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Following all the rumors that have swirled around James Harden and whether or not he will stay with the Philadelphia 76ers past this season, Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer explained what the final outcome of the Harden-for-Ben Simmons trade would look like on Philly’s end if Harden leaves.
“Even though Simmons has been a calamity, the Nets still got two first-round picks out of the deal,” Pompey said. “But if Harden walks, the Sixers will have nothing to show for it.”
Pompey added a gambling analogy to further explain how Harden leaving would make the Sixers look bad.
“It’s kind of like going to the blackjack table at a casino and laying $50 down. You keep winning and winning before doubling down on your money. You’re up $250 before losing it all. At that point, it doesn’t matter how much money you had. The reality is you walked away with nothing.
“The Sixers would face a similar scenario if Harden leaves this season without helping them win an NBA title.
“The team would be criticized for packaging two first-round picks, among other things, for a player that bolted after 1 ½ seasons.”
Why Sixers Had to Make That Trade
Pompey was blunt about how bad Harden’s potential departure would make the Sixers look. However, he acknowledged that making a trade like that was necessary on the Sixers’ end.
“Acquiring Harden was more of a win-now move for the Sixers. So they rolled the dice with the belief that he could help them win a championship. While there were other options, Harden was the player they had targeted for some time.
“As a result, they got what they believed was the best package in exchange for a guy that forced his way out of Philadelphia. Harden now averages 21.6 points, a league-best 10.6 assists, and 1.2 steals.”
More than that, the Sixers managed to get Harden for Simmons, a malcontent who was willing to sit out for an entire season instead of playing for the Sixers again. The Sixers not only got rid of him but managed to get back Harden, who’s still playing at an excellent level even if he’s not in the MVP running like he was during his days with the Houston Rockets.
Pompey later said what the final outcome would look like for both the Nets and Sixers if Harden leaves the latter.
“So right now, the Sixers are winning the trade. But if they don’t win the championship and Harden leaves, both teams lose.”
Sixers Players and Personnel Split on Harden’s Departure
Kelly Iko and Sam Amick of The Athletic reported that Sixers’ personnel aren’t worried about Harden potentially leaving the Sixers.
“According to a high-ranking Sixers source with knowledge of the team’s operation, they are ‘unconcerned’ about possibly losing him this summer,” Iko and Amick reported. “This confidence, it seems, is rooted in the belief that only Philadelphia can provide the two things Harden holds most dear: A chance to contend for a title, and maximum earning potential.”
However, the players reportedly believe otherwise.
“And why, as is the case, do some key Sixers players privately believe that Harden may make this Houston reunion a reality?,” Iko and Amick also said.
It appeared that where there’s smoke, there’s fire, but the only one who knows for sure what’s next for James Harden is James Harden himself.
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