NBA: 8 big takeaways from the 2022 trade deadline

The pressure is on the Philadelphia 76ers and specifically James Harden

Both the Philadelphia 76ers and James Harden got what they wanted at the NBA Trade Deadline. Now, there won’t be any excuses. Harden will have to produce as the No. 1 in Philly as he’s expected to come through as the final piece for a team that has eyes on winning a championship.

Joel Embiid is playing at an MVP level and now he’ll be added by another MVP level talent. If the Sixers can’t get it done in the playoffs now, it will be a tough sell to the fans. That said, it won’t be easy.

The Sixers will have to develop chemistry and continuity on the fly and will only have just a couple of months to do so before the playoffs. And then once they get there, they’ll have to navigate through a difficult Eastern Conference. It’s all in front of them, though. The pressure is on both the Sixers and Harden.