NBA Trades: Proposal has Miami Heat becoming contenders with James Harden

Would the Philadelphia 76ers make this trade?

Even if the Miami Heat got to a point where they’d be open to such a deal, we’d have to question whether this is something the Philadelphia 76ers would even want to do. I think the question ultimately comes down to this – how desperate are the Sixers to trade James Harden? Are they desperate enough that it doesn’t matter where they trade him? Would they be willing to trade Harden to an Eastern Conference rival?

Essentially, the Sixers would be helping the Heat (possibly) get back to a point where they can contend again while they take a step back in the East. I’m not sure that’s something the Sixers can live with. I think logistically, Philadelphia would much rather trade Harden to a Western Conference team, but what if there’s no market to make such a deal?

Does that truly open the door for a team like the Heat to jump through the door? It’s a conversation that the Sixers need to have within their front office. But there’s no question it would be a tough pill to swallow. Not only for the front office but also for the fan base and the locker room.