Ben Simmons

Ben Simmons: No One To Blame For Situation With Sixers

February 15th, 2022 at 1:10pm CST by Arthur Hill

At his introductory press conference with the Nets today, Ben Simmons said he doesn’t blame anyone in Philadelphia for the way his relationship with the Sixers ended. Addressing the media for the first time in more than 250 days, Simmons said he’s looking forward to playing again after the trade that sent him to Brooklyn last week.

Although there were reports that Simmons was upset over comments made by coach Doc Rivers and Joel Embiid following the seventh game of last season’s second-round loss to the Hawks, Simmons emphasized that the mental health issues that caused him to pull away from the team started long before that.

“For me, it was just making sure mentally I was right to get out there and play again,” he said (video link). “That’s something I’ve been dealing with, and it wasn’t about the fans or coaches or comments made by anybody. It was just a personal thing for me. That was earlier than that series or even that season that I was dealing with, and that organization knew that. So it’s something that I continue to deal with, and you know, I’m getting there and getting to the right place to get back on the floor.”

Simmons’ answer was much shorter when asked about Embiid — he responded, “No, I did not,” when asked if he talked to his former teammate after the trade was announced (video link). Embiid expressed frustration over Simmons’ situation more than once this season, notes Adam Hermann of NBC Sports Philadelphia, so it’s not surprising that they didn’t have anything to say to each another when Simmons left.

The Nets don’t have a date set for Simmons’ expected debut, but he said he’s “starting to ramp it up” to get ready to return to the court, according to an ESPN story. He told reporters that he hopes to be in uniform March 10 when Brooklyn travels to Philadelphia.

Simmons, the No. 1 pick in the 2016 draft, offered thanks to the Sixers and their fans for supporting him during the six season he played in Philadelphia, the ESPN article adds. He said he spoke with Rivers, general manager Elton Brand and teammate Tobias Harris after the trade went through.

He also expressed excitement about teaming up with Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, saying the combination “is going to be scary.”

Simmons went through his first shootaround with his new team Monday night and joined his teammates on the bench afterward, per Nick Friedell of ESPN. Coach Steve Nash said it will be a “joint decision” between Simmons and the Nets’ staff on when he resumes playing.

“We have to put him in a position to have the necessary conditioning underneath him and to feel safe with it,” Nash said. “And then he also has to feel confident and comfortable that the time has come. So whenever that is, hopefully there’s a great partnership on those decisions.”

New York Notes: Claxton, Simmons, Barrett, Arcidiacono

February 14th, 2022 at 6:30pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Nets center Nic Claxton feared he would be dealt prior to last week’s deadline, Nick Friedell of ESPN tweets. Claxton termed the days leading up to the trade deadline as a “roller coaster,” but sounds happy to stay in Brooklyn and is looking forward to playing with Ben Simmons, Friedell adds. Claxton returned to action on Monday after injuring his hamstring on February 4.

We have more on the New York teams:

Nets coach Steve Nash says Simmons “is in a pretty good place mentally” and will be ready to play “when he’s ready physically,” Adam Zagoria of Forbes.com tweets. The Nets’ medical staff will determine the timetable for Simmons’ debut, with speculation that he could suit up after the All-Star break on February 24 against Boston.
RJ Barrett missed Monday’s game against Oklahoma City but has shed his walking boot, Fred Katz of The Athletic tweets. The Knicks’ guard has now missed three games due to a left ankle sprain.
Guard Ryan Arcidiacono’s contract with the Knicks is a one-year deal for the minimum and he’ll be a free agent again this summer, Katz reports in another tweet. Arcidiacono inked the rest-of-the-season contract on Sunday.

Nets Notes: Curry, Drummond, Simmons, Durant, Irving

February 12th, 2022 at 11:00pm CST by Arthur Hill

Some of Seth Curry‘s family members may not have been pleased with Thursday’s trade that sent him from the Sixers to the Nets, but he’s looking forward to the opportunity in Brooklyn, writes Brian Lewis of The New York Post. Curry, who is married to the daughter of Philadelphia coach Doc Rivers, was part of the price the Sixers had to pay to bring in James Harden.

“I had a feeling if this trade did go down I was going to be a part of it,” Curry said. “I was preparing for the last week or so. I kind of prepared my mind for it, and I’m just looking forward to the next opportunity. I feel I can fit into a lot of different situations: Play with the ball, play without the ball. I’m just looking forward into coming here and trying to help these guys in whatever way I can.”

Curry ranks second among active players in career three-point shooting percentage at 43.7%, so his role should be obvious, especially on a team that might not get Joe Harris back this season. Curry became a full-time starter for the first time in his career during his year and a half with the Sixers and he’s averaging a career-high 15.0 points per game this season. Now he hopes to bring that same production to Brooklyn.

“Throughout my career, I’ve been somebody who has fit in with different types of star talent, whether it’s Luka [Doncic], [Damian Lillard] and CJ [McCollum], obviously Joel [Embiid],” Curry said. “It didn’t take me long to get used to playing with those guys, so I’m going to just try to come in and do what I do and try to do it within the concept of the team.”

There’s more from Brooklyn:

The players the Nets acquired in the trade weren’t eligible tonight because Harden and Paul Millsap didn’t complete their physicals in Philadelphia until after the game started, tweets ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. Curry, Andre Drummond and Ben Simmons have been cleared to play Monday against the Kings, but there’s no word on when Simmons might return to action.
Kevin Durant is making progress in his rehab from a sprained left knee, but there’s still not a timetable for his return, coach Steve Nash told Nick Friedell of ESPN. Durant, who hasn’t played since January 15, is hoping to be back some time after the All-Star break, but everything depends on how his knee responds. “I feel that the next couple weeks that I’ll start to do more,” Durant said. “That’s probably as much as I can give you and I don’t know for sure. I’m just listening to the training staff, just doing my job and coming in and following the game plan every day. Whatever they give me. But from the last few weeks I feel like they’ll be able to give me more and more each day goes on, so I’ll ramp up here soon and we’ll see what happens. I want to be back as fast as possible but I also know that I don’t want to go out there and be 80%. I want to be 100 so I can be the best that I can be.”
Kyrie Irving‘s part-time status has been called a distraction, but he’s not bothered by the situation, Friedell tweets. “There’s no guilt that I feel,” he said. “I’m the only player that has to deal with this in New York City because I play there. If I was anywhere else in another city then it probably wouldn’t be the same circumstances.”

Joel Embiid: “I’m Glad That Everybody Has Moved On”

February 12th, 2022 at 8:20am CST by Rory Maher

Sixers MVP candidate Joel Embiid spoke to reporters, including Kyle Neubeck of PhillyVoice.com, following the team’s 100-87 victory over the Thunder Friday night, and said he’s happy to not have to talk about Ben Simmons anymore, and is glad that everybody has moved on. In case you missed the blockbuster trade, Simmons was dealt to Brooklyn as part of a package that brought James Harden to Philadelphia.

“I’m happy that I’m not going to be answering any more questions about that subject,” Embiid said. “It’s good that, not just for me, but my teammates, the whole organization. The whole year it was pretty annoying with the whole situation, but I’m glad that everybody has moved on. I wish everybody the best in whatever they want to accomplish, but I’m focused on winning games here and trying to win a championship.

“You look at the history being on the court, what we did in the regular season, we were dominant. So it’s unfortunate that winning was not the biggest factor. It’s unfortunate that for him, having his own team and I guess being a star was more of his priorities. But I always thought that everything was great, the fit was great. But unfortunately Ben thought that it wasn’t. But we all move on.”

As Neubeck points out, Simmons won’t be the main star in Brooklyn, but it’s still a fresh start for a player whose time was clearly over in Philadelphia, and Embiid’s comments only solidify that their pairing had run its course. Embiid said he’s excited to form a dynamic partnership with Harden, and opposing teams will be left scrambling to decide which player to focus on.

“I think the way to look at it, every single time I touch a ball, there’s a double or triple team which is gonna make my teammates and [Harden] even better,” Embiid said. “So now you really got a choice. Are you going to double me or are you going to double him? You got to make that decision and based on every game it might change.

“Other teams might want to take me out of the game or other teams might want to take him out of the game. So we just adjust and then we just go from there…it’s exciting. I never played with someone like that. So I’m just excited for the new challenge and try to go and get it done.”

Coach Doc Rivers said the move makes the Sixers championship contenders and he’s prepared for the pressure that comes along with that, even though he’ll be rushed to get Harden acclimated to compete against the likes of the Suns, Bucks and Heat, according to Tim Bontemps of ESPN.

“No one else can put no more pressure on myself than I do,” Rivers said. “It will never happen. I’m in this to win. I’ve always been in this to win. When you get into that, when you make that decision, you understand there’s going to be pressure with it. And there should be. Because if there wasn’t, everybody would be champions. I think the reason we did this deal is so we can jump into the fray.

“I think [we are good enough],” Rivers continued. “I don’t know. That’s something we’ll find out. We did it with the belief we do, obviously. “We don’t have a lot of time. The Phoenix’s of the world and teams, Milwaukee and Miami, they’ve been together, Milwaukee three years, four years, as a group. So we have to get it done quickly.”

Nets Notes: Marks, Harden, Simmons, Irving, Mills, Nash

February 11th, 2022 at 7:29pm CST by Rory Maher

Nets general manager Sean Marks said the decision to move on from James Harden was a difficult one, according to Tim Bontemps of ESPN.

“Make no bones about it: We went all-in on getting James Harden and inviting him to the group,” Marks said during a video conference call discussing the trade deadline Friday afternoon. “And these decisions to move on from a player like that, of that caliber, are never easy ones. I just want to be clear that this is not something that you think, great, let’s just make a split decision and move on from that. I give James a lot of credit for having open dialogue, open discussions with me and with the group, [Nets coach Steve Nash] and [owner] Joe Tsai and everybody over the last 24, 48 hours.

“Again, I said they’re not easy, but I think that’s something we pride ourselves on is being open and honest. James was honest with us and we were honest with him. I think it’s a move that enables him to have a fresh start, enables this team to have a fresh start, without trying to push things to make things work. If we realize this is not going to work, short-term or long-term, then it’s time to say for both parties involved, this is better off.”

Marks went on to say that trading Harden wasn’t about the team’s 10-game losing streak, it was based on his entire tenure in Brooklyn, and the newly-acquired players help the Nets in ways that Harden couldn’t.

“It’s not just eight or nine games,” he said. “The things that we’ve had to deal with over the course of the last year since James has been here is, to be quite frank, the Big Three, quote unquote, haven’t had significant time to play together for a variety of different circumstances. So, I think the frustration is more in that than in eight or nine games. Obviously it was not, and it currently isn’t, trending in the right direction, but we’re not going to make a decision off of one, two, five games, whatever it may be. The sample size has to be bigger. And at that point, we’re sitting here saying, ‘Yeah. We’ve seen enough.’ On both sides.

“We obviously thank James immensely for everything he’s done. Let’s be honest, he’s come in here and set all kinds of Brooklyn Nets records in such a short time. He’s a hell of a player, without a doubt. Again, these are not easy decisions, but we’re very grateful for what James has done over his short time here, but at the same time, adding these three players — Seth [Curry], Andre [Drummond] and Ben [Simmons] — help us in needs James doesn’t fulfill.”

When asked if the Sixers tampered by talking to Harden, Marks said that was for the league to decide.

“Unfortunately, the world we live in right now, so much of this is being played out in the media,” Marks said, per Bontemps. “So much of this is, whether it’s scuttlebutt, hearsay, and so forth, it’s just the nature of the beast. It’s just the nature of the world we’re in. I’m not going to start making accusations at everybody else. Again, this particular set of circumstances was played out in the media far earlier than any conversations were ever had. I don’t know and again if this is where it ends up, that will be completely up to the league to look into these set of circumstances.”

There are several more interesting quotes from Marks in Bontemps’ article. I recommend checking it out.

Here’s more on the Nets:

Kyrie Irving said there were hints that Harden was unhappy in Brooklyn, as Brian Lewis of The New York Post relays. “I can’t really say that you feel that [unhappiness] in the locker room, but we get hints,” Irving said. “So we just wish him well. We want him to be ultimately successful. Now we move forward with the guys that are coming in. We’re excited. I just want everyone to be happy and do things they love to do, and be a part of things they can see themselves being successful at. It probably wasn’t here with us and he made a choice and we respect him for it. No love lost.”
Nets guard Patty Mills said that his fellow Australian Simmons is in a good place at the moment, Lewis writes in a separate article for the Post. “He’s in a really good place right now, speaking to him a fair bit lately and seeing what he’s been up to in terms of staying ready and getting his body right and getting game ready,” Mills said. “So it was good and pleasing for me to see and feel where he’s at. From that standpoint, you get a really hungry person who’s looking forward to playing basketball again, and especially with our group.”
Nash was reflective on what could have been with the “Big Three” era, per ESPN’s Nick Friedell. “You’re up 2-0 against the NBA champs, and then to not have James in the first games and then Kyrie in the last games, James being on one leg, Jeff Green being out of the lineup, all sorts of things that hampered our opportunity to win,” Nash said. “To take them to overtime in Game 7, you definitely think there are some what-ifs, but that’s life. You can’t look back. You’ve got to look forward.”

Hawks Rumors: Simmons, McCollum, White, Collins, Bogdanovic, Gallinari

February 11th, 2022 at 5:49pm CST by Rory Maher

Although the Hawks didn’t make more trades prior to Thursday’s deadline, that doesn’t mean they weren’t active in discussions to try and upgrade the roster, according to Chris Kirschner of The Athletic. The Hawks believed trading Cam Reddish to the Knicks last month would help clear the rotational logjam at wing and give clarity to the roster, Kirschner writes.

Atlanta has gone 9-5 since Reddish was dealt. After starting the season a disappointing 17-23, the Hawks currently sit with a 26-28 record, 10th in the East, one game ahead of the Wizards for the final Play-In spot.

The Hawks were in discussions about deals for Ben Simmons, CJ McCollum, and Derrick White, but all fell through for various reasons, sources tell Kirschner. Atlanta called Portland about McCollum before he was traded to New Orleans, but Portland wanted multiple rotation players and draft picks, which tabled the discussion.

For Simmons, the Hawks offered John Collins, Bogdan Bogdanovic, and picks. However, the deal wasn’t seriously considered by the Sixers, as they were set on acquiring a second star. Once James Harden became available, that’s all Philly was focused on.

Some members of Atlanta’s organization were skeptical of Simmons’ potential fit with center Clint Capela, another non-shooter, per Kirschner’s sources. Others in favor of the deal thought that adding an elite defender would help mask Trae Young‘s deficiencies on that end, and that shooting was an overall strength of the roster, which would’ve helped Simmons.

The Hawks offered Bogdanovic for White, but the Spurs wanted a first-round pick as well, which Atlanta declined because it wasn’t clear that White would be an upgrade over Bogdanovic. There were mixed feelings about the deal inside the organization.

Here are some more interesting notes from Kirschner:

Danilo Gallinari was discussed with Toronto and other teams, but the talks didn’t go far, says Kirschner. It’s expected that Atlanta will field calls about him in the offseason or possibly even consider waiving and stretching him, as his contract for next season is only partially guaranteed at $5MM ($21.45MM total). Moving off that money would help Atlanta stay out of the luxury tax, which ownership is only willing to pay if it believes the club is a true contender.
The Hawks remain high on De’Andre Hunter and believe a healthy offseason will be crucial to his progress. They’re also happy with Onyeka Okongwu‘s progress as a sophomore, and Kirschner thinks that eventually the team will have to decide whether to keep Okongwu or Capela long-term.
Collins’ camp denies that he ever asked for a trade, despite reports that he was unhappy. Many teams around the league are interested in his services, which is evident based on his name perpetually popping up in rumors.
Kirschner believes former Hawk DeAndre’ Bembry would be a good fit for Atlanta’s open roster spot after he was waived by the Nets as part of the Simmons trade. Gary Harris could also be a nice addition, if the Magic opt to buy him out, Kirschner opines.

Harden Directly Asked Nets’ Marks, Tsai For Trade To Sixers

February 11th, 2022 at 3:57pm CST by Luke Adams

For much of the 2021/22 season, Nets guard James Harden insisted during conversations with general manager Sean Marks and team owner Joe Tsai that he wanted to remain in Brooklyn beyond this season, according to Adrian Wojnarowski and Ramona Shelburne (Insider link). And initially, signing a long-term deal with Brooklyn was Harden’s preferred option, since he could always force a trade down the road if he needed to.

However, as the season progressed, Harden began talking to various player agents to get advice about how best to make his way to Philadelphia, according to ESPN’s duo. As Wojnarowski and Shelburne detail, the Nets would often quickly learn what Harden – who has a reputation for being passive-aggressive rather than confrontational and was worried about the optics of making another trade request – was saying to agents and other third parties.

Finally, with the trade deadline fast approaching, Harden directly told Marks and Tsai that he would prefer to play for the Sixers, asking the GM and team owner on a FaceTime call to send him to Philadelphia, sources tell ESPN.

The Nets told him they would only make a deal if it was a good one for the organization, which Harden understood. While the two sides agreed at that point that Harden wouldn’t play until after Thursday’s deadline, the former MVP appeared to have already checked out on the team, according to Wojnarowski and Shelburne, who say Harden informed management he was headed to Houston on Wednesday to wait out the deadline.

Here’s more from Wojnarowski and Shelburne on the Harden/Ben Simmons blockbuster:

Marks and Sixers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey engaged in plenty of posturing in the weeks leading up to the trade deadline before eventually getting more serious late on Wednesday night, sources tell ESPN. Up until that point, Marks had listened to a couple of Morey’s trade pitches, but rebuffed them.
According to Wojnarowski and Shelburne, when the two sides reengaged and eventually neared the finish line on Thursday, Marks told Morey he needed to hang up the phone to run the proposed deal by Tsai, prompting Morey to yell, “Stay on the f—ing phone!” Marks jokingly replied, “We’re dropping F-Bombs now, Daryl?” He ultimately got Tsai’s approval to move forward on the trade.
Simmons’ agent Rich Paul met with Nets star Kevin Durant and Durant’s business partner Rich Kleiman nearly a month ago and pitched the idea of a Harden/Simmons swap, per Wojnarowski and Shelburne. Durant initially wasn’t interested in the idea, but the equation changed after he injured his knee and Harden became increasingly disengaged during his absence.
Harden doesn’t have a direct history with Sixers star Joel Embiid, but has always been a fan of the center and pushed Morey to trade for him when they were both in Houston, according to ESPN’s duo. “James respects players who do a good job defending him,” one source said. “And Joel has always done that.”
Although Simmons never got over what he viewed as a lack of public support from head coach Doc Rivers following last spring’s playoff loss to the Hawks, the two men had been speaking again in recent weeks, with conversations “increasing in substance,” per Woj and Shelburne. However, their final conversation on Thursday was mostly just an exchanging of pleasantries, sources tell ESPN.

Nets Trade James Harden, Acquire Ben Simmons

February 10th, 2022 at 8:34pm CST by Luke Adams

8:34pm: The trade is official, according to press releases from the Nets and Sixers. Nets general manager Sean Marks released this statement:

“We are thrilled to welcome Ben, Seth, Andre and their families to Brooklyn. Ben is an All-NBA and All-Defensive player with elite playmaking abilities, while Seth has proven to consistently be one of the league’s best 3-point shooters and Andre has been one of the league’s top rebounders for the last decade. Together, the three will enhance our core by providing versatility and depth on both ends of the floor while better balancing our roster.

“The decision to trade James was a difficult one, however after recent discussions with him and his representatives we felt that this move would be best for all involved, as it better positions us to achieve our goals this season and in the years ahead.”

Sixers co-owner Josh Harris released the following statement in Philadelphia’s announcement:

“James Harden is one of the truly elite players in the league. His career has been defined by incredible personal achievement, including honors as NBA MVP and three-time NBA scoring champion. We’re thrilled to pair him with Joel Embiid and this dynamic roster in our pursuit of an NBA title. I am proud to welcome James and Paul Millsap – a proven veteran and former All Star – to the 76ers, and can’t wait for what the future holds for the city and our fans.”

12:18pm: The Nets and Sixers are finalizing a trade that will send James Harden to Philadelphia, sources tell Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link).

According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter links), Brooklyn will receive Ben Simmons, Seth Curry, Andre Drummond, and two first-round picks, while the 76ers acquire Paul Millsap along with Harden.

Wojnarowski reports (via Twitter) that the first-rounders headed to the Nets are the Sixers’ unprotected 2022 pick and a protected 2027 pick.

Brooklyn will have the right to defer this year’s pick to ’23, according to Wojnarowski, who says (via Twitter) the ’27 pick will be top-eight protected. If it doesn’t convey in 2027, it will be top-eight protected again in ’28. If it falls in its protected range twice, the Nets would instead get a 2028 second-rounder and cash.

Although a potential Harden/Simmons swap was first mentioned as a possibility back in the fall, it hadn’t been viewed as something that could realistically happen during the season until the last week or so.

With Kevin Durant injured and Kyrie Irving only partially available due to his vaccination status, the Nets have been in a tailspin, losing their last nine games. Harden had looked increasingly unhappy during Brooklyn’s slide and was said to be frustrated by Irving’s off-and-on availability.

Rumors began swirling that Harden was interested in reuniting with Daryl Morey in Philadelphia, culminating in a report this morning that said the former MVP wanted to be traded to the Sixers, but hadn’t made a formal request.

It still seemed like a long shot that the Nets and Sixers would find common ground before today’s trade deadline, but both sides were ultimately motivated to get something done. Brooklyn didn’t want to risk an unhappy Harden leaving for Philadelphia for nothing as a free agent in the offseason, while the Sixers wanted to resolve their standoff with Simmons and maximize their ability to contend for a title this season by acquiring a legitimate star to pair with MVP candidate Joel Embiid.

Morey, the Sixers’ president of basketball operations, had maintained since Simmons first requested a trade last summer that the team wouldn’t give away the Defensive Player of the Year runner-up in a deal that didn’t bring back an All-Star caliber player. He took plenty of heat for that stance as the Simmons drama extended through the offseason, into training camp, and then well into the regular season, but it ultimately paid off. A year after missing out on Harden when the Rockets sent him to Brooklyn, Morey finally got his man.

Harden can become an unrestricted free agent this summer by turning down his $47.4MM player option for 2022/23 and would be eligible to sign a five-year contract worth up to about $269MM with the Sixers, tweets ESPN’s Bobby Marks.

Harden and Embiid will team up to lead a Sixers roster that still features Tyrese Maxey and Matisse Thybulle, both of whom reportedly drew interest from the Nets during trade talks.

Philadelphia maintained through the process that Maxey was off the table, but Brooklyn pushed for Thybulle up until today. Shortly before the two teams reached a trade agreement, Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer reported (via Twitter) that the inclusion of Thybulle was the last remaining sticking point. The Nets ultimately relented on that point.

Simmons’ value took a hit as a result of his poor showing in last season’s playoffs and his subsequent holdout, but the Nets are getting one of the NBA’s best play-makers and defenders, albeit one who still lacks a jump shot.

They’ll also add a sharpshooter in Curry who will fill in nicely for Joe Harris, whose status for the rest of the season remains up in the air due to an ankle injury. Both players on on multiyear deals, with Simmons not eligible for free agency until 2025, while Curry’s contract expires in 2023.

Additionally, the Nets found a new home for Millsap in the deal. The team had agreed last month to trade or waive the veteran forward, who wasn’t satisfied with his role in Brooklyn. The Nets will replace Millsap and bolster their frontcourt depth by adding Drummond, who is on a one-year, minimum-salary contract.

The Nets created $15MM in tax savings as a result of the move, Marks notes (via Twitter).

The Nets will take their time getting Simmons acclimated, according to Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports, who reports (via Twitter) that the former No. 1 overall pick welcomes the change of scenery.He has already spoken to Durant and they’re on the same page, Haynes adds.

Simmons, who said he wasn’t mentally ready to play for the Sixers this season, will continue to work with his therapist now that he has been traded, tweets Ramona Shelburne of ESPN.com. “It’s a work in progress,” a source told Shelburne.

While more deals will be made today, it’s safe to say none will be as impactful as this one, featuring two Eastern Conference rivals who hope to contend for a title this season. It will be fascinating to see how the Nets and Sixers look going forward.

More On The Sixers-Nets Blockbuster

February 10th, 2022 at 5:21pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Kyrie Irving won’t be shedding any tears over the departure of James Harden, according to Joe Vardon of The Athletic. According to a “well-placed source,” Irving was eager to see a Harden trade come to fruition.

Vardon relayed a story where Irving lit some sage in the locker room before a game in Cleveland, which Harden found odd and annoying. Harden was also frustrated that Irving wouldn’t get vaccinated, limiting him to away games. Harden’s ball-dominant, initiate-and–shoot style was also an ill fit next to Irving’s playmaking.

We have more on the Nets-Sixers blockbuster:

The trade came together in earnest just this morning, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski said on NBA Today (video link). The Sixers had been calling Brooklyn about a potential deal but the Nets didn’t truly make counteroffers until Thursday. The Nets wanted Matisse Thybulle as part of the package but eventually settled for two first-round picks. “The Nets just felt it was time to cut ties with James Harden,” Wojnarowski said. “They were confident he was planning to leave them at the end of the season.”
Don’t expect Ben Simmons to suit up for the Nets before the All-Star break, ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne speculates on NBA Today (video link). “Physically, this (his return) could happen at anytime but mentally I think he’s going to take a little time here,” she said. “The All-Star break is coming up and I would look for something after that.”
The trade leaves the Sixers $33.6MM over the salary cap and $9.4MM over the luxury tax threshold, Derek Bodner of the Daily Six newsletter tweets.

Harden Reportedly Wants Trade To Sixers But Hasn’t Made Formal Request

February 10th, 2022 at 7:41am CST by Luke Adams

Nets star James Harden would like to be traded to the Sixers, but hasn’t formally asked the Nets to move him, sources tell ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

As Wojnarowski explains, Harden’s reluctance to make a trade request stems from a fear of the public backlash he would face for trying to force his way to a new team for a second consecutive season.

ESPN’s Brian Windhorst and Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer previously reported that Harden wanted to be traded to the 76ers.

According to Wojnarowski, Harden is hopeful that the Sixers and Nets will be able to work out a deal prior to today’s deadline that sends him to Philadelphia, with Ben Simmons and other assets headed to Brooklyn. However, sources tell Woj that Sixers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey and Nets general manager Sean Marks have yet to engage in serious dialogue on a deal.

There’s an expectation that the Nets and 76ers will talk on Thursday, so there’s still a possibility that the two sides could come to an agreement, Wojnarowski reports. However, Brooklyn would likely want a collection of assets beyond Simmons — Seth Curry, Matisse Thybulle, and future first-round picks have been repeatedly cited as pieces that would appeal to the Nets.

Both sides will have a handful of factors to take into account as they weigh whether or not to make a deal today. If Harden truly wants to go to the Sixers, Philadelphia could afford to be patient and try to land him as a free agent in the offseason when they wouldn’t necessarily require the Nets’ cooperation. Clearing the cap room required to sign Harden outright would be tricky, but not impossible, so Brooklyn may feel some urgency to get something in return for the All-Star guard today rather than risk facing that scenario this summer.

On the other hand, if and when the Nets get healthy, their roster as currently constructed has more championship upside than the Sixers’ roster does. Philadelphia may feel some pressure to get something done today in order to get Joel Embiid help to contend for a title this year, rather than face the possibility of having an asset like Simmons remain on the shelf for the rest of the season.

According to Wojnarowski, the Sixers have “largely retreated” on other trade discussions involving Simmons until they determine one way or another whether they can move him for Harden.

If the discussions between the Nets and Sixers hit a dead end today, it’s still possible Philadelphia will hang onto Simmons until the summer. More trade options, including a renewed opportunity to land Harden, could be available to the team at that point.

Harden, who hasn’t played since last Wednesday due to a minor hamstring issue, didn’t accompany the Nets to Washington for Thursday’s game vs. the Wizards, tweets ESPN’s Zach Lowe. Wojnarowski mentions in his story that Harden’s ongoing absence has led to speculation that he’s “purposely shutting down to send a message on his waning desire to remain with the Nets.”

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