Sixers: 3 reasons James Harden makes them title contenders

Over the past month, James Harden has not so quietly voiced his concerns with the Brooklyn Nets. After a long struggle between Harden and Nets management, the superstar eventually won out as he was traded to the Sixers ahead of Thursday’s deadline.

The deal, which sent Harden and veteran big man Paul Millsap to Philly, appeased the demands of another disgruntled all-star, Ben Simmons. After seven long months since his epic meltdown in the Eastern Conference Semifinals against the Atlanta Hawks, Simmons is finally freed from the city and team that, he believed, betrayed him.

The three-time all-star was shipped out, along with sharpshooter Seth Curry, big man Andre Drummond, and two future first-round picks, in the hopes of turning around a disastrous month and a half for Brooklyn.

On Dec. 31, the Nets were just one game out of the first seed in East with a 23-10 record. What followed can only be described as catastrophic. Since the turn of the new year, Brooklyn has lost 16 of their last 22 games and now they are just three games above .500, fighting for the play-in.

James Harden was recently acquired by the Sixers via trade, transforming Philadelphia into legitimate title contenders

With an injury to Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving still deciding to be a part-time player, James Harden saw a team that was supposed to be an overwhelming title favorite regress to the teams he had to carry back in Houston.

Harden didn’t want to waste another year of his prime playing with mediocre talent, and luckily for us Sixers fans, Sean Marks complied with Harden’s wishes and now he’s a member of South Philly’s favorite team.

Here are three reasons why Harden makes Philadelphia a real title contender…