The Eastern Conference saw a major shakeup last week, as the Brooklyn Nets and Philadelphia 76ers pulled off a mega-deal hours before the trade deadline. After falling short in his pursuit of acquiring James Harden last year, Sixers president Daryl Morey was finally able to reunite with the former MVP.

Tuesday afternoon, Harden held his introductory press conference at the Sixers' training facility in Camden. The All-Star guard fielded questions alongside Paul Millsap, Morey, Doc Rivers, and team owner Josh Harris.

In this time, Harden said he felt the Sixers are a perfect fit for him and Philly was his top choice last season when the Houston Rockets were in the process of trading him. While Harden and Embiid are perfect complements are each other, other factors also made the Sixers his top choice.

Before Philly took on the Oklahoma City Thunder last Friday, Doc Rivers was asked multiple questions regarding the trade. In that time, he mentioned his relationship with Harden goes back a few years. When Rivers parted ways with the LA Clippers, Harden immediately called him to recruit him to the Rockets.

“My son played in Houston, and I spent a lot of time, especially during that one playoff series. We lost to Golden State if my memory serves me right. Actually, it was my first time since being in the NBA that I got to just sit in the crowd and watch basketball. But I was also around Houston. James [Harden], he has reached out to several times about coaching him, so now we have him,” Said Rivers.

Harden was asked about this during his press conference and opened up on why he has always wanted to be coached by the Sixers boss.

“One of the best coaches to ever coach the game of basketball. Why wouldn't I want to be led by that? I've been doing this for a very long time, but he's way older than me, and he's experienced way more than me. As a player that I am, I still need to learn, I still need help, and talked [to], and be put in a position to be successful,” Harden said Tuesday.

In today's NBA landscape where stars are constantly on the move, creating a strong appeal is a top priority for teams looking to compete. While opinions on Rivers may be split, there is no denying he has made Philadelphia a more desirable destination.

As an NBA lifer and future Hall of Fame head coach, guys want to play for Rivers. When Georges Niang and Andre Drummond signed with the Sixers in the offseason, they cited him as a major factor in their decision. Now Harden can be added to the list of players to don a Sixers jersey for the opportunity to be coached by Rivers.

Situations like this are why the Sixers heavily pursued Rivers when he left the Clippers. It might not be the main reason, but having him as head coach played a role in landing a superstar to pair next to Joel Embiid.