Getty The Sixers' Ben Simmons could be involved in a potential sign-and-trade for a Nets star.
The Philadelphia 76ers could be preparing for a run at James Harden.
While Harden won’t be a member of the Sixers this season, the Brooklyn Nets guard will be a free agent in the offseason. According to Ian Begley of SNY, the Nets are well aware of the Sixers’ interest in the 32-year-old superstar.
“A bigger-picture question for the Nets: what is Harden’s future with the team?
The Philadelphia Inquirer recently reported that the 76ers have Harden on their wish list of players they’re targeting in a Ben Simmons trade.
Even before those reports, Nets people who would need to be aware of Harden’s future were well aware that Philadelphia loomed as a potential suitor for the guard, SNY sources say.
The Sixers and team president Daryl Morey attempted to trade for Harden last season before the Nets landed him. Philadelphia was willing to include Simmons in the trade, which is one of the many factors in Simmons’ falling out with the organization.”
Nets Could Do Sign-and-Trade With Harden
Begley goes on to note how it’s unlikely Harden would be moved before the end of the season. With the Nets primed to make a run at a championship — even without Kyrie Irving — at a mark of 15-6 (the best record in the Eastern Conference), Brooklyn wouldn’t consider a Harden trade.
However, with Harden turning down a contract extension prior to the start of the 2021-22 season, the possibility is there for a sign-and-trade involving the Nets and the Sixers’ own disgruntled star, Ben Simmons.
“It seems unlikely that the Nets would entertain trading Harden in-season,” says Begley. “Harden has said publicly that he loves Brooklyn. He declined to sign an extension prior to the season but it was seen as a decision driven by finances. Harden could make significantly more money if he re-signed with the Nets as a free agent this summer.
But if things go sideways in Brooklyn and Harden decides to test the market, Morey and the Sixers will almost certainly have interest.
At that point, a Simmons-for-Harden sign-and-trade wouldn’t seem so far-fetched.”
Simmons has yet to play this season because he feels he’s not mentally ready to play. That’s also not mentioning his well-known desire to be traded out of Philadelphia.
If Harden makes the decision to bolt the Nets, Brooklyn could get something out of it rather than getting nothing in return. To top it off, the Sixers would get rid of Simmons and acquire one of the top superstars in the league.
The latest Sixers news straight to your inbox! Join the Heavy on Sixers newsletter here!
Nets’ 2021-22 Outcome Likely to Dictate Harden’s Future
Despite the absence of Irving, the Nets have emerged as the Eastern Conference’s team to beat through the first quarter of the NBA season. However, Brooklyn isn’t playing for a regular season crown — they’re playing for a championship.
The Nets finished just a game out of first place in the East last season, but failed to escape the semifinals of the playoffs due to injuries to both Irving and Harden during their playoff series versus the Milwaukee Bucks.
There’s a lot that can occur between now and when the postseason starts in April. But how the Nets fare in the playoffs — along with whether or not Irving actually returns to the court — will go a long way towards determining Harden’s future with the Nets.
If Brooklyn falters again and comes up short of a championship, does Harden re-consider jumping ship to play for another contender in the East with a vastly younger superstar in the 27-year-old Joel Embiid compared to the 33-year-old Kevin Durant?
What if the Nets end up winning the title and Irving returns to the court in the process? That would make it very difficult for Harden to pass up the opportunity to create a potential dynasty with two of the best players in the league.
We don’t know what will happen between now and June, but one thing is for certain — Harden will have his pick between two of the best teams in the East when the offseason rolls around.