The NBA landscape changed greatly Thursday in the final hours leading up to the trade deadline. After falling short in talks last season, Daryl Morey finally got the reunion with James Harden he has long desired. The 76ers and Brooklyn Nets agreed to terms on a deal centered around a swap of Ben Simmons and Harden.

Due to his hamstring injury, there is still no set timetable on when Harden will make his debut for the Sixers. The All-Star guard is making his way to Philadelphia this weekend, then talks regarding his return to action will likely take place.

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While Harden might not be on the floor yet, the Sixers have started to field questions on the big deadline addition. During his pregame media availability Friday night, Doc Rivers gave his initial thoughts on what the former MVP brings to the Sixers.

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“Obviously, we don't have him yet, so you have to wait and see. But he's a guy that creates his own shots, creates shots for others. Another guy on your team that gets double-teamed, which is really valuable. So when you have all that, you like it a lot,” said Rivers.

Following this deal, the Sixers put themselves right back in the conversation to compete for a championship. Not only is Joel Embiid in the midst of another MVP season, but now they have a legitimate second option next to the dominant big man.

There certainly will be growing pains when adding another high-level to the fray, but Harden's presence should provide a boost in multiple areas for the Sixers. Based on his comments, Rivers seems ready to get his newly-formed roster ready for a strong playoff push.