Daryl Morey was right. I was wrong. It's a great day for the Sixers.
Let's get into the takes after a blockbuster that puts the Sixers in position to truly contend for a championship for the first time since 2001.
Daryl Morey deserves a ton of credit: I was (very critical) of Morey over the last few months. The strategy of holding out until a superstar wanted out of their current situation *and* was willing to force their way to Philadelphia seemed preposterous for me to imagine. Perhaps Morey had inside info none of us were privy to on Harden's demeanor and feelings in Brooklyn. Perhaps there was some luck involved here. It doesn't matter. Morey's patience bought the Sixers the opportunity to make this happen. He's an excellent executive, and my frustration with Simmons and a season that couldn't be wasted clouded that.
We're now underrating Harden: There's been a lot of chatter over the past week about how much Harden has declined and how far he's fallen from his perch as an MVP and top-five player in the sport. I think we can all agree that Harden isn't that player anymore. But it's difficult to talk about this player's decline in context of the situation in Brooklyn. Was it difficult to adjust to having Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving in and out of the lineup? I'm sure it was. Did Harden up and quit? He might have, as last week's eye-opening non-effort vs. the Kings suggests. Is the hamstring still really an issue, just like it was last year? It might be. But we're still talking about a player that reeled off a four-game stretch at the end of December with the following numbers: 35.5 points, 12 assists and 11 rebounds per game. There's still a force in there.
Simmons landed in the perfect basketball situation, but that doesn't necessarily mean much: You couldn't have drawn up a better spot for Simmons to land from a fit and basketball perspective. He can be the third banana in Brooklyn behind both Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irivng. He can handle the ball and facilitate, but won't be asked to shoulder a big scoring load. His defense and passing will be celebrated because the team he's going to lacks that in a considerable fashion. There's a Draymond Green to Durant and Irving's Curry and Thompson element possibly at play here. Sure Simmons is going to New York, but let's not pretend Brooklyn Nets fans have half the passion (or disdain) for their players that we have in Philadelphia. It's a big city, but a soft landing spot. Of course, none of this matters if Simmons doesn't make the effort to improve the deficient areas of his game.
The Harden opt-in was a major development: If there's one thing to worry about, it's Harden's long-term future. Does he have one or two years left as a high-level star? Or is it three or four? Harden opting into his $47M player option for 2022-23 gives the Sixers options, and more time to evaluate what they see. The likelihood of a record-setting contract is still high, but the rush to give it out is no longer there.
The pressure is on Joel Embiid now: No more excuses for the big man when the postseason arrives. We can't blame late-game and late-series issues on Simmons. We can't yell about the front office failing to give him a true No. 2 co-star worthy of title contention. Embiid has an all-time scorer and guard next to him. It's time for Embiid to stay healthy, stay fresh and play his best in May and June. If the Sixers fail to capitalize on this opportunity, the excuses for Embiid will no longer hold weight.
The Sixers will live at the line: If you're a Seven Seconds or Less fan (good book, by the way) the Sixers new-look offense won't be for you. Between Embiid and Harden the Sixers have two high-efficient scoring machines that go to the free-throw line over and over and over. Embiid is averaging 11 attempts per game at the line. Harden is averaging nearly eight. These guys are going to draw fouls, get easy points and slow the game down every night. It's going to be infuriating for opponents to deal with.
Stop worrying about Seth Curry or Andre Drummond: I can't believe how many calls WIP has taken worried about losing these guys both before and after the trade was announced. The team that lands the best player wins the deal in the NBA, and comes out with a better roster. That's how this works, and how it always has. Curry's shooting will be missed, but Harden's overall offensive game makes up for it. Drummond's rebounding will be missed, but the Sixers can find a body to backup Joel Embiid on the buyout market. Watch out for names like Eric Bledsoe, Cory Joseph and Robin Lopez to be connected with the Sixers in the coming days.
Doc Rivers is on the clock: If the Sixers don't reach the NBA Finals, I'd be surprised if Rivers is back as the team's head coach next year. This guy has been underwhelming from the minute he got to Philadelphia, and now must coach with big expectations. We know how he's handled that for the past decade-plus. Rivers is on the clock, and Harden-Embiid could have a new coach on the bench soon.
