Ben Simmons has become the most polarizing figure in Philadelphia sports and one of the most interesting names surrounding the trade deadline. As we inch closer to the deadline, Simmons has been linked to a variety of teams around the league but none more prominent than the Brooklyn Nets in exchange for James Harden. It would be a mistake for Philadelphia to trade Simmons to Brooklyn for anything more than Simmons and a player outside of the current 76ers rotation.
Before diving into the details of the trade and why it would be a bad idea for the 76ers to move Simmons for Harden, we need to highlight what this article is not. This is not by any means a defense of Ben Simmons or an article advocating for his future to remain with Philadelphia. The relationship between the Sixers and Simmons has deteriorated beyond repair if, for some reason, Simmons was not moved before the deadline there shouldn’t be any scenario where he is playing minutes for the organization again. Unless Embiid and his former counterpart were able to come to a mutual understanding that it was strictly business, which it seems Simmons has no interest in, you won’t see him on the floor until he is in a different city. However, this city should not and cannot be Brooklyn based on the current rumors.
The Rumors:
Simmons has been a hot name since the offseason but up until recently there has been no true movement or sign of resolution in the ongoing saga. While he has been mentioned in rumors that include teams like the Sacramento Kings, Atlanta Hawks and Minnesota Timberwolves, it wasn’t until last week that reports began to surface James Harden was unhappy with his current situation in Brooklyn. With Harden seemingly on the table either now or in a sign and trade situation this offseason Daryl Morey and the 76ers front office have seemed to put on a full court press to acquire the former MVP before deadline day, depending on what you read. The NBA trade deadline has always been associated with more smoke than fire and while we have had an increase in blockbuster deals as player empowerment continues to rise the Simmons/Harden situation seems to be mostly smoke at this point.
Over the last week we have heard variations of the following:
Harden doesn’t have a problem with the Kyrie situation
Steve Nash says Harden isn’t going anywhere
Philadelphia hasn’t contacted Brooklyn about James Harden
Philadelphia contacted Brooklyn in January and were shut down
Brooklyn wants Seth Curry and Ben Simmons for Harden
Harden and his management team are seeking an agent to help facilitate a trade and contract negotiations with his new team or to help resign in Brooklyn
And the list goes on and will only keep growing as we get closer to the final hours of the deadline. As rumors run rampant it feels like each leak is just an attempt by both organizations to get leverage in the situation while Harden tries to figure out what he wants to do going forward. A star player without any agent influence is truly an unprecedented situation in the current league environment. The lack of representation outside of Harden himself and his management company, has seemed to amplify the confusion surrounding his future in Brooklyn. Generally, agents are able to negotiate in season and communicate the needs and wants of their players diplomatically which is missing in this situation. Instead, in my opinion, what seems to be happening is Harden has wavering faith on the potential success of the organization. While he believes in his teammates and his friendship with Durant, the weight of an extension coupled with the uncertainty of Irving has left him second guessing his ability to win with the currently constructed roster. Based on this it feels like the up and down reports are partially because both organizations are trying to guess exactly what his next move is. If Brooklyn was certain he was leaving Simmons would be a young healthy option to retain some value in the deal and compliment Durant and Irving. Yet, if they knew he was staying the current rumors wouldn’t be running as rampant as they are. Harden only loses value if this lingers into free agency if he decides he wants out and orchestrates a sign and trade. Durant found himself on Brooklyn in exchange for D’Angelo Russell. Harden pulling a similar move to leave Brooklyn could leave them with even less than anticipated. Weighing the risk of a deal right now is most likely what is holding up making something final and bringing in Simmons from Philadelphia.
The Problem:
Examining a deal for Harden comes with many different problems for Philadelphia if you look past the surface of gaining a former MVP. Over the years Simmons has not improved his offense game and did not grow to the presumed potential he had when coming into the league. A lack of shooting and free throw ability has tanked his value and the Atlanta series was the final nail in the coffin of his career in Philadelphia. While he is still under contract for the foreseeable future, the rest of his deal will not be played in the City of Brotherly Love. As the season has unfolded, fans and media members alike have turned on their former All-Star after years of support and understandably so. In a city like Philadelphia you either have the mentality to play there or you don’t and Simmons never rose to the task. However, it feels like the hatred for Simmons and the perceived value of Harden has completely thrown logic out of the window when it comes to deals at the deadline.
First, anything outside of Simmons and either Kormaz/Milton/Joe/Reed should be a non-starter for Morey and the Sixers. It makes sense they need to move off Simmons contract and get a real contributor to capitalize on the season Joel Embiid is having. A seven foot big man that has had injury history in the past, “wasting” one of his prime years has fans in a tizzy. This doesn’t mean that you should let Brooklyn strong arm you into trading Maxey, Thybulle or Seth Curry to get the deal done. Maxey and Thybulle are two budding stars that have come into their own with more minutes available this season. Curry is on an extremely team friendly contract and a cap strapped team like Philadelphia should not trade him during the year he is having. While I don’t believe Curry will win you a playoff game by himself, coupled with Embiid and Maxey he would be an integral part of any post season success the team may have. If the 76ers move on from any of these three to get Harden after he has been rumored to be displeased with the Nets would be overcommitting to a move. If any other deal rises to the table for Simmons and a non-starter there is enough reward to pull the trigger but that should be the only exception.
A second concern is how well Simmons fits on Brooklyn. Right now nobody in Philadelphia will tell you they are afraid of Ben Simmons in a playoff series because they have watched him try to be the second option and fail his entire career. Even when Butler was here Simmons was ball dominant and was one of the main reasons Butler decide to depart. The problem is, however you slice it Simmons is one of the best defenders and distributors in the league while also being a force in transition. Pairing him with the best pure scorer in NBA history and one of the best scoring guards ever, would only amplify the positive qualities that Simmons brings to the table. You could argue that if Simmons was guarding Young the entire Atlanta series we wouldn’t even be having this conversation. If you were to move Curry with Simmons to Brooklyn he would become the fourth or fifth option with minimal pressure and play to his current skills, the perfect fit. Free throws in late game situations? Let Durant or Irving handle the ball. Can’t shoot from the outside so play off him? A head of steam to the basket and a pass out to Durant, Irving, Harris or Curry would end in points. If the 76ers were to see Brooklyn in the playoffs it wouldn’t be outside of the realm of possibility for Simmons to shut down a version of James Harden with lingering hamstring issues. Even if Embiid was dominant in the paint a combination of Brooklyn’s other stars would be too much to handle with the passing ability of Simmons . The Nets were about a quarter of an inch from the Eastern Conference Finals last season with no Irving and Harden on one leg, imagine they get two generally healthy players in return?
Finally, Harden as a player isn’t what you saw in Houston years ago. As we have already mentioned injuries linger and he has just recently been sitting out with hamstring tightness as the Nets continue to lose games. At 32 years old, a trade for Harden would be an “all-in” move for Philadelphia which feels good on paper but may not move the meter far enough to win a championship now. With Harden at 32 and presumably on the decline you have maybe two years to get it done with Embiid in sync. So, if you are ready to give a 32 year old with lingering leg issues a max contract for two years with and a chance you have to be prepared for the inevitable matchup with Brooklyn.
A Better Outcome:
It is more likely than not that Simmons is still in Philadelphia after the deadline but if there was a deal to be made, I believe these deals would be better outcomes for Philadelphia now and in the future.
Simmons to Atlanta
A deal that would have a few kinks, Collins would give Philadelphia a contributor now. A player that has shown year over year improvement Collins would be able to play off the ball as a slasher or outside on the perimeter to help space the floor. Running a bigger of Maxey, Curry, Collins, Harris & Embiid would give the team an even stronger defensive identity and an added offensive punch they are currently missing. Ideally, a deal involving Collins would look something like this
Atlanta would be able to move off two large contracts that still have a few years left on both deal while getting back a better player in Simmons to pair with Trae Young. In their current state, it feels like the Hawks know they can’t pay everyone and aren’t currently good enough to play against the conferences elite. Simmons would help strengthen their defense and two young role players on team friendly contracts could help fill the bench. Joe, being a three point shooter in his own right would help replace the shooting that was lost in both this deal and the deal that sent Reddish to New York. While Milton is a work in progress the guard position was too crowded in Philadelphia and Doc Rivers never seemed to give him the minutes that he needed to develop into a true sixth man. As rookies continue to emerge in Philly, Milton was always the odd man out.
Sac Town Simmons
Another team that would be a solid fit for Simmons without directly impacting the Sixers would be Sacramento. A team that has long been rumored in the Simmons sweepstakes has seemingly bowed out leading up to the deadline. However, you never know if a team that is “out” stays out. An asking price that includes Fox and Haliburton isn’t feasible. Sacramento wants to see Haliburton and Davion Mitchell thrive as their future backcourt and Fox should be the odd man out.
A quick look at this trade makes sense. Fox comes to Philadelphia to run the offense, Simmons is ejected to Sacramento to play a hybrid four with ball handling ability. The Kings would be able to get off the Bagley contract because they have no intention to pay him any further and he will be looking to walk for a larger contact elsewhere, even if he may not deserve it. Bringing in Reed would give them a similar skillset to what Bagley provided at a much cheaper cost. While I don’t believe it would need a picks to get the deal done, a 2027/2028 first rounder with major protections could come into play for either team to get it over the finish line.
Outside of these two deals I would sit on Simmons until something right came to the forefront. As he continues to sit his value increases, last year most of the league believed his ceiling trade value was Malcom Brogdon and TJ Warren. Now he is back in the conversation for James Harden. Stars will continue to get disgruntled and teams will go into rebuilds. While it is a fine line to “waste” a year of Embiid’s prime I don’t believe Morey will be quiet at the deadline or in the buyout market. He will most likely find a way to improve the on court product and give them a real chance to compete for the championship even if it is means improving around the margins. The mistake in all of this would be overpaying for Harden if the expectation is for him to move on from Brooklyn next year anyway. While the distain for Simmons runs deep in Philadelphia the team as it is currently constructed can compete in the East. Jumping the gun and putting Simmons on a conference rival and sending them Curry, Maxey or Thybulle would put the Sixers at a disadvantage going forward.