Daryl Morey and the Philadelphia 76ers shouldn’t trade for James Harden.
Newly minted President of Basketball Operations Daryl Morey and the Philadelphia 76ers have a lot of decisions to make in the upcoming weeks. One decision Morey should not make is to try to trade for his former star James Harden.
The Houston Rockets former MVP is currently the best scorer in the NBA and one of the best all-times. Last season, Harden averaged 34.3 points, 6.6. rebounds, and 7.5 assists. Despite the unworldly ability to score the ball, the Sixers shouldn’t try to trade for him.
The Sixers can’t afford Harden.
The reason why the 76ers shouldn’t pursue is that they can’t afford to. Well to be more precise, they can’t get him without giving Joel Embiid or Ben Simmons. Despite Steve A. Smith of ESPN suggesting that the Sixers should trade Simmons, it’s not time to give up on those two as a young duo.
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Both players are still maturing as they are in their mid-20s, whereas Harden is 31-years-old. Harden doesn’t have much of his prime left. While Philly could trade one of their stars for Harden and contend for a title for the next two or three seasons, it would shut their long-term title window.
Simmons and Embiid can work together, but they need the right pieces around them. Morey should be focused on doing that instead of replacing one of them with Harden. As Sheldon Washington recently wrote in an article here on The Sixer Sense, Harden isn’t the answer and with that in mind, Philly shouldn’t give up one of their young stars to get him.
Outside of Simmons and Embiid, the Sixers don’t have enough to land Harden. Tobias Harris and Al Horford are on bad contracts and aren’t talented enough to be a lure for Houston to consider in a Harden deal.
Philly has legit young talent, but none of them are good enough to be a centerpiece in a Harden trade. The same goes for the draft picks the Sixers currently own as well. Without a star player included in a deal, it seems impossible that the 76ers could land Harden.
Outside of an offer that includes Embiid or Simmons, it would be impossible for Morey and the Philadelphia 76ers to pull off a trade for Harden. With that in mind, the Sixers new president of basketball operations shouldn’t consider trading for his former star at this junction.