After weeks and months of speculating, it finally happened. The Philadelphia 76ers ended the Ben Simmons saga in the final hours of the NBA trade deadline, sending the point forward to the Brooklyn Nets. A deal is agreed upon to send Simmons, Seth Curry, Andre Drummond, and two first-round picks in exchange for James Harden and Paul Millsap.
Morey stayed patient throughout this ordeal, and it worked out tremendously. After falling short in the sweepstakes last year, he finally gets the reunion with Harden he's longly awaited. This deal certainly fits the needle-moving threshold Morey has eyed as well.
Looking at the trade as a whole, it can be considered a win-win scenario. While the Sixers had to throw in some extra sweeteners, they got what they wanted in the end. Pairing James Harden with Embiid and Tobias Harris now gives the Sixers a formidable trio to league the charge in an Eastern Conference that is considered wide open.
Parting ways with Curry and Drummond is a significant loss, but it comes with the cost of doing business. The pair of veterans were much more expendable than young players like Tyrese Maxey and Matisse Thybulle. Bringing in a star-level player without sacrificing youth is a major win for Morey and the Sixers in this trade.
It goes without saying what Harden will bring to the Sixers upon his arrival. He can take playmaking pressure off Tyrese Maxey while providing a scoring threat on the outside. Not to mention, give the Sixers a dangerous pick-and-roll combination with Joel Embiid.
There is also the addition of Millsap to look at. Acquiring him as well adds more size and playoff experience to the roster. His presence gives Doc Rivers more optionality in the frontcourt, and we could possibly see some experiments with a small-ball lineup. The 37-year-old can also knock down shots on the outside, giving the Sixers another forward to put on the floor as a spot-up shooter.
Overall, the Sixers have to be feeling happy about how this worked in their favor. It was clear Simmons was never going to suit up in Philly again. So to flip him and other pieces for a legitimate sidekick to put next to Embiid should be considered an accomplishment.
Bringing in Harden puts the Sixers right back in the conversation of teams who can contend for a title this season. This roster outdid expectations in the first half of the season and is now adding a former MVP who fills multiple holes on the floor. The attention James Harden garners on the floor should only make life easier for Joel Embiid on a nightly basis.
Some moves still need to be made in the margins, but the Sixers are sitting in a great position right now. Morey has wanted a home-run deal from the beginning, and he knocked this one out of the park by getting rid of a disgruntled talent in Ben Simmons and bringing in a superstar like James Harden in return. In the 11th hour, he managed to drastically change the trajectory of the Sixers' season.
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