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Sixers, Nets Engaged In Trade Talks On Tuesday

February 9th, 2022 at 8:10am CST by Luke Adams

The Sixers and Nets engaged in trade discussions on Tuesday, multiple sources tell Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer, who says the two sides “bickered” over pieces to add to a hypothetical deal involving James Harden and Ben Simmons.

Despite the discussions, there doesn’t appear to be any traction on a Harden/Simmons blockbuster, according to Chris Mannix of SI.com. Mannix says the Nets still remain publicly and privately steadfast against the idea of moving Harden during the season, believing that – despite the current nine-game losing streak – the team will be fine once it gets healthy.

Although the Nets have certainly publicly expressed their desire to retain Harden, Pompey isn’t convinced that the team’s private stance is as unwavering, citing one source who says Brooklyn’s decision-makers are split behind closed doors. Some people within the organization would be open to moving Harden now, believing he’s hurting team chemistry, according to Pompey.

Still, even if the Nets were open to the idea of trading Harden today or tomorrow, it seems unlikely that the two teams would be able to agree on a package. As others have reported and as Kyle Neubeck of PhillyVoice.com reiterates, the Sixers have made it clear that Tyrese Maxey is unavailable this week and they’ve resisted the idea of offering Matisse Thybulle along with Simmons.

While it’s possible Philadelphia would be willing to add Seth Curry to its trade offer, even that’s a dubious proposition, a team source tells Neubeck. And even with Curry included, Mannix says it’s not clear whether that would move the needle enough for Brooklyn to make a deal.

Here’s more on the Sixers, Nets, and the Harden/Simmons situation:

  • The Sixers have had conversations with the Thunder about Tobias Harris, according to Pompey. However, one of Pompey’s sources downplayed those talks, suggesting they may have been instigated by Oklahoma City and adding that Harris has nothing to worry about. Even if Philadelphia is interested in moving Harris in a salary-dump deal, it’s unlikely to happen this week unless it’s part of a series of moves, since the forward is a key part of the current lineup.
  • As Neubeck writes, the Sixers clearly seem to be trying to signal to Brooklyn that they believe they’ll be able to clear the necessary cap space to sign Harden in the offseason without having to worry about a sign-and-trade. Sources tell Neubeck that Philadelphia has lined up a couple potential trade partners willing to take on Harris’ contract using cap space, presumably in the summer.
  • In that scenario, the idea for the 76ers would be to move Harris to one team this offseason and Simmons to another, taking back little – if any – salary in return, in order to clear cap room to sign Harden. While this is one path the Sixers could take, the fact that they’re putting it out there could just be a negotiating ploy to encourage the Nets to seriously consider moving Harden by Thursday’s deadline.
  • For his part, Harris is looking forward to getting through the trade deadline and being able to focus on basketball for the rest of the season, as Tim Bontemps of ESPN relays. “That will be good for us. Because you’re just hearing everybody’s name. I’ll just be honest, it’s one of those things … trade rumors always come around, even for guys around the NBA, but in this situation, yeah, I was reading an article and there were five guys on the top 10 list to be moved, whatever,” Harris said. “So, obviously don’t get twisted: that has an impact on guys’ mental, psyche, focus, all the way down the line. So we’ll see what happens.”
  • Asked again on Tuesday about the possibility of Simmons returning to the team if he’s not dealt before the deadline, Sixers center Joel Embiid again said that he’d be fine with that, per Bontemps. “Like I’ve been saying since the season started, I’m happy,” Embiid said. “Whoever wants to play is welcome. If someone wants to play, they’re welcome. But we’ve got guys here that want to be here, that show up every single night. … And if you want to be part of us, I am sure everybody is gonna be fine with it, but you got to show up. You got to want to be there. And I’m sure everybody is going to accept whoever that is.”
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Latest On James Harden, Ben Simmons

February 8th, 2022 at 2:32pm CST by Arthur Hill

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.

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Trade Rumors: Harden, Rubio, Grant, McCollum, Smart

February 7th, 2022 at 10:06pm CST by Dana Gauruder

James Harden isn’t going to wear a Sixers uniform this season. That’s what a Nets source told Jordan Schultz of Schultz Report (Twitter link). Brooklyn feels that dealing Harden at this point would damage its chances of winning a title, according to Schultz.

“James [Harden] isn’t going to Philly; I’ll tell you that with absolute certainty,” the unnamed source said. “They called and we didn’t listen. We want to win a championship and trading James does nothing but hurt that goal.”

We have more rumors from around the league:

  • The Pacers have a good chance of trading Ricky Rubio‘s expiring contract, which they just acquired from Cleveland, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski said on NBA Today (video link). “The Pacers are probably going to be able to flip that Rubio contract and get back some more assets as they kind of reshape this roster,” Wojnarowski said.
  • In the same segment, Woj said the Pistons could wait until the offseason before moving Jerami Grant. “They don’t have anything right now,” he said regarding a satisfactory trade offer.
  • As some recent reports indicated, the Knicks and Pelicans are interested in CJ McCollum and have been “fairly aggressive” in pursuit of the Trail Blazers’ high-scoring guard. “McCollum has a lot of value around the league,” Wojnarowski said. “You know what you’re getting with him.”
  • Add the Hawks to the list of potential suitors for McCollum, Chris Kirchner of The Athletic reports, citing sources. Atlanta is also interested in the Celtics’ Marcus Smart, Kirschner adds. Both of the guards are signed to hefty long-term contracts.
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Embiid “Fine” With Simmons Staying, Playing For Sixers

February 7th, 2022 at 6:49pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Star center Joel Embiid left the door open for Ben Simmons returning to action with the Sixers if Simmons isn’t traded, as he told Mike Missanelli of 97.5 The Fanatic (hat tip to Kyle Neubeck of PhillyVoice.com). Embiid says he’ll do whatever it takes to win a championship and that the Sixers are a better team with Simmons on the floor.

“Whatever that’s going to help me achieve that, I’m fine with whatever. I’ve always said, obviously, we’re a better team with [Simmons] on the floor. I’m sure a lot of people agree, even if they don’t want to agree, it doesn’t matter, we still are a better team with him on the floor,” Embiid said. “Let’s say – I don’t hate anybody and I don’t have any problems with anybody around the league – [but] let’s say I really hated someone in another team and the front office went and traded for that guy because they believed that we could win a championship. You know what? I have no pride. My goal is to win a championship, I would be fine with it…I don’t know about how everybody else feels, but to me, I’m trying to win a championship, and whatever it takes to accomplish that, I’m fine with that.”

The Most Valuable Player candidate also addressed Simmons’ sensitivity, including an item in a recent story from ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne. Sources close to Simmons told Shelburne that he was upset Embiid seemed to blame him for last season’s playoff loss when Simmons didn’t blame Embiid for his “poor showing” in the 2019 postseason against Toronto. Embiid wasn’t apologetic, instead pointing out that he even criticized himself for the team’s playoff failure last season.

“Everybody’s at fault. But at the end of the day, you got to look at yourself. When we lost, I looked at myself. I knew I wasn’t good enough, I knew I wasn’t healthy enough,” Embiid said. “So I just looked at myself and tried to find ways that I can be better and I can help the team just be better. … So I think at the end of the day, you got to have some self-awareness and kind of look at yourself and see how you can help the team. It’s never about one player, you can’t win basketball one-on-five. You need your teammates, you need everyone to do their part.”

Asked about the rumors that James Harden might become his teammate, either prior to the trade deadline or in the offseason, Embiid said he welcome any top-level player joining the team and puts Harden in that category. However, he also feels the Sixers already have the pieces to compete for a championship.

“He plays for the Brooklyn Nets, and there’s nothing I can do about that,” Embiid said. “That’s like you asking me a question like, ‘Would you love playing with Steph Curry?’ Obviously the top players all make each other better, and he’s in that category of just being able to — and he’s gotten close before. He’s gotten to the conference finals, he’s gotten close to making it to the Finals, but that’s something I really can’t comment about because he plays for another team, and it’s not realistic. We all see the same thing on the Internet, and I don’t know what’s true and what’s not.

“I do believe with the guys we have, my teammates, I do believe that we have a chance together. It’s going to take all of us to play at the highest level possible to compete. Who’s not a fan of, you know, Kevin Durant or Steph Curry or James Harden? They’re all top players in this league.”

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Trade Rumors: Pelicans, Bulls, Poeltl, Grant, Nets

February 7th, 2022 at 11:44am CST by Luke Adams

The Pelicans, who have been described as trade deadline buyers, are making an effort to fortify their core, Marc Stein reports at Substack.com. In addition to Brandon Ingram and Zion Williamson, New Orleans views Jonas Valanciunas and Herbert Jones as part of that core, according to Stein, so those players appear to be off limits in trade talks.

While the Pelicans are apparently unwilling to move Valanciunas or Jones, they do have other players who would appeal to trade partners. Most notably, Stein suggests that forward Josh Hart, who is in the midst of a career year, could be on the move this week. Multiple previous reports have indicated Hart may be a trade candidate.

Here are a few more trade rumors from around the NBA:

  • The Bulls made an offer for center Jakob Poeltl that was centered around a first-round pick, but they were rebuffed by the Spurs, according to Stein. Chicago has already traded away two of its own future first-round selections – including one to San Antonio – so the pick in the offer for Poeltl may have been Portland’s 2022 first-rounder, which is top-14 protected and appears unlikely to convey this year.
  • In his preview of the Pistons‘ trade-deadline week, James L. Edwards III of The Athletic says the Wizards, Kings, and Trail Blazers are the teams that have exhibited the most interest in Jerami Grant. Sources tell Edwards that the Nets have also “poked around,” but are a longer shot to acquire the forward.
  • Within his look at the James Harden and Ben Simmons situations, Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer reports that the Nets have been looking for more shooting on the wing. That makes sense, given that Joe Harris‘ status for the second half and postseason remains up in the air. O’Connor also echoes some of the same points made in a series of other Harden/Simmons reports this morning, including reiterating that the Sixers aren’t willing to entertain trading Tyrese Maxey this week.
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Sixers, Nets Haven’t Engaged In Recent Trade Talks

February 7th, 2022 at 7:34am CST by Luke Adams

Although a report on Friday stated that the Sixers intend to pursue James Harden prior to this week’s trade deadline and that the Nets are open to talking, it doesn’t sound as if any discussions have occurred between the two teams since then.

According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski and Ramona Shelburne, Sixers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey reached out to Sean Marks of the Nets about a month ago to ask about Harden and was flatly turned down. That exchange it still the only direct communication between Morey and Marks this season, per ESPN’s duo.

Both Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer and Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report have also heard the two teams haven’t talked at all lately, with Pompey citing a source who referred to the conversation a month ago as “non-productive.”

Fischer suggests the Nets have no plans to discuss any Harden trade scenarios before Thursday’s trade deadline and Pompey hears from one source that Simmons won’t be traded until at least the draft. However, Wojnarowski and Shelburne aren’t yet closing the door on the possibility that the two teams will take this week, and neither is Pompey, who says Brooklyn and Philadelphia are going through third parties and back-channels to get information.

“It’s the most bizarre thing,” a source told Pompey. “It’s almost as if they are playing a game of cat and mouse … because of all the tampering [implications].”

Despite his assertion that the Nets have no plans to discuss Harden this week, Fischer does say there are people within the organization who have openly mentioned their interest in a swap involving Harden and Ben Simmons. Meanwhile, two people who have “significant history” with Harden believed he’s interested in the possibility of joining the Sixers, sources tell Wojnarowski and Shelburne.

Still, ESPN’s report suggests the two teams have a difference of opinions on which side has more leverage. According to Woj and Shelburne, the Sixers believe they shouldn’t have to add many assets to make a Simmons/Harden swap because the Nets risk losing their star guard for nothing in the offseason. But Brooklyn, recognizing all the talent and assets the capped-out Sixers may have to sacrifice to sign Harden outright this summer, would push for a significant package.

“Why would Brooklyn accept anything less now than the assets it would cost Philly to unload contracts and create the space this summer?” one GM said to ESPN.

Here are some more updates from ESPN, Bleacher Report, and The Philadelphia Inquirer on the Simmons/Harden situation:

  • The Nets would want additional pieces besides Simmons in any deal for Harden, but Pompey says the Sixers aren’t willing to include Tyrese Maxey in any trade and view Matisse Thybulle as “close to untouchable.” When the two teams had a brief discussion last month, Philadelphia asked if Brooklyn was interested in Paul Reed and Isaiah Joe, says Pompey. According to Fischer, Reed and Joe are the two players most frequently mentioned by rival executives as possible 76ers trade candidates.
  • Harden doesn’t currently have an agent, but he and manager Lorenzo McCloud are looking to hire representation, at least temporarily, with his free agency looming, according to Wojnarowski and Shelburne.
  • Without an agent to talk to, the Nets have to rely on direct communication with Harden, which may be one reason why the team has had a hard time getting a read on his intentions. ESPN’s duo describes the partnership between the Nets and Harden as “murky,” noting that the former MVP has said he’s committed to the team, but his actions – including “private grousing” about Nets coaches, teammates, and the organization – have hinted otherwise. Pompey hears from sources that some people in the organization are “privately questioning (Harden’s) commitment to remaining in Brooklyn, and becoming frustrated with the uncertainty.”
  • Although Kevin Durant wants Harden to stay in Brooklyn, he wants a committed Harden, according to Wojnarowski and Shelburne, who say Durant isn’t telling Nets ownership or management what they should do at the deadline. A source tells Pompey that key Brooklyn players wouldn’t be hugely disappointed if Harden is ultimately moved, due to uncertainty about his true feelings.
  • Sources tell Fischer that some people around Simmons want him to return to the court for the Sixers if he’s not dealt at the deadline. However, multiple people associated with Simmons’ representation insist that’s not going to happen, Fischer writes.
  • In trade discussions with the Hawks and Kings, the Sixers broached the idea of attaching Tobias Harris to Simmons, but they haven’t engaged in many talks about Harris beyond that, Fischer says. Multiple league sources who have spoken to Bleacher Report have speculated that the Thunder could be a willing trade partner if Philadelphia is motivated to get off of Harris’ contract.
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Steve Nash Says Nets Aren’t Trading James Harden

February 6th, 2022 at 2:26pm CST by Rory Maher

There have been reports recently stating that the Sixers will pursue James Harden ahead of the trade deadline on February 10, and that the Nets would be open to those discussions.

However, in a media session with reporters Sunday afternoon, Nets head coach Steve Nash said that the team is not trading Harden, according to Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News.

“I’ve talked to James and he wants to be here,” Nash said. “And he wants to be here long term as well.”

When asked if that meant the Nets are not trading Harden, Nash replied, “Yes.”

“This has been a constant thing since the summer,” Nash said, per Bondy. “He’s continually reiterated that he wants to be here, and we’ve continually said that we want him here and that that’s our best chance to win. So nothing’s changed.”

Harden, who’s dealing with left hamstring tightness, will miss his second straight game Sunday with the injury. The team is being cautious with Harden after he dealt with a nagging hamstring injury late last season that affected his playoff performance.

“The scan is pretty good but there’s a strain — there’s a tightness, sorry, not a strain — there’s a tightness and a strength deficit. So, for us, we just don’t want to take any chances. We know last year we lost him for an extended period and we want to be conservative and make sure he resumes full strength so there isn’t an extended absence,” Nash said.

The Nets are on a seven-game losing streak and currently hold a 29-23 record, sixth in the East.

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Nets Notes: Irving, Thomas, Harden, Simmons

February 6th, 2022 at 10:59am CST by Arthur Hill

When the Nets decided to let Kyrie Irving be a part-time player — appearing only in road games because he hasn’t complied with New York City’s COVID-19 vaccination mandate — they expected him to prop up a roster that was decimated at the time by the virus. But that hasn’t happened, writes Peter Botte of The New York Post, who notes that Brooklyn is just 3-7 in the games Irving has played.

“I don’t feel like I’m very close to where I want to be personally,” Irving said after making just 6-for-20 shots in Friday’s loss to the Jazz. “The eight-month layoff, coming off my ankle injury [last season] and not being able to have the summer that I wanted to, not being able to have preseason, not being able to just dial in with the guys early on in the season the way I wanted to, it definitely had an impact.”

Irving’s return has overlapped with a knee sprain for Kevin Durant, along with hand and hamstring issues that have put James Harden in and out of the lineup. As a result, the Nets have fallen to sixth place in the East and are just a half-game away from the play-in tournament. And unless Irving changes his mind about the vaccine, he will only be eligible for 11 of the team’s final 30 games.

There’s more from Brooklyn:

  • One encouraging sign amid the Nets’ downturn has been the bench scoring provided by rookie Cam Thomas, Botte adds in a separate story. With 30 points at Utah on Friday, he outscored the team’s entire starting lineup. “It’s good to get a little accolade here and there but it doesn’t mean nothing because we lost by 30, as well,” Thomas said. “So I’d rather have the win and accolade, but it’s always good to have a little accolade like that in your rookie year.”
  • Harden’s frustrations in Brooklyn stem from having to be the primary option on offense so often when he expected to be part of a three-star alignment with Irving and Durant, Alex Schiffer of The Athletic says in a discussion with other writers about a potential Harden trade to the Sixers. A source tells Schiffer that Harden isn’t necessarily on board with Irving’s part-time status, but has been supportive because Irving has played hard when he’s been on the court.
  • The Nets could wind up with a huge savings, possibly $40MM in salary and luxury tax, by moving Harden in a deal for Ben Simmons, John Hollinger of The Athletic states in the same piece. Hollinger expects a lot of haggling over assets before Brooklyn and Philadelphia could realistically work out an agreement.
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Kevin Durant Wants James Harden To Stay With Nets

February 5th, 2022 at 8:14pm CST by Arthur Hill

Amid rumors that the Nets are willing to talk with the Sixers about a possible James Harden trade, Kevin Durant wants to see his All-Star teammate remain in Brooklyn, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski said on tonight’s “NBA Countdown” (hat tip to Real GM).

Durant is currently sidelined with a knee injury, but hopes to return after the All-Star break. When he does come back, he wants “everyone in Brooklyn to be as committed to winning a title as he is,” Wojnarowski said.

There have been reports in recent weeks that Harden is unhappy in Brooklyn and is planning to test free agency this summer. He has a $47.4MM player option for the 2022/23 season, which he may turn down in hopes of landing a longer-term contract.

Assuming they keep him through the trade deadline, the Nets would still have the advantage of being able to offer more money and more years than any other team, but that may not be enough if Harden is determined to go to Philadelphia.

Harden, who has denied being the source for the free agency speculation, has been telling Durant and Nets management that he wants to stay with the team, according to Wojnarowski.

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2021/22 Rising Stars Team Rosters

February 4th, 2022 at 6:27pm CST by Rory Maher

As we previously relayed, the NBA announced a new format for its Rising Stars event at All-Star weekend, which will take place on Friday, February 18. The event will feature four seven-player teams competing in a three-game tournament (two semifinals and a final).

The player pool is comprised of 12 NBA rookies, 12 sophomores, and four players from the G League Ignite, while the games will be played to a target score: 50 points in the semifinals and 25 points in the final, in honor of the league’s 75th anniversary season.

The rosters were announced on February 1, but now the four honorary coaches (75th anniversary team members Rick Barry, Isiah Thomas, Gary Payton and James Worthy) have selected their seven-man teams, per our JD Shaw (Twitter link). Here are the rosters:

Team Barry:

Team Isiah:

Team Payton:

Team Worthy:

James Ham of ESPN 1320 and The Kings Beat provides (via Twitter) the full draft results.

The top 10, in order, were: Edwards, Mobley, Ball, Anthony, Giddey, Barnes, Cunningham, Bey, Bane, and Wagner. It’s worth noting that Worthy and Anthony both went to the University of North Carolina, so Anthony’s selection at No. 4 is less surprising given that context.

What do you think of the teams? Who do you think will come out on top? Head to the comments section and let us know your thoughts!

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