a recent report suggested that there are roughly 30 players in the league that the Sixers would be open to trading Simmons for. On that list, you’d expect that a few familiar faces to be on it – such as Damian Lillard, Bradley Beal, Jayson Tatum, etc.
Also reportedly on the list are James Harden and Jerami Grant, according to a recent report (subscription required). While the talks surrounding Grant have seemingly gone nowhere (if they even existed), the Harden tidbit is quite interesting.
Harden did not sign a contract extension with the Brooklyn Nets this past offseason and could test free agency this offseason, should he decline his player option.
Question is, would both parties weigh the option of a Simmons for Harden sign-and-trade? It could be on the table during the offseason and would be an interesting deal. What would make this hypothetical deal even more intriguing is if the Nets, once again, fall short of expectations during the playoffs.
That said, this hypothetical move would not be able to take place until the offseason and likely only happens if Harden tells the Nets that he isn’t going to sign an extension with the team. Harden is saying all the right things, that Brooklyn is where he wants to be.
But, especially in the NBA, we all know how quickly that can change.
A second question is how long the Sixers will let this Simmons situation go on without having to make a move. Philadelphia is currently 9-7 but has shown some difficulty in playing without Joel Embiid.
Without a legit second option in Philly, the margin for error is nonexistent anymore. Will that lead the Sixers to make a deal sooner rather than later? If so, that would all but eliminate the off-chance that the Sixers have of luring Harden away from the Nets.