Could the Sixers deal Ben Simmons before the trade deadline and still acquire James Harden in a sign-and-trade with the Nets this offseason? Kyle Neubeck of PhillyVoice.com raises that possibility.
He speculates that dealing Simmons for the best available package now might actually make the Sixers more enticing to Harden in free agency.
Making the team better around Joel Embiid than it is right now with Simmons inactive could lead to an extended playoff run, and they’d still have some assets to offer the Nets. Brooklyn would likely accept the best sign-and-trade package it could get from Philadelphia for Harden if the veteran guard insists on joining the Sixers, Neubeck writes.
We have more from the Atlantic Division:
- Harden will return to action on Saturday at Golden State, Mark W. Sanchez of the New York Post writes. Harden missed Wednesday’s game against Denver due to left hamstring tightness but was able to practice on Friday. The Nets will reportedly not listen to trade offers for Harden.
- The Nets have been forced to play without two or all three of their perennial All-Stars on a frequent basis lately. They have lost three straight but coach Steve Nash hopes the heavier reliance on their role players will pay off in the long run, as he told Greg Joyce of the New York Post. “The goal is to continue to move this thing forward,” Nash said. “Win or lose, are we learning more about ourselves, more about each other and refining our details? If we do, when we get bodies back we’ll be in a better place for it. We’ll have learned something about ourselves, and we’ll be able to say that this time was not wasted.”
- Julius Randle doesn’t regret signing a four-year, $117MM extension with the Knicks despite his rough season, according to Steve Popper of Newsday. “I wouldn’t change it,” he said. “I still want to be a part of it. I still want to see this thing through. I still want to be a part of trying to bring a championship to the Knicks.” Randle has reached the 20-point mark just once in the last five games.
Can’t decide who’s more stupid ..Randle or the Newsday writer asking the question..bingo, it’s Knicks mgt signing a 1 season wonder to $117mm. Enjoy the next 3 yrs.
4*
I vote poster……
Stay happy with that one series win in last 20 yrs.
I agree poster
Who hurt you, Joe? Was your ex wife a Knicks fan? Is that what this is about?
It’s ok man, it’s over now. Time to move on
Randle also does not have Rose who helped plus Payton and Bullock worked good with him. Fournier is a reserve not a starter to inconsistent.
You should check Payton and Bullock stats combined…
Rose is washed, he’s not the player he used to be. He’s a bench scoring option, no more, no less.
“Rose is washed” — 17.4 PER and + 2.2 BPM is better than most starters in the league though…
Interesting logic
Poor Randle who signed a fun max 120M$ and no one is helping him cause of Fournier contract … Get rid of him asap and stop this PR BJ cause you cannot build around him and Thibs clear and simple … Go get Russell and start a clean rebuild
The countdown clock is ticking on every GM in the league. Morey’s clock (and maybe Rivers’ clock) is probably ticking faster than most, if not all, of the other clocks so the pressure is on Morey more so than other GMs. In that situation, the 76ers will be waited out by the rest of the league. Morey’s only hope is to find a GM with the right assets that is more desperate than he is and make the trade. A high asking price for damaged goods does not help. Simmons and the 76ers have screwed each other over.
Tick, tick, tick…
What better GM and Coach are available?
Better than Doc Rivers? There are many.
Ive been saying this for a while. And this whole “we are getting Harden in the summer” reeks of desperation for Morey.
Embiid is watching and I am sure wondering if the Sixers screw this up like everything else they have done since he was drafted.
Desperation or tampering, one of the two
Eversly would like a word.
Wow Steve, very meta lmao.
its significantly more likely that the Simmons and Harden deals dont happen at the same time simply because I doubt Brooklyn deals Harden at the deadline and I doubt the Sixers want Ben on Brooklyn.
I don’t think the sixers care where Ben ends up at this point but I agree the Nets won’t trade Harden till the summer
I would imagine they’d still rather send him West if anything. he’s being dealt for a reason but is also an asset to any team during the regular season.
Ben is getting dealt ’cause he wants to get the hell out of dodge… in no way shape or form PHI would want to trade him away, so that is your reason!
If 76ers want Harden at the free agency, they have to dump Harris contract earlier than later
Then dump Simmons contract in June this year
As I always said, the smartest GM signs free agent superstars
Action, not talk
At this point, it’s more of the superstars picking their teams and who they want to play with. The GM is responsible for creating the right cap situation these days.
76ers have to dump Harris contract and don’t bring back any salary.
If nobody wants Harris contract, then they have no chance to sign any average player on free agent market.
Randle signed for less than market value. Randle has been basically a 20- 10 guy last 4 yrs. Just wasn’t done in a team concept till last yr. And this yr he’s wilting under the pressure. There were no fans last yr.
Thibs is still riding with him. He might just take him down with him. I would start Toppin. Knicks biggest problem is no real PG still.
Why Reddish still on Thibs bench?
I bet on a Re-trade …
Has to be a 1-for-1 if Knicks trade Reddish again at the deadline. He can’t be a part of a package until 60-days after his original trade.
My money is on them trading away any rotation blockage to his getting minutes.
Good to know thx … Evan, Kemba, Burks so
Cam is a Rose move. He’s here to stay imo. Knicks probably move Burkes, Kemba, and Fournier if they can. Knicks definitely making a move by TD. I just hope they stick to the rebuild. Randle can always be moved in off season.
Knicks will have to give picks to get Randle out so cannot go rebuild without him either…
We got plenty of picks. For right player I do it.
Ben for Harden in a sign and trade makes a better good amount of sense.
Nets get an elite defender who can handle a good chuck of the offence, as Kyrie wants to play SG. Ben can bring his diva ish attitude to Brooklyn and fit in with KD and Kyrie and with some luck Steve Nash and those guys help him work on his shot. Come playoffs and fourth quarters Ben wouldn’t be expected to do much as Kyrie and KD are two of the most clutch players in the game.
Nets would line up something like Kyrie Harris KD Simmons and a centre…
But in reality it would be more like Simmons Kyrie Harris KD and a centre…
For the Sixers it’s a good fit on paper. Harden can go back to playing SG and scoring at Will while also creating for others but not being such a pass first player like he has been recently. And Embiid and Harden two man game at the top of the key would be so hard to stop. Both can shot the three ball, both can drive really well and get to the line. Harden those elite dribble moves and Embiid has that elite size and strength. Harris is a great third option, Maxey is super efficient and then for the 5th starter we have either Green or Thybulle.
The only thing I don’t like is that harden will be getting paid like 55 mil when he’s 38 or something stupid
55 million, I agree poster is stupid.
?
Brooklyn will need some clarity on either Kyrie’s vax status or the NYC mandate before anything.
Also Kyrie is a loose cannon—there’s nothing stopping him from signing a max in San Antonio or, I don’t know, playing a year in Australia so he can be closer to the edge of the Earth.
#FreeBenSimmons
Morey and Sacramento are both posturing. Simmons for Halliburton / Barnes in some form will happen. It actually will benefit both teams.