By Zach Jacovini
Staff Writer
Just hours before the NBA trade deadline was set to pass on February 10, the Philadelphia 76ers and Brooklyn Nets made a conference-altering trade involving point-guard Ben Simmons and point/shooting-guard James Harden.
In this blockbuster deal, the 76ers sent shooting-guard Seth Curry and center Andre Drummond — as well as two future first round draft picks — to the Brooklyn Nets in exchange for Harden and forward Paul Milsap.
While rumors had been circulating the week leading up to the trade deadline, many fans were understandably skeptical about this deal as Harden was just traded to the Nets last season and Simmons has yet to play a game this season after his disappointing playoff series versus the Hawks. Top-tier league reporters, such as Shams Carnia and Adrian Wojnarowski, confirmed shortly before the deadline that the teams were indeed in talks, and shortly after, Wojnarowski reported that a deal had been made.
Below, I give an analysis of both teams' sides of this trade and explain why both teams got the players they needed to help them contend once the playoffs begin.
Philadelphia 76ers
After the 76ers’ disastrous playoff series loss to the Atlanta Hawks last season, Sixers fans, players and coaches called out their point-guard and leader in Ben Simmons for underperforming throughout the series. More noticeably for his horrific free-throw shooting and lack of confidence to shoot the ball in clutch moments. Simmons did not take the criticism very well, and decided to sit out the entire season until the Sixers traded him to another team. Now, the Sixers have not only freed themselves of a toxic situation, but have brought in one of the greatest scorers to ever set foot on an NBA court in Harden.
The new Sixers pair of Harden and center Joel Embiid — who is currently having an MVP-caliber season — instantly makes them one of the favorites to win the title. The only concern is how the two ball dominant players will handle sharing the court with one another. A pick and roll featuring the likes of Harden and Embiid is something basketball has never seen before, and the Sixers have become must watch television for all NBA fanatics.
Brooklyn Nets
While this trade means the end of the infamous Harden, Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant big three experiment in Brooklyn, the Nets were able to get three quality players in return who will make an immediate impact on the court and help bring a championship to Brooklyn.
While his defensive ability remains a legitimate concern, Curry is one of the most elite perimeter shotmakers in today's NBA, and just by himself greatly increases the Nets three-point shot making, as well as help take some of the scoring load off the shoulders of forward Kevin Durant. Drummond will also be a major reinforcement for the Nets, as his rim protection and rebounding are exceptional and allow him to make an instant contribution to any team. While we have seen that he is certainly a flawed player and there are major concerns about his work ethic and ability to improve his game, Simmons is still an extremely talented player. His defensive prowess is second to none, and his ability to get the ball out to shooters on the perimeter and lead a one man fast break make him a potentially transcendent talent. The Philadelphia faithful and Simmons were clearly not a match, and it remains to be seen whether Simmons will flop or capture his potential greatness as a Brooklyn Net.
It’s not often that a trade takes place midway through the season involving two all-stars, and this is a trade that has the potential to drastically change the outcome of the season for both teams involved. While it’s not common for both teams to be considered “winners” when superstar deals are done, both teams got quality players that fit their needs, and it will be interesting to see if either team will be able to win this year's championship with their newly constructed rosters.
