It's rare for two NBA teams to facilitate a seismic deal at the trade deadline, but we saw one last week. After a months-long saga, Ben Simmons and the Philadelphia 76ers are no longer intertwined. Daryl Morey finally found a suitable return package, acquiring James Harden in return for the disgruntled All-Star.

Whenever a trade like this goes down, there are endless debates about who won or lost the deal. In this instance, it should be viewed as a win-win for both sides. Brooklyn acquired Simmons and two rotational pieces in Seth Curry and Andre Drummond, while the Sixers got a legitimate second option to pair alongside MVP frontrunner Joel Embiid.

Morey stayed patient throughout this ordeal, waiting for a move like this to materialize. He made it very clear he had no intentions of moving Simmons unless it was in a deal that increased the Sixers' odds of competing for a championship.

Parting ways with Curry and Drummond must have been a tough decision, but it needed to be done to secure a high-level talent in Harden. Some feel Morey overpaid to reunite with the All-Star guard, but it's what they didn't give up that is more important.

Easily the biggest win for the Sixers in this trade was keeping Tyrese Maxey and Matisse Thybulle. Both are key fixtures in the rotation and the brightest young talents on the roster. Morey touched on how important it was to keep these two young players during Harden's introductory press conference on Tuesday.

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“Our focus was to keep as many of the great players as we could. We are in the window of Joel [Embiid], James [Harden], and Tobias [Harris] right now. Making sure Tyrese Maxey is here. Making sure Matisse Thybulle is here, those were the big priorities. We wanted to give up nothing, but you have to give up something to make a trade and get a Hall of Famer,” said Morey.

Windows of contention are something commonly brought up by teams looking to win an NBA title. The Sixers didn't acquire Harden solely to make a run this season, but in the coming years as well. Maintaining young talent in the pipeline helps prolong these windows as star players start to decline from their prime.

Between keeping Maxey and Thybulle, and the development of other young prospects on the roster, Morey feels this roster is equipped to compete for the foreseeable future.

“Thanks again to Doc and the coaching staff, we have a bunch of young players. You're seeing them out there contributing the last few games because we had to include [Andre] Drummond in the deal. We have a lot of things that are both putting us in a position to win now, but also, players are still in their improvement curve. Obviously, Maxey being the one in the most extreme. We're very comfortable where we're at now and going forward,” Morey said.

All of Morey's statements are spot on in regards to the current layout of the team. They have a formidable big three who should have them in the title picture for at least the next three seasons and young prospects with the potential to become an All-Star or high-quality rotation piece. Following this big deadline splash, the Sixers should feel good about their short- and long-term timeline.