NBA Trades: 3 potential James Harden for Ben Simmons trade packages

According to Shams Charania of The Athletic (subscription required), the Philadelphia 76ers are expected to pursue superstar James Harden ahead of the 2022 NBA trade deadline, and the Brooklyn Nets are now open to discussing a deal that would return a package centered around disgruntled star Ben Simmons.

It has been widely reported that the Sixers were planning to hold off any Simmons trade before the deadline in favor of pursuing Harden in the upcoming offseason during free agency. However, due to Brooklyn suddenly changing their mind, a deal could now surface at any point in these coming days until the February 10 buzzer hits.

Since the Brooklyn Nets are now open to discussing a James Harden for Ben Simmons trade with the Philadelphia 76ers, let’s examine three potential deals

As Ben Simmons’ standoff with Philadelphia continues to remain stagnant, and with Brooklyn considering the need for change (as they currently sit at the sixth seed in the Eastern Conference), there’s an expectation that the Sixers and Nets will engage in conversations surrounding a Simmons-Harden deal.

Ben Simmons hasn’t played at all this season after demanding a trade following Philly’s disappointing playoff exit to the Atlanta Hawks in the conference semi-finals last year. James Harden has reportedly not enjoyed living in Brooklyn and the Nets seem to be struggling as a team at the moment.

Since forming an intimidating “Big 3” of Harden, Kyrie Irving, and Kevin Durant, the Nets have not come close to meeting expectations. Of course, injuries have played a large factor in their success, but they seem to be worried about how their three superstars have meshed. It’s come to the point where questions have arisen about whether or not this team can win a title together as currently constructed.

There are also obvious concerns that James Harden could enter free agency and leave Brooklyn this summer, so the Nets could be interested in moving Harden now if they feel that there’s a deal out there that would upgrade the roster for both the short-term and long-term future. A deal with the Philadelphia 76ers centered around Ben Simmons could certainly be the answer.

Despite Simmons’ shooting woes, the three-time All-Star is still one of the best multi-positional defenders in the league. His presence would immediately make a key impact in Brooklyn, where there’s already elite firepower offensively. Additionally, Simmons is in the second year of a five-year, $177.2 million contract and won’t become a free agent until 2025.

76ers’ President of Basketball Operations Daryl Morey has been publicly fond of James Harden as the two worked alongside each other during their Houston days. Morey has clearly expressed interest in pairing Harden with bonafide superstar and MVP candidate Joel Embiid in Philly to strengthen their championship pursuit.

If Harden were to be acquired by the Sixers, there would be a strong belief that he’d sign a supermax extension to stay with the franchise long-term.

As a blockbuster trade between these two title contenders seems to be a real possibility, let’s look at three potential trade packages that would send Ben Simmons to the Brooklyn Nets and James Harden to the Philadelphia 76ers.