When the Brooklyn Nets traded James Harden to the Philadelphia 76ers for Ben Simmons, the basketball world stopped for a moment. Everyone was aware that both Simmons and Harden need to be moved. However, no one expected a deal to be made so fast. Reports of Harden's frustration with the franchise left the Nets stumbling to pull the trigger. They made one with the Sixers, but the deal also raised some questions. In essence, the Nets got some decent pieces, but not including Matisse Thybulle in the deal will prove to be the Nets’ biggest mistake at the 2022 NBA Trade Deadline.

Nets’ biggest 2022 NBA Trade Deadline mistake 

Once again, it is worth saying that this was not a normal occurrence, not for any team involved. For the Sixers, Ben Simmons was out for the entire season and keeping him there only occupied a roster spot. For the Nets, having the frustrated Harden there could rock the already poor chemistry of the squad. Thus, it was natural that these two teams sat down, but for the Nets specifically, so much more could have been out of this deal.

For a reminder, the Nets traded away James Harden and Paul Millsap. In return, they got Ben Simmons, Seth Curry, Andre Drummond, and two first-round picks, one unprotected in 2022. Watching the specifics of the deal, one might say that the Nets won. Most analysts out there suggested so, specifically because of the Curry and Drummond added value. However, while they probably did win, the Nets could have gone for Matisse Thybulle in the deal. This player is specifically important and there are a few reasons why.

Firstly, the Nets really do not have a lot of future stored up. Obviously, they do not need it, as they are in full win-now mode. Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving are both over 30 years old and their supporting cast is mostly guys who are specifically there to win a ring. They do have Cam Thomas, an exciting rookie out of LSU who had some great games this year. He is joined by Nic Claxton, a potentially great leaping center, and Day'Ron Sharpe, rookie forward out of UNC who got some limited action this year. Including Thybulle in the deal instead of Curry would have been great, at least for some future foundation, once Durant and Irving are either gone or their game falls off.

Secondly, the Nets need defense. There was a part of the season where the Nets occupied the sixth spot in the entire league in terms of defensive rating, even with extended minutes for guys like Patty Mills and Harden, both subpar defenders. Since then, they fell off, and getting Simmons in this deal is great news, since he can anchor a great defense. Last season, for instance, the Sixers had the second-best defense in the league and Simmons was second in the voting for Defensive Player of the Year. However, with Thybulle there as well, the Nets could have a truly lockdown five.

Finally, Seth Curry does not move the needle for the Nets one bit. That sounds wrong on its surface since Curry is having a great season, especially shooting. However, the Nets now have two guards which are going to be completely overmatched defensively. Both Curry and Mills, and Irving as well when he plays, are undersized and cannot be physical enough to really get in the grill of their opponents. Of course, they are elite shooters and the Nets offense will be fantastic, but the age-old saying says that defense wins championships, and if the Nets could have given up the picks and Curry for Thybulle, they should have done so in a heartbeat.

It is also important to mention that there is always the possibility that the Sixers simply did not want to do this deal with Thybulle involved. Famously, a couple of months back, Tyrese Maxey, another young guard for the Sixers, was explicitly not involved in trade discussions for James Harden, when he was demanding a trade out of Houston. A thing to consider as well, linked to the entire discussion about involving Thybulle and/or Maxey in the deal is that the Nets lost leverage. The entire league knew that Simmons had to be moved, but now the same applied to the Nets and Harden. Thus, the two sides came to the negotiating table with the same background, and thus this deal might even seem as fair as possible.

Still, the one thing that might haunt the Nets as their biggest mistake at the 2022 NBA Trade Deadline is not pushing hard enough for Matisse Thybulle to be in the trade for James Harden.