There’s been a lot of rumors and talk about James Harden potentially being an option for the 76ers to trade for. Although I see it highly unlikely, the idea is still quite interesting at the least to say so. James Harden is a former league MVP and was a top candidate last season as well.
Harden this past year lead the league in points per game with 34.3 PPG on 44% from the field and 35.5% from the three point land. He’s been a top offensive threat in this league for the past few years and the last season didn’t disappoint. Harden’s ability to mesmerize defenders, hit contested step-back threes, and draw fouls at an insane clip has made him one of the scariest offensive players to defend.
If the 76ers do want to get Harden they’d have to trade Ben Simmons or Embiid… Simmons being the more likely candidate. A straight up swap consisting of Simmons for Harden obviously wouldn’t work as Simmons doesn’t even come close to Harden’s ability. It would have to be a blockbuster trade that includes multiple pieces and picks potentially or even a multi-team trade.
Even if the 76ers somehow do pull off a trade for Harden, they’d have to make so many more moves to fix that ugly roster. I guess that’s where the trade machine Daryl Morey comes in… right? They’d definitely need to find a way to get rid of Al Horford and Tobias Harris as both are either overpaid or just terrible fits for the team. The Horford signing made no sense from the beginning and the Harris extension was just overpay central.
Surrounding Embiid/Harden with 3 & D wings would be crucial if you’re getting Harden. Harden requires the ball and having another ball-dominant wing/guard would just ruin things. I’ll say this though, if the 76ers do somehow pull it off and make the necessary trades to fix their roster… that’s a championship team.
