Amid rumors suggesting that Houston Rockets guard James Harden wants out of the team, a recent article suggested that the Brooklyn Nets — which have mainly been linked to the NBA scoring leader in recent days — might not be the most ideal landing spot for him. Instead, the Philadelphia 76ers were mentioned as the team that could make the most out of Harden’s talent if he gets moved by Houston now that the league’s trade moratorium has been lifted.
As noted by Bleacher Report on Tuesday, the Sixers might be headed for some significant roster changes after the organizational shakeup that had Doc Rivers replacing previous head coach Brett Brown and Daryl Morey leaving the Rockets to join Philadelphia as its president of basketball operations. The publication pointed out that the organization will be paying frontcourt starters Joel Embiid, Tobias Harris, and Al Horford a combined $91.4 million in the 2020-21 campaign, though the option to trade starting point guard Ben Simmons — who will earn $27.3 million next season — might also be available.
“For argument’s sake, the Sixers could make the deal for Harden by sending Simmons and Josh Richardson to Houston. Such a move would begin to shift the balance of the roster by placing a surefire heavy hitter in the backcourt.”
According to Bleacher Report , the Sixers might be the “best fit” for Harden’s talent, despite the interesting possibilities that could happen if he reunites with Kevin Durant on the Nets. The site explained that the former league MVP would be the undisputed lead ball-handler in Philadelphia, and while he might not be surrounded by a plethora of shooters as he currently is with the Rockets, he could potentially benefit from playing alongside Embiid on both ends of the floor.
“When Harden needs a break, he could just drop the ball to Embiid in the post. On the defensive end, he’d have a big man who could cover for him if he gets beat on the perimeter,” the publication added.
Furthermore, it was speculated that Embiid could also thrive if he gets to team up with Harden, as the superstar shooting guard’s presence would give the Sixers far more spacing, thus allowing the big man more opportunities to score in the post than he did with Simmons, whose lack of three-point shooting has been well-documented. Bleacher Report likewise predicted that Harden and Embiid could become a “pick-and-roll force” — one that could leave opponents with no choice but to change their defensive schemes.
