The Sixers leaked every iota, anonymously questioning Simmons' mental health hurdles and publicly litigating his diminished value around the league. Simmons refused to report to training camp, eventually showed up unannounced, hoping to alleviate his mounting financial losses, and reportedly refused to participate in practice drills, warranting his dismissal. Simmons could have addressed Morey's chief concerns about the roster - defense, rebounding, playmaking and transition - and Morey could have leveraged that value in trade discussions.īoth sides chose a lose-lose path instead of a win-win proposition. He could have returned a better player, even as he requested a trade, as both sides quietly went about their business. There was plenty of middle ground between the Sixers and Simmons, but neither side seemed interested in reaching it. We will find out if half a season at home has pushed Simmons to become a paradigm-shifter, but the championship demands from Kevin Durant and Steve Nash in Brooklyn will be no different than those of Embiid and Rivers in Philly. That serves as motivation for some and not for others. Those are hard pills to swallow, but they are necessary to cope with the reality that Simmons needed to be better for the Sixers to win a title. Asked in the aftermath of that defeat if Simmons could be the point guard for a championship team, Rivers conceded, "I don't know the answer to that." He was right. Embiid cited his co-star's shaky decision to forego a late game-tying layup as the turning point in a second-round Game 7 loss to the Atlanta Hawks. Simmons slights from Sixers center Joel Embiid and coach Doc Rivers were overblown. It is evidence of how drastically the perception around the NBA has changed for both players in a year's time. Harden is now a 32-year-old fringe All-Star with chronic hamstring issues in the midst of his least efficient season since Morey's Rockets acquired him as a 22-year-old sixth man from the Oklahoma City Thunder. Being linked to a deal for Harden could have been considered a badge of honor in the right light. No player escapes trade rumors, and at the time this one started, Harden was the three-time defending scoring champion and a top-three MVP candidate four years running. Simmons is not without blame in all of this, either. Imagine how you might feel about working for someone who has done little but try to get rid of you from the moment he became your boss. Morey was still pursuing Harden from the Nets at Thursday's deadline, and whatever chance he had to develop a rapport with Simmons was lost during a wild year in between. Simmons requested a trade from the Sixers at last season's end and never again played for Philadelphia. By his own admission, Morey made little effort to forge a relationship with Simmons before offering him in a trade for Harden three months into his tenure. Two weeks after resigning from the Houston Rockets in October 2020, Morey went to work in Philadelphia trying to pry a disgruntled Harden from his former employer. If it does not convey, the pick is also top-eight protected in 2028 before converting to two second-rounders in 2029. Brooklyn also receives a top-eight protected first-round pick from the Sixers in 2027. The Nets will have their choice of Philadelphia's first-round pick this year (currently No. Brooklyn also receives Andre Drummond and two first-round picks, and Paul Millsap is headed to Philadelphia, ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported. Harden will reportedly opt into his $47.3 million player option in a commitment to the Sixers through next season. The Philadelphia 76ers executive traded Simmons, along with sharpshooter Seth Curry, to the Brooklyn Nets for Harden, according to Yahoo Sports' Chris Haynes. It took 16 months, but Daryl Morey finally traded Ben Simmons for James Harden.
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