Goodbye Square Peg in Round Hole
Although I want to see Ben Simmons succeed, his defensive value and unique passing ability take a backseat to his glaring perimeter shooting deficiencies. How long do Philadelphia 76ers fans have to wait for Simmons to come to grips with how his unwillingness to shoot jump shots impacts the team? I am afraid that day will never come. If it does, Simmons still won’t be as good of a fit with Joel Embiid as James Harden.
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The reality is that Simmons is an enigma. In contrast, Harden is not. You know exactly the production you will get out of him. Meanwhile, Simmons would still cause fans to pull their hair out every time he forces a drive into the lane, leaves his feet, spins midair, and throws a desperation pass because he hit a wall. All Simmons needs is to insert a pull-up jumper in his game, but we have yet to see a glimpse of such a move.
When will Simmons shoot? When will Embiid stop lingering at the 3-point line to allow Simmons to drive? When will the Sixers stop playing four on five in the half-court set? With this trade, all of the guessing goes away. Ultimately, immediate space is provided, and Embiid’s effectiveness emerges from the depths of Brett Brown’s crumpled bag of dribble-hand-off plays.
Conclusion
By forcing a trade, James Harden would be seen as absconding from Houston, taking with him the hopes and dreams of Rockets fans who invested so much into his place in team lore. However, he would be arriving in a city, even more starved of a championship trophy, that would embrace him as a star next to Joel Embiid. The Philadelphia 76ers and James Harden are the perfect fit together.
For those that scream about the age difference, Harden is 31-years-old. Yet, he is not injury prone. Simmons has missed more games than Harden at the same points of their careers. Will Simmons play longer? More likely, yes.
However, Joel Embiid’s timeline fits better with Harden because Harden has the skill set to complement Embiid right now. This trade is essentially about winning a championship sooner, rather than later.
In the end, Simmons may end up less like a Tesla and more like a Delorean. James Harden is the Ferrari. Sleek, stylish, and the envy of all cars. He is in a class of his own and coveted by all. Does Daryl Morey want to test drive a Tesla or hop back in a Ferrari? Before the trade deadline arrives, we will all find out soon enough. Either way, we are all along for the ride. Buckle up.