As the trade deadline is in its eleventh hour, the Brooklyn Nets and the Philadelphia Sixers have to deal with an intense and complicated situation. According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, James Harden wants to go to the Sixers. Philly, on the other hand, also wants Harden.
Race Against The Trade Deadline
However, Harden hasn’t made a formal request to get traded and reunite with Philadelphia Sixers executive Daryl Morey because of fears of the public backlash that will most likely come after.
The Nets are desperately looking to win a championship this season, hoping that Harden, Kevin Durant, and a Kyrie Irving will get the job done. If they decide to not trade Harden, Brooklyn is also gambling with the risk of losing Harden who will become a free agent by summer.
ESPN’s Wojnarowski compares this situation to Kawhi Leonard’s stint inToronto, where he was able to deliver a championship to the Raptors.
Harden is still hopeful that Morey will secure a trade for him before the February 10 deadline at 3 PM ET. According to sources, the deal remains a viable option even if both teams are assessing the risk-reward of the Harden trade.
Brooklyn Didn’t Meet Expectations
A little over a year ago, the Nets had to trade key players and draft picks to get Harden to the team from the Rockets. The Nets gave up both Jarrett Allen and Caris in the process of acquiring Harden.
During the first few weeks, it seemed that the deal was the right decision for the Nets. Harden looked like his old self leading the team. During the second round of the playoffs, Harden injured his hamstring during the first minute of game 1 against the Milwaukee Bucks. The Bucks eventually eliminated the Nets and won the championship.
When the offseason started, Brooklyn was included among the top picks to win the 2022 championship. Then it went downhill from here. Kyrie Irving refused to get the COVID19 vaccine. This decision kept him from playing for months before the Nets allowed Irving to play during road games.
Then, there are the injuries that plagued Brooklyn’s lineup. Kevin Durant sprained his knee while Joe Harris had an ankle injury. As for Harden, he has not been playing recently due to his hamstring injury. He already missed three games and the team also announced that he will also miss the upcoming game against the Wizards.
Even with challenges, this doesn’t mean that Brooklyn is already out of title contention for this season. The Nets are still the No. 7 seed in the Eastern Conference. Even if it’s not where fans thought Brooklyn is going to be, they still have a fighting chance if Harden stays with them.
But also, a Ben Simmons for Harden deal still looks like a logical move on paper. ESPN reporter Brian Windhorst confirmed that the Sixers and Nets are still in the “deal zone”. Windhorst said that “I can’t tell you how much James Harden wants this”. He added, “He is screaming in every way he possibly can ‘I don’t want to be here, get me out of here'”.
