The Philadelphia 76ers and Brooklyn Nets came into the trade deadline as the most interesting teams to watch. With the Sixers constantly denying Ben Simmons trade rumors and the Nets all of a sudden having to deal with a disgruntled James Harden, the two teams joined forces for a massive trade that swapped their stars.
Over two months have passed since the trade. It doesn't seem like either team has gotten much better. Neither player is living up to their expectations and neither team is happy with what happened after the trade. The Nets got swept out of the first round of the NBA playoffs while Harden has failed to keep the Sixers going in the second round while Joel Embiid deals with injuries.
The Harden-Simmons trade is becoming a lose-lose scenario for the Nets and Sixers.
3 reasons the James Harden-Ben Simmons trade is turning into a lose-lose debacle for Sixers and Nets
3. James Harden is not the superstar that was promised for the Sixers
Upon his arrival to the Sixers, Harden was seen as the best player Embiid would get to play with. The former MVP has been, to put it bluntly, not that.
Although a reliable scorer alongside Embiid has long been the Sixers' big need, Harden has shot less since the trade. In the regular season, he took nearly 1.5 shots per game less as a Sixer than a Net despite playing slightly more minutes per game with Philly. His already not-too-great scoring efficiency dipped further and he is now averaging the fewest points per game in the postseason since being traded to the Houston Rockets.
Harden has, to be fair, increased his playmaking with the Sixers. This hasn't worked, though. He is not as reliable as they needed. Keep in mind that, although harden has played and Simmons has not, the Sixers also gave up two draft picks, Seth Curry and Andre Drummond. Paul Millsap, who Philly also got from Brooklyn, has not been a huge factor.
The Sixers did add a key player when they traded for Harden. He just hasn't been as good as they need him to be.
2. Ben Simmons hasn't played and may not for a while
After Simmons got his wish and received a trade, he stayed sidelined with a back issue. He developed a herniated disc and continued to point to his mental health struggles as reasons why he wasn't able to play.
While the Nets struggled to climb in the Eastern Conference playoff picture, Simmons sat out. Brooklyn could have greatly used another reliable star but unfortunately got no such help. He was expected to try to make his debut in Game 4 in the first round against the Boston Celtics but didn't end up doing so, which didn't go well within the clubhouse.
Now, after he underwent back surgery, he has an offseason to get himself right. Although Simmons is still young and a very talented player, the Nets will get to see the frustration with his lack of development firsthand. Through all the fantastic defense and playmaking is his inability to score from outside the paint and struggles in the postseason.
The lasting image of Simmons' season is him in a bright outfit with the dimmest facial expression as he watches the Nets' season end.
1. Neither the Nets or Sixers will be able to move on any time soon
Not only have Simmons and Harden been disappearing but neither side will be able to quickly fix the problem. They have essentially trapped themselves with their new stars.
The Sixers will have to sign Harden to a massive contract this offseason even after seeing him slow down significantly. Although it may not be a max contract, it will be sizable and take him through his mid-30s.
Simmons, meanwhile, won't have any trade value until he plays again. The Nets don't have much time to depend on uncertainties as they look to win with Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving.
There is still time for both players to prove their worth for their new teams. If Harden can alter his role or regain his quick first step and Simmons recovers, this trade can turn into a win-win. For now, though, it is anything but that.
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