Yes, the 76ers are 7-2, but why they should trade Ben Simmons and picks for James Harden today if they can
The 7-2 record is due to their rise in 3PT scoring. Yes, they would give up an elite defender by trading Simmons, but they'd add an elite scorer who could put them over the edge.
Daryl Morey’s genius is already at work in Philadelphia. He drafted a steal in Tyrese Maxey in the 2020 NBA Draft. He filled the biggest need(shooting) in the offseason by trading for Danny Green and sending Josh Richardson to Dallas for arguably the second or third best shooter in the NBA in Seth Curry. Yes, they gave up some playmaking and defense with Richardson, but Seth Curry showed how important he is to a team’s success when he torched the NBA last season for the Mavericks including the Clippers in the playoffs. Just look at Seth Curry’s impact in last night’s game for example. He missed it due to testing positive for Covid-19 and even with Ben Simmons, Joel Embbid, and Tobias Harris on the floor, they got drilled by a Brooklyn Nets team without KD and Kyrie. Curry’s shooting percentage is off the charts and he provides a scoring threat that defenses fear every time he touches the ball.
Getting rid of Al Horford was needed as he was taking up space and minutes. Tobias Harris was good last year and he is playing great again this year. Ben Simmons is the usual Ben Simmons even if he’s not scoring as much as he used to. Simmons is still an elite defender, playmaker, and rebounder which is exactly what you get with the All-Star. Joel Embiid is having his best season yet, putting up the best numbers of his career. However, imagine giving up the worst shooter on this already 7-2 team for arguably the best scorer in the NBA, and all that you're giving up is elite perimeter defense and some playmaking and rebounding which can be replaceable. It could happen and Morey should be begging Houston to take Ben Simmons and first-round picks for James Harden. Yes, giving up elite defense is hard to do, but Danny Green, Tobias Harris, Mattise Thybulle, Joel Embiid, and even Seth Curry provide more than enough defense to win you the majority of their games, especially if they can get a Superstar like James Harden to pair with Joel Embiid.
Yes, the Simmons and Embiid project has worked well so far this year. But for a team trying to turn itself into a 3PT shooting threat with a dominant center, it is needed for Simmons to be gone. He hasn’t improved his jumper one bit since entering the league. His inability to shoot limits his offensive game even if he has elite playmaking and finishing skills. This will hurt the team’s ceiling as opponents will learn to close out quickly on everyone else but Simmons so his playmaking is limited. Imagine switching Harden into Simmons spot at point guard.
Teams wouldn’t know what to do with a Harden lead 76ers who would then likely make it to the NBA Finals. With Simmons, there is no way the 76ers make it to the NBA Finals or even the conference finals. I don’t care how good their record is. It simply is not happening with Simmons as their point guard. He does not fit with the team in the long run since he can’t shoot. Plain and simple. His defense and playmaking are great enough to make him a perennial All-Star, which should keep his trade value high enough with a couple of future first-round picks to make the trade for Harden.
So what is Morey waiting for? He has openly discussed his admiration for Harden calling him “statistically the best scorer of all time”. Morey has also said that Harden is one of his favorite basketball players in the history of the game. So why is this trade taking so long to be completed? Is Houston stalling? Do they want to see if Harden wants to stay after Christian Wood and John Wall’s hot starts? Wall and Wood are balling and Demarcus Cousins is starting to ball as well. This team has the ability to be very good, but they aren’t going to win a title any time soon with this core.
Since Harden wants out, they should find the best possible package for him and trade him immediately. I get Simmons won’t be a good fit with John Wall, even if he’s a perfect fit with Christian Wood. But isn’t he the best player they can get for Harden? I would take Simmons and picks over Michael Porter Jr, Bol Bol, and picks. I would take Simmons and picks over any package the Blazers can offer without giving up Damian Lillard. I would also take Simmons and picks over anything the Nets can offer without giving up Kyrie or KD. So what is this about?
Morey has said he doesn’t want to give up Simmons for Harden after a report surfaced that Morey made him available for Harden earlier in the season. Of course, he’s lying because he has openly said that Harden is one of the best NBA players ever, not to mention Simmons doesn’t fit Morey’s type of championship-caliber team. Is Houston asking for too much? Is that the issue? Do they want Simmons and more than two first-round picks? Okay, so give them three or four or five future first-round picks and Simmons. Do whatever it takes to secure Harden and sign him to a long term extension in Philadelphia.
This process is one piece away from being complete and that piece is James Harden. I know people will call me crazy for saying the 76ers should give up a perennial All-Star plus over three first-round picks, but this team’s window of opportunity is closing soon enough. They have three years left to compete for a title before massive changes to their core occur, and they shouldn’t waste their opportunity. They should go all out for Harden and trade whatever they can for him to produce a core of Harden, Embiid, Harris, and Curry. Morey needs to do whatever it takes to get Harden and by the trade deadline, I really think that James Harden becomes a 76er.