According to sources at ESPN, the Brooklyn Nets have agreed to trade James Harden to the Philadelphia 76ers. The long rumored trade has apparently come true.
ESPN’s Adrian Wojoranowski reported this afternoon that Brooklyn is sending James Harden and Paul Milsap to the Sixers for Ben Simmons, Seth Curry, Andre Drummond, and two first round picks.
Simmons has not been playing with the Sixers since the 2021 NGA Playoffs. His coach and team mates seemed to have lost confidence in him since we passed up on a dunk in a crucial fourth quarter situation, rot pass the ball. He was horrid form the free throw line, and his teammates, including the most vocal Joel Embid, expressed no confidence in him.
Simmons did not report to team training in the offseason and expressed that he would no longer play with the Sixers and asked for a trade.
Sixers GM Daryl Morey made it clear to other NBA GM’s that he would not trade Simmons unless he got equal value, even insisting on a superstar in return.
Simmons eventually returned to the team during training camp, but left the team again, citing mental difficulties in playing there.
The media has reported that Simmons fines for not playing amounted to around $19 million.
As for Harden, he quietly requested a trade this winter, after the Nets have dealt with Kyrie Irving’s vaccine stance, causing them to only have him for away games, as well as the annual Kevin Durant injury. Harden just wanted out, and the Nets got a nice group of players for him.
The trade deadline continues…
