Philadelphia 76ers complete trade for superstar James Harden
Ben Simmons set to join Brooklyn Nets
NBA side Philadelphia 76ers have today concluded a trade for star Point Guard James Harden from the Brooklyn Nets after weeks of speculation about The Beard’s future.
James Harden completed a trade to the Brooklyn Nets only last year from the Houston Rockets to team up with fellow superstars Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, but the three men have hardly shared the court, only playing 16 games together in the past year.
The Nets traded four first-round picks and three swaps, plus center Jarrett Allen and Caris LeVert, a little over a year ago after Harden forced his way out of Houston following eight-plus seasons with the Houston Rockets, the former league MVP is now on his way again.
Harden has exercised his $47.4 million player option for the 2022-23 season as part of Thursday’s trade, a source confirmed to ESPN’s Bobby Marks. The 10-time All-Star is eligible to sign a four-year, $223 million extension with Philadelphia in August.
James Harden will be joined in Philadelphia by Paul Millsap, while the Brooklyn Nets will receive Ben Simmons, Seth Curry and Andre Drummond in return. Brooklyn Nets will also receive Philadelphia’s unprotected 2022 first-round pick, with the right to defer it to 2023, as well as a top-8-protected 2027 first-round pick, according to Wojnarowski. That pick would remain top-8 protected in 2028, and will turn into two second-round picks — and $2 million in cash — if it doesn’t convey in either season.
The deal is the perfect solution for all parties involved after Ben Simmons refused to play for the 76ers since they lost in the playoffs to the Atlanta Hawks last year. James Harden has also had his own problems in Brooklyn in recent weeks.