Re-grading last year's monumental Harden-Simmons trade

Re-grading last year’s monumental Harden-Simmons trade

PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - JANUARY 25: Ben Simmons #10 of the Brooklyn Nets gestures during the fourth quarter against the Philadelphia 76ers at Wells Fargo Center on January 25, 2023 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images) /

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As we approach Thursday’s trade deadline, the Internet is awash in Kyrie trade-grade articles (here’s ours!). Doling out insta-judgments is fun, but ultimately, it takes time to fully understand who won and who lost any given trade.

It’s hard to remember now, but the Ben Simmons saga dominated NBA discourse last year to an unprecedented degree. His game of chicken with 76ers management was an exhausting, depressing storyline that seemingly changed every day while always remaining the same. Luckily, Harden’s blossoming discomfort with Kyrie Irving (how prescient that looks now!) led to a star swap between the Brooklyn Nets and Philadelphia that changed the course of both franchises forever.

With a year of hindsight, we have more clarity on how this transaction turned out for both teams. It’s time to re-adjudicate the trade.

The original trade terms:

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