76ers Hoping to Tangle Ben Simmons for James Harden

The Philadelphia 76ers are in no rush to trade Ben Simmons. The 76ers aren’t expected to move Simmons at the NBA trade deadline. Instead, the new plan includes making Simmons available to the Brooklyn Nets for James Harden according to Shams Charania and Sam Amick of The Athletic.

This trade offer would make a ton of sense for both teams depending on how this season ends for both sides. The 76ers wanted Harden before the Nets made a huge package deal with the Houston Rockets to get him. Harden did enjoy his time with former general manager Daryl Morey, who is the current general manager of the 76ers.

The theory around the league is Harden may be available in a trade this summer because he hasn’t signed an extension with the Nets.

Morey has spent the regular season looking all around the league for trades but hasn’t found one that fits his desire to pair Joel Embiid with another superstar. Simmons’ continued absence has emboldened other teams to stick to their lowball offers, leading to an impasse that increasingly looks like it’ll carry into the summer.