Most NBA fans and pundits believe the Philadelphia 76ers will indeed be instant strong title contenders if they can somehow trade for disgruntled Houston Rockets superstar James Harden. Hall of Famer Charles Barkley, however, begs to disagree, claiming the Sixers won't be significantly better with The Beard running the show.
Sir Charles voiced his unpopular opinion on Thursday, in an appearance on The Mike Missanelli show on 97.5 The Fanatic (via USA Today).
“He’s the best 1-on-1 player I’ve ever seen. He’s not as good as Michael (Jordan) and Kobe (Bryant), but as far as being an offensive force, he’s the best I’ve ever seen. But are you going to change your whole offense, and play him like Mike D’Antoni played him? The Sixers won’t be better with James Harden.”
If Philly somehow lands Harden to pair with their two existing All-Stars, Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons, no doubt they will be one of the most stacked teams in the entire league. The Rockets, however, want a superstar talent in return for their former MVP. The Sixers have reportedly made Simmons available in a potential Harden deal. Apart from acquiring the Australian point-forward, the Rockets are also reportedly demanding three future first-rounders.
Charles Barkley, meanwhile, always has strong opinions involving the Sixers franchise since he spent eight seasons in the City of Brotherly Love at the beginning of his NBA career. Chuck does have a valid argument, particularly Harden's iso-heavy playstyle. The Sixers are expected to turn a new leaf under new head coach Doc Rivers this season. While The Beard will easily be the best player on that roster, it remains unclear how he will fit in with the team's current makeup.
Then again, Barkley has been known to make some erroneous predictions and claims in the past. Is the Chuckster right on this one? Guess we'll have to wait and see if Harden does land in Philly sometime this upcoming season.
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