The Philadelphia 76ers reportedly believed they had finalized a deal with the Houston Rockets to acquire James Harden prior to him being traded to the Brooklyn Nets.
Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer reported that the Rockets demanded Ben Simmons, Matisse Thybulle, Tyrese Maxey and two draft picks from Philly, though a source close to the Sixers told Pompey that was not the case.
Pompey also said Houston never issued a counteroffer to the Sixers prior to making the three-team trade with Brooklyn and the Cleveland Cavaliers. However, Philly felt it had the best package, per Pompey:
But the Sixers thought they had a deal for Harden done, according to sources. The team won’t come out and say it, but Morey pushed hard to reunite with the 2018 MVP. Simmons and Thybulle were even informed by their agents on Wednesday of an expected trade.
Perhaps Rockets general manager Rafael Stone felt it necessary to prioritize draft capital over player returns. After all, four first-round picks and four pick swaps from the Nets could be a gold mine, especially if Brooklyn fails to win a title and is forced to blow it all up in the coming years.
Or, maybe Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta really did hold a grudge against Daryl Morey, as Pompey suggested was the case. Regardless, Morey the Sixers were powerless as Houston finalized the three-team blockbuster.
It remains to be seen how this could impact the relationship between Simmons and the organization, especially after Morey had said he would not trade the former No. 1 pick.
What does seem clear is Morey felt he would be reunited with James Harden. Obviously, that is not what went down.
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