NBA Trade Deadline: How can Philadelphia 76ers line up and improve with James Harden after trading Ben Simmons to Brooklyn Nets?
The Philadelphia 76ers acquired superstar guard James Harden on Thursday in a monster trade that could shake up the Eastern Conference.
After last week's report that Harden was frustated with the situation of the Brooklyn Nets organization, the 76ers quickly pivoted to acquire the lethal offensive weapon.
Throughout the season, fans were curious to see what Philadelphia would do with disgruntled star Ben Simmons. The versatile wing had refused to play after demanding a trade from the team during the preseason. Philadelphia stayed patient and struck to acquire a superstar in Harden.
According to NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski, the 76ers traded curry" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-is-sponsored="false">Seth Curry and Andre Drummond as well as two first-round selections.
Let's take a look at how the 76ers will look with Harden now in the mix.
The Brooklyn Nets are trading James Harden to the Philadelphia 76ers for Ben Simmons, Seth Curry, Andre Drummond and two first-round picks, sources tell ESPN.
How the Philadelphia 76ers look moving forward
The Philadelphia 76ers had remained calm while trying to find a solution to the Ben Simmons situation, and trading for James Harden could be a home run. Although Harden has struggled lately, a new start could be just what the superstar needs to get rolling again.
With Harden in the mix, all eyes will be on how the superstar guard will mesh alongside franchise big man Joel Embiid. The Sixers center has been one of the most dominant players in the NBA this season. If the two superstars can coexist, it would turn into a potential nightmare for opposing defenses.
In his last 10 games, Embiid averaged 36.0 points, 12.1 rebounds, 4.7 assists and 1.7 blocks per game while shooting 53.0%.
Updated Sixers depth chart:
PG - Maxey, Milton
SG - Harden, Korkmaz
SF - Thybulle, Green
PF - Tobias, Niang
C - Embiid, Millsap
Although Harden is the big addition, Philadelphia had to give up a couple of important rotation assets to acquire him. Most notable was sharpshooting guard Seth Curry, who is now on his way to the Brooklyn Nets.
With the loss of Curry, the 76ers will have to lean on Tyrese Maxey and Matisse Thybulle to play extended minutes. There's still a chance that some names could pop up in the buyout market that the 76ers could look to add. For now, it looks as if Philadelphia will have to lean on the projected starting lineup of Maxey, Harden, Thybulle, Tobias Harris and Embiid.
76ers going all-in for the East
The Philadelphia 76ers (32-22) have relied on the superb play of superstar big man Joel Embiid all season. The 76ers are in fifth place in the East but just 2.5 games out of first place. That means that the message around the 76ers organizaton has been simple: The team is going all-in with the acquisition of James Harden.
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With the Eastern Conference shaping up to be an extremely close race down the final stretch, there's a chance for the 76ers to be a contender.
If Harden and Embiid can work together, the two will present a terrifying challenge for any opposing team.
President of basketball operations Daryl Morey has had a special relationship with Harden since their days with the Houston Rockets. Morey knows the type of player Harden can be at his best. He's doubling down on the idea of Harden and Embiid teaming up to become a dangerous duo.
Harden is averaging 22.5 points, 8.0 rebounds and 10.2 assists per game.