Sixers Made Mistake Passing on Pelicans Star for James Harden Trade, Says Analyst

The Philadelphia 76ers are in the midst of the playoffs being led by their two stars in Joel Embiid and James Harden.

Through one game against the Raptors, the duo has looked very good, and fans have seem many glimpses of that throughout the regular season.

Despite the success the duo has seen, ESPN’s Stephen A Smith believes the Sixers made a mistake in acquiring Harden, and the team should’ve gone for New Orleans Pelicans star CJ McCollum instead.

This would have been an option when McCollum was still a member of the Blazers, but general manager Daryl Morey decided to go with Harden who he knew well from his Houston Rockets days.

While Harden has become quite the playmaker with the Sixers, Smith believes the team should’ve still looked at acquiring McCollum.

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Stephen A Believes a Mistake Was Made

Speaking on the April 15 episode of ESPN’s First Take, before the Sixers-Raptors series began, Smith says McCollum would’ve been a better fit with the Sixers than Harden is.

“It makes me think about the Philadelphia 76ers and why Daryl Morey should be under the gun right now,” he said. “The Philadelphia 76ers had an opportunity to send Ben Simmons to Portland for CJ McCollum and Robert Covington. Now looking at the way James Harden has looked thus far, you trying to tell me the veteran that is CJ McCollum, what he’s capable of giving you with this perimeter shooting the imagination that you can utilize to fantasize about him paired with Joel Embiid, that was something that sneeze at?”

It’s no secret that Morey wanted to be reunited with Harden, and he even looked acquiring him before he went to the Nets. When the opportunity came up again, Morey didn’t miss getting his guy, something Smith say might’ve clouded his vision.

“I did say that if it was someone other than Daryl Morey, almost any other GM would have strongly considered that, but Daryl Morey obviously had his eyes on the prize that was James Harden, and that compromise and that’s what I think about.”

All of that is water under the bridge now, and it looks like the Sixers are happy with their decision.

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Big Harden Decision Coming Up

The Sixers will have to make a decision on what to do with James Harden after the year. He’s due for a massive extension that would take him into the twilight of his career, but if the Sixers want to maximize Embiid’s title window, then they will likely have to take that risk.

If the Sixers decide to not pay Harden his money, another team surely will and even if it doesn’t lead them to a championship, there are very few teams around the league who wouldn’t love to have Harden on the roster.

No matter how this playoff run goes, it might be a foregone conclusion that Harden would be coming back. Morey and Harden have a tight relationship, so it’d be tough for the team to let him go after giving up a cornerstone piece in Ben Simmons.

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