At the NBA trade deadline, the Philadelphia 76ers were finally able to trade their disgruntled star, Ben Simmons. The return they got for him was more than anyone had expected. The Brooklyn Nets sent a former league MVP in James Harden to the 76ers for Ben Simmons, Seth Curry, Andre Drummond and two first-round picks.
This deal arguably gives the 76ers the best duo in the entire league with Joel Embiid and James Harden. Currently, Philadelphia is only 2.5 games behind the team with the best record in the conference. With Harden, they should immediately be one of the toughest teams to defend in the league. Having a three-time NBA scoring champion and the most feared big man in the NBA is something the league hasn’t seen since Kobe and Shaq.
The league should be put on notice that the 76ers are gunning for the championship this year. But, this deal also makes the Nets better. Harden had all but checked out with the Nets, missing games for no reason and playing poorly when in the lineup. Now, they get Ben Simmons, who is still one of the best defensive-wing players and some much needed shooting in Seth Curry. Drummond has also been one of the best backup centers in the NBA this year and could be an improvement in their starting lineup over Nicolas Claxton.
Photo Credit: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:James_Harden_Beard_Drew-Goodman.jpg
