The James Harden - Ben Simmons trade that went down last season has been widely debated by NBA enthusiasts.
James Harden and Ben Simmons Trade
Harden left the Houston Rockets to join the Philadelphia 76ers in exchange for Simmons and two first-round picks.
Currently, Harden seems to have hit the ground running with the Sixers while Simmons has been struggling in Brooklyn.
Despite the situation, many still believe that the trade is still up in the air. The ultimate winner of the trade would depend on the success of both teams, and if the Sixers are not able to advance far into the playoffs and Harden decides to leave in free agency, both teams would have lost the deal.
Harden has been instrumental to the Sixers' success this season. He has been performing excellently, with his numbers looking impressive.
He is currently averaging 21.6 points, a league-best 10.7 assists, and 1.3 steals. The Sixers have improved, and they have moved to third place in the Eastern Conference with the partnership of Harden and Joel Embiid, forming one of the best tandems in the league.
On the other hand, Simmons has had a disastrous season. He refused to play for the Sixers before being traded, and an injury prevented him from playing in Brooklyn following the trade.
Simmons has played in 42 games this season, averaging career lows in points (6.9), rebounds (6.3), assists (6.1), steals (1.3), and minutes played. He's also shooting a career-low 43.9% from the foul line, and he is currently out of the Nets rotation due to a sore left knee.
Despite Simmons' poor form, the Nets still got two first-round picks out of the deal. However, if Harden walks out on the Sixers this season without helping them win an NBA title, the team would be criticized for packaging two first-round picks for a player that bolted after 1 ½ seasons.
The acquisition of Harden was more of a win-now move for the Sixers. They rolled the dice with the belief that he could help them win a championship, and while there were other options, Harden was the player they had been targeting for some time.
The expectation is that Harden will test free agency this summer, and the latest news is that the Rockets are expected to aggressively pursue him. Harden played a little more than eight seasons in Houston before forcing a trade to the Brooklyn Nets, and there are reports that he is considering moving back to Houston. While it's unclear if the Rockets' young core would be a good fit for him, he has plenty of reasons to go back, including his off-season residence, family, and business interests.
The Sixers are also looking to succeed in the playoffs, and with 21 games remaining in the regular season, they could go on a run. The Bucks and/or the Celtics' roster could also suffer a championship-altering injury, which would increase the Sixers' chances of coming out of the East.
Conclusion:
The winner of the trade will be determined by the success of both teams. If the Sixers win an NBA title with Harden before he walks out on them, they would have won the trade. If they don't win, and he walks out, the Nets would have won. However, if Simmons finds his form and the Nets use the picks to build a successful team, they could still come out on top. Nonetheless, with the NBA's unpredictability, it's hard to determine who will win this trade, but it's a situation that both teams have to live with.
Keypoints:
1. The article discusses the James Harden and Ben Simmons trade, and who will ultimately win it
2. While it appears that the Sixers got the better end of the deal, if Harden leaves after this season without helping them win an NBA title, they will have nothing to show for it
3. Acquiring Harden was a win-now move for the Sixers, who rolled the dice with the belief that he could help them win a championship
4. There's still a chance Harden helps the Sixers win a title this season, but the expectation is that he will test free agency this summer
5. The Rockets are expected to aggressively pursue Harden this summer, and he may consider a return to Houston due to personal and business reasons
6. Meanwhile, Simmons hasn't played much in Brooklyn, and when he has, he's been a disaster. The Nets still got two first-round picks out of the deal, but if Simmons doesn't improve, both teams will have busted on their hopes
