Philadelphia 76ers: James Harden hangs over a Ben Simmons trade

On Monday’s iteration of NBA Today, ESPN Senior writer Ramona Shelbourne let it be known that Ben Simmons was willing to sit out the entire 2021-22 season with the Philadelphia 76ers if a trade wasn’t made by the deadline.

Surprising? Sort of, but not totally unexpected, as there has been basically no traction towards a potential on-court reunion between the two parties, and as the NBA Today team pointed out, it’s not like Joel Embiid is forcing the issue one way or the other.

So that’s that, then? Might as well cash out, accept that sweetheart deal for a player like Tyrese Haliburton, Brandon Ingram, or someone similar plus picks, and go all-in on supercharging this campaign for a shot at the title, right?

Considering JoJo’s MVP caliber play, most would probably do just that, as holding this out indefinitely isn’t helping the team’s on-court product, but Daryl Morey isn’t you or me. No, something tells me the former Houston GM might just stick to his guns, take the public Ls, and hold out for a chance to reunite with James Harden, the player he wants above all others.

The Philadelphia 76ers feel internally obsessed with James Harden.

Philadelphia 76ers President of Basketball Operations Daryl Morey loves James Harden.

He ID’d the former Sixth Man of the Year as a franchise player, stole him away from an OKC Thunder team that should have been a dynasty, and built an entire team around his unique offensive talents.

Did it ultimately work out in Houston? No, but that had more to do with Chris Paul‘s ankle, some infighting, and the Golden State Warriors’ unprecedented star power than any knock on Harden’s game.

If Morey had his way, Harden would be wearing a red, white, and blue number 13… well not number 13 because ya know, Wilt, but some number jersey number with “Philadelphia 76ers” plastered across the front.

It makes sense, right? I mean sure, the borderline All-Stars Philly has been connected to are good players in their own right and could even form a strong enough core alongside Joel Embiid to actually win a championship, but none of those potential pairings, not John Collins, not Brandon Ingram, not even Tyrese Maxey present the same #tothemoon upside as pairing up “The Process” with “The Beard” as they have the potential to form the best guard-center tandem the NBA has seen since Shaq and Kobe.

On ball, Harden is as good as they come. He can score from anywhere, attack the hoop with either hand, and shoot the lights out with a deadly stepback J. Paired up with a screener like Embiid, who draws similar defensive attention, the Sixers’ offensive attack would be borderline unstoppable regardless of who Morey opts to fill out the roster with.

To his credit, Harden is also an exceptional passer who has averaged more than 10 assists per game over the past two seasons. While Embiid has largely been able to overcome the Sixers’ lack of playmaking, pairing him up with a legit dime dropper would pop the top off of one of the best offensive players in the NBA, a thought that would surely send shivers down the spines of every coach around the association.

If Morey believes in his bones that arranging that marriage is the best path to long-term success, isn’t it worth pursuing with a Sonny Weaver Jr. level of commitment? Is limiting this current team’s margin of error and potentially ceiling worth a shot at an offseason sign-and-trade even if such an opportunity might not ultimately present itself?

That, my friends, is very much on the table, and very much the route Morey may opt to go.

Can the Philadelphia 76ers still get better without executing a big Ben Simmons trade? Yes, there are plenty of intriguing deals available that probably wouldn’t cost more than a player and a second round pick to get done and would improve the team on the margins without compromising long-term trade abilities. Will fans be happy with a mid-level move, say Shake Milton and a two for Kenrich Williams? Probably not, but hey, when you’re in the pursuit of greatness, sometimes folks will want to cash out early instead of seeing the process through. For better or worse, Daryl Morey seems like a very patient man.