2:32pm: While their trade talks with the Nets have gone nowhere, the Sixers “strongly believe” Harden won’t re-sign with Brooklyn when he reaches free agency and remain hopeful that the Nets will become more willing to engage in trade discussions before Thursday’s deadline, says Sam Amick of The Athletic.
1:42pm: With the trade deadline a little more than 48 hours away, there are conflicting reports about whether the Nets and Sixers still have a chance to complete this season’s biggest blockbuster.
Amid rumors that James Harden might be headed to Philadelphia in exchange for a package that includes Ben Simmons, Michael Scotto of HoopsHype hears that a trade definitely isn’t in the works right now.
“The Nets aren’t trading Harden,” an unidentified NBA executive told Scotto. “He’s staying, and they’ll take their chances in the playoffs. Maybe they’ll look to trade in the summer. They gave up too much to get him and have to see it through this year.”
Scotto adds that Brooklyn is focused on trying to improve the talent around its superstar trio of Harden, Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving. The team has received calls about Joe Harris and Nic Claxton, but Harris’ value has dropped amid speculation that he will need a second opinion on the ankle injury that has sidelined him since mid-November. Claxton will be a restricted free agent this summer.
If Harden stays put, Simmons will likely remain with the Sixers, who will make another attempt to land Harden this summer, Scotto states. If Harden doesn’t work out, Wizards guard Bradley Beal could be another target, and president of basketball operations Daryl Morey will have more options in the offseason trade market.
Brian Windhorst of ESPN contends that a Harden trade by Thursday remains possible, no matter what the teams are saying publicly. Even if the Nets and Sixers aren’t officially holding trade talks, sources tell Windhorst there have been “back-channel conversations and movement by intermediaries” regarding a Harden-Simmons swap. Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer reported the same thing earlier this week.
“It may come down to which side is more comfortable living with the status quo [if nothing happens],” one general manager said. “Both sides probably want to create leverage by saying they don’t need to do anything, but you can see why both have reason to.”
Windhorst confirms that both teams are pursuing other deals, with the Nets trying to move Harris and the Sixers seeking a taker for Tobias Harris, but he cautions that those talks might be smokescreens.
Windhorst is CLUELESS, I don’t trust anything he reports.
Nah Windhorst is a very good source.
Lol, Windhorst is awful. He has Lowry going to Philly last trade deadline. He is CLUELESS
Yeah he would have went there if Toronto wasn’t asking for a lot He stayed put.
I read that Harden has a three-year, $161 million extension offer on the table from Brooklyn.
Nobody knows what level commitment to Nash, Durant and Nets Harden has?
76ers are all-in in free agency. Harden salary will start at $42 million for 4 years $186 million.
Nets have zero chance to win Championships. Irving is an issue.
No way will Sixers sign Harden in free agency. They just don’t have the room. Would have to be a sign and trade.
They could threaten to get under by doing a 3 team trade where they send Simmons out for picks with some of the picks re routed to OKC along with Harris and some other contracts. This could get them under enough with some other maneuverings to sign him outright. OKC is just in such a weird position still where they can easily buy picks by taking on a bunch of money. Trade Harris after the deal for Westbrook and every asset LA has or something.
I really just don’t take anything from ESPN serious these days. Besides their 30 for 30 documentaries. Those are good. But their sports talk and reporting, I have long ago stopped paying attention to.
Some of the individual team beat writers are pretty plugged in, and some of the national guys like Zach Lowe are intelligent and well connected.
Morey really fumbled the bag and played himself on this one. Should’ve gotten Haliburton, he’s already better than Ben Simmons on his own.
True there. Hali and Heild could have helped Philly considerably!
In what universe is Halliburton better than Simmons already? Based on what exactly? His zero all star game performances? His zero all nba defense teams? His zero votes for DPOY? His being drafted by a terrible team and leading them to a terrible record? Say what you want about Simmons lack of shooting, he is still elite in other facets of the game…Halliburton is not on that level yet, and may never be
And from all reports, Halliburton wasn’t on the table for Simmons. What evidence do you have to the contrary?
Kings seemed to like BS more than Sabonis so if they were willing to deal him for Sabonis it stands to reason he would be available for Simmons.
Haliburton is already good as hell. he can be like Murray from the Spurs. he can also improve on defense. Simmons is overrated.
To a casual fan that only cares about scoring, sure Ben is overrated. Halliburton is very good, but has proven zero in this league. He hasn’t improved his team. He isn’t a superstar yet. Sure, there are definitely signs that his raw talent could become elite level skills, but lets pump the breaks before we crown him anything. He could be the next murray or he could be the next MCW, no one knows. He is a second year player that has put solid numbers but is not yet a star
Simmons is limited by two things that make him a challenge to maximize. He is resistent to playing the point 5 on offense and functioning as the screen and roller/dunker spot. The other is that he really needs a roster built to fit perfectly around him. Like Simmons with the 17-18 GSW along side Steph/Klay/KD/Dray would be boss AF where Dray still plays the bigs on D with Simmons as the perimeter version, the transition offense is insane, and the half court has extreme speed, athleticism, and passing. Seeing Klay and having Poole I would do Wiggins for BS straight up if the 6ers would take it, maybe with a future pick or two, and go to a lineup of Steph/Poole/Klay/Simmons/Dray starting.
Elite defender only. Pedestrian handle, average rebounder, awful shooter at ANY range, putrid foul shooter and because of all of the above USELESS in the playoffs in a halfcourt set. Like playing 4 on 5.
the world where Ben Simmons is not playing basketball in the NBA and has sat out for almost half a year.
I’m sorry, does talent just go away when you don’t play? By your logic, haliburton is a better player than kawhi Leonard. He hasn’t suited up in just as long as Simmons
According to Breachreport, NBC and the Philadelphia Inquirer,
The Sacramento Kings have reportedly considered a trade package of Tyrese Haliburton, Buddy Hield, Harrison Barnes and two-first-round picks in exchange for the Philadelphia 76ers’ Ben Simmons, Tobias Harris and Matisse Thybulle, according to Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer.
Try salary matching tho silly
No needed
Kings can nicely attach Bayley and TT
All the breathless reports about packages teams have put together for Simmons come from Philly reporters or national ones tied tightly to Morey. It’s blazingly obviously he’s trying to drum up an offer and some momentum when none currently exists, at least none with that much value coming back to the Sixers.
Haliburton and Hield were already dealt earlier for Sabonis.
@Theone23 Stop watching basketball (assuming you even do). You’re obviously getting nothing out of it.
So is “the executive” lol. How are they gonna explore trading Harden in the summer when he’s clearly stated he wants to test free agency? Sign and trade? Highly unlikely.
It’s probably the only way harden plays for a contender. The spurs, cavs, and pistons are the only teams as of now that have the cap space to offer harden a max deal
POR may have some room when its all said and done after the moves they have made and the rest they might. I dont know who they really think they would be signing into that cap space since most good FA are restricted with teams expected to do what it takes to keep them. I guess they could make offers to a bunch of the RFA to drive the prices up for other teams lols.
Interesting thought. I believe Dame and Harden are good friends.
I dont love that fit though since neither is awesome at defense. It would take like them plus a top defender or two that can shoot some to build a good lineup.
Idk if he’s got a ntc but why not trade Irving and Simmons for each other? Obviously include whatever picks and smaller pieces as necessary. Harden is mad because of the reliance on him as primary scorer with Durant injured and Irving part time. Irving gets to be full time player again and Simmons gets change of team he wants? So confused as to why that isn’t the trade talk instead of harden. Unless there’s a no trade clause like I said that Irving won’t waive. Not sure what his contract is
Because no team will trust KI. There have been reports he would retire if traded. The new city could institute vax requirement. KI just leaves sometimes when fully healthy. Nobody is signing up for that mercurial s*** show. I wouldnt be shocked if the Nets could hard ball him in the offseason with no other teams willing to offer anything close to the max and make him take like 4/80M or something.
If memory serves correctly, Irving has threatened to retire if he is traded
Ahhh that explains it. I had not heard that. What a basket case. I respect his vax stance, but it seems if it isn’t one thing with that guy it’s another
He just left the team for weeks last season while perfectly healthy for no real reason…
Day-um Sixers. You “strongly believe” Harden’s not gonna sign with the Nets? If I’m the Nets I’m livid right now and demanding to know how the Sixers think they know that. Harden and the Sixers owner are bff’s, and this smells an awful lot like tampering.
It surely is tampering, but if none of the back-channel sources brokering the deal talk, there’s no way to prove it. Teams do this all the time to skirt the rules. Look at Chicago with Lonzo and Lowry with Miami last year.
Of the course the 76ers think Harden is leaving KD and Kyrie LOL Morey Ik you love harden but unless he is very mad probably not) he ain’t leaving lol.
Sixers have Brooklyn over a barrel if Harden is set on jumping over to the 76ers this summer. Philly doesn’t have to do a sign and trade. If they find the right mix of trade partners (OKC, SAS, others) with cap room and expiring deals for Ben and Tobi, 76ers can get to the floor needed to offer Harden a max contract. So really, the question is whether Brooklyn wants to do a trade now and get something back or run the risk of watching Harden walk in July.
That would wipe out most of their depth. As a closet Sixers fan (love me some Joel) I would hate that kind of maneuvering, just to pick up fat James.
It’s a huge risk/huge reward gambit for sure. They would be gutting the team this year for a puncher’s chance at a new roster next year. And if Harden resigns in Brooklyn, then … who knows what 76ers do? FA market is weak, so the cap space isn’t useful beyond the Harden home run swing.
Almost any deal for Harden would require a sign and trade unless he’s looking to return to OKC. Even then, no one could offer him as much as the Nets. I believe he has a $47M option for next year. Unless it’s true that money isn’t a top factor for him and that there’s no three-year, $161M extension on the table, he’s not going anywhere without a sign and trade. He could learn to love where he is in Brooklyn for that payday.
Ben is also unvaccinated so fingers crossed NY doesn’t lift the mandate and the Nets foolishly make the trade. A 1 4 1 doesn’t hurt the Sixers at all, 10-1 odds Ben injures himself if he returns this year something happens when he tries to push it full tilt. Happens when guys try to do too much and prove the doubters wrong in his case.
I can’t remember if it was ESPN or another outlet, but there was a recent report that stated Simmons was unvaccinated in the fall when he first reported to the Sixers, but has since gotten vaccinated.
Oh you’re right Luke, I just googled it. About a week ago it came out. Didn’t see that. Thanks!
If the Nets make the playoffs and play the Raptors, Kyrie won’t be able to play the entire series. No home games either. Only 11 games down the stretch. A waste of a contract and roster spot. Not sure why Harden would want to stay. He never signed up for this. Nor did Nash. I think Nash wants to be traded :D
Criminal negligence by the Nets org for not anticipating a global pandemic…smd
Hello Arthur,
Can you fix the sentence of the word ‘aremain’ between ‘free agency and’ & ‘hopeful’? Please &thank you.
“While their trade talks with the Nets have gone nowhere, the Sixers “strongly believe” Harden won’t re-sign with Brooklyn when he reaches free agency and ‘aremain’ hopeful that the Nets will become more willing to engage in trade discussions before Thursday’s deadline, says Sam Amick of The Athletic”.
Ben, Maxey, Furkan, Bassey, future #1
Harden to Sixers ……. Bye
Thank goodness you’re not a GM
He’s not a gm he’s a bm!
If anyone extends Harden to max value contract it will be an albatross.. 32 going on 33… rules for getting fouled have changed and he is nowhere near player he was couple years ago.. he is also having his worst season but it will be interesting to see how healthy he gets if trade he really wants to 76er’s is completed.. always been me first player and not the best of teammates…if I was Nets I would do the trade in a heartbeat but if they are holding on to idea of getting Maxey as another player to get job done good luck.. he isn’t going anywhere
#FreeBenSimmons