James Harden distanced himself from reports that he’s unhappy in Brooklyn as rumors continue to swirl that the 10-time All-Star is eyeing an opportunity to join the Philadelphia 76ers in the offseason, but perhaps there’s a fire building behind all that smoke.
On Friday evening, The Athletic’s Shams Charania reported that the Nets are expected to engage in talks with the 76ers over a potential James Harden for Ben Simmons swap prior to the February 10 trade deadline. The news comes as the Nets have been mired in a six-game losing streak, and have dropped to sixth place in the Eastern Conference.
Harden said as recently as Wednesday that he’s not concerned with the Nets’ current slump and that he still believes the team will turn it around when the roster is fully healthy – but there’s no guarantee the Nets will have a full roster available this season. Kevin Durant is out with an MCL strain, Kyrie Irving appears unwilling to budge on his vaccine stance and will only be available for road games, and Joe Harris could potentially need a second surgery on his injured ankle.
Via The Athletic:
“There’s expectation that both the 76ers and Nets will engage in dialogue on a deal around Simmons for Harden, multiple sources say, with Philadelphia holding a chest of role players in Seth Curry, Tyrese Maxey and Matisse Thybulle that could sweeten a potential package. Still, there’s no urgency for Nets officials, who have had the steadfast belief that the current core, as is, has the means necessary for a championship. However, it’s believed that an opening exists should an offer elevate the team and make the roster more well-rounded as the franchise pursues a championship.”
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