Alright folks, it’s trade deadline day, and the Philadelphia 76ers are about to make a serious splash… or not.
The team could make a massive move that shakes the very fabric of the NBA, they could make a middle-of-the-road deal that elevates the team’s ceiling but doesn’t fundamentally shake the status quo, or they could do nothing at all, and folks in Philly will scour the buyout market for some form of auxiliary help.
There’s no doubt about it; this could be a huge day for fans of the 76ers or a horrible day where the entire NBA feels like it’s stacked against Philly’s finest; the very emotional stability of an entire fanbase falls in the hands of Daryl Morey and that, my friends, is a wild thing.
My prediction? James Harden not only lands on the Philadelphia 76ers but will wear the number 11 for the team.
Place your bets on James Harden’s future, Philadelphia 76ers fans.
Alright, alright, so you may be wondering why I believe that James Harden will not only close out the day with the Philadelphia 76ers but wear 11. Allow me to elaborate: Harden has worn the number 13 for his entire career. He wore it in Oklahoma City, wore it in Houston, and currently wears it in Brooklyn… well, when he actually takes the court.
The problem with Harden landing in Philadelphia and immediately taking up his usual mantle is that the number has been retired for some time now, all thanks to the statistical marvel that is Wilt Chamberlain. Yup, despite only having three championship banners hanging in the Wells Fargo Center, the team has already retired 10 numbers: 2, 3, 4, 6, 10, 13, 15, 24, 32, 34.
Of the available non-13 numbers, 13 probably makes the most sense, but it’s hard to imagine Tobias Harris also ends up on another team by 4 pm, so that’s probably off the table. What about 14? 23 would certainly be cool, as to many, it’s the basketball number, but it may draw too close of a parallel to the last All-Star caliber player named James who wore the number in Philadelphia, James “Jimmy” Butler.
*sigh* if only there was some sort of clue as to the number Harden could wear in Philadelphia, one that fans will totally overreact to. *snap* Jaden Springer with the assist.
As you may or may not know, Springer made minor waves on social media on Tuesday when he changed his Twitter handle from @JadenSpringer11 to @JadenSpringer0. While this doesn’t definitely mean anything, and the rookie guard has since changed his handle back, it couldn’t be a hint about a new number in Philadelphia, as 0 is already taken by rising star participant Tyrese Maxey.
To some, this number change suggested that Springer might be on his way to a new team, one where 11 is already taken – like the Brooklyn Nets or the OKC Thunder – but what if he was instead informed that 11 might need to be vacated should Harden come to town and Springer simply forgot that 0 belonged to Maxey since he spends almost all of his time in Delaware?
Is that enough of a clue to go all “Twitter Insider” and declare a trade is coming? No, but hey, the whole preface of this piece is a prediction, and for my money, Springer’s short-term handle change is enough for me to conclude that either Harden is coming to Philadelphia or the team’s 2021 first-round pick is on the move.
For all of our sake, let’s hope it’s the former, or both really.
Should the Philadelphia 76ers trade for James Harden? Yes, as long as Tyrese Maxey isn’t included in the deal, Daryl Morey should go all-in on a South Philly reunion. Will the Philadelphia 76ers trade for James Harden? Only time will tell. Fortunately, with the trade deadline at 4 pm, we will all know soon enough and be able to plan our next jersey purchases accordingly.