Still salivating at the thought of a 76ers nucleus composed of Joel Embiid and James Harden? Despite the fact that the idea of bringing Harden to Philly didn't pan out the first time around, there may be another way in which that dream becomes a reality.
Though there are talks that the trade market for polarizing 76er Ben Simmons is finally gaining some momentum, with the Knicks, Lakers and five other teams reportedly interested in discussing a trade for the 6-foot-11 defensive wiz, the possibility that Daryl Morey and the 76ers don't find what they're looking for before the deadline certainly exists. We know just how picky Morey has been throughout this whole process, with a fairly exclusive list of top-tier players cutting out all but the most elite names as preferred trade targets, and the offseason might give him the best chance of completing that goal.
Of the many interesting nuggets from Bleacher Report writer Jake Fischer's latest trade news roundup, one note regarding a potential trade target particularly stood out:
The possibility of landing (James) Harden has quietly hung over the Simmons dynamic all along. Philadelphia nearly shipped Simmons to Houston for Harden back in January, an outcome Harden was known around the league to have welcomed. If a strong enough deal for Simmons never comes Philadelphia's way this season, there have been ongoing whispers about a free-agency sign-and-trade for Simmons that would allow Harden to join forces with Embiid, and rejoin Daryl Morey.
I think it's more than fair to say that the large majority of 76ers fans would like a deal to go down before the season is over, seeing as the most likely alternative is a Simmons-less team for the remainder of the year. Though the Sixers haven't exactly been bad to this point in the 2021-22 campaign, their championship aspirations are pretty low without making a move. Still, there's also the idea that Morey's selectivity on the trade front is warranted. Moving Simmons for a solid package would help in the short-term, but giving him up for pennies on the dollar isn't ideal.
And if the only players that become realistically available are fringe top-25 players — as opposed to a legitimate shot at landing Harden in the offseason — we can probably assume that Morey would prefer the latter of those two scenarios.
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As for which top-25 players — or at least names who have an argument to belong in that category — who might be realistically available, the list is pretty slim. You could maybe say that Domantas Sabonis belongs in that group, but he wouldn't fit on this Sixers team. There's an argument to be had that De'Aaron Fox fits the bill, but his fit next to Tyrese Maxey and either team's interest in such a move are both questionable. Jaylen Brown would fit perfectly on the 76ers, but the word from Fischer is that he and Tatum remain untouchable from the Celtics' perspective... though that's not necessarily a perspective shared around the association.
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There's also potential movement on the Nets' side of things, as there is "renewed optimism" that Kyrie Irving will come back at some point this year. If that big three can lead the Nets to a strong postseason run and potential title victory, Harden might not be going anywhere in the offseason.
Another note from Fischer reflects that the Nets aren't just going to stand by quietly as the deadline approaches, however:
Brooklyn has been open to discussing trades for Irving, sources told B/R, although none of those calls have seemed to generate significant traction. But Brooklyn has expressed a surprising willingness to discuss sharpshooter Joe Harris, according to league sources, though he would surely require a pricey offer. “It’s crazy to me; he’s their only real three-and-D player,” said one assistant general manager. “But his name keeps popping up.”
Big man Nic Claxton is another name on Brooklyn that NBA execs believe could surface as a trade chip as the deadline approaches.
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