The NBA’s largest blockbuster of the season, possibly of the last decade, possibly ever, went down Thursday because the Philadelphia 76ers traded Ben Simmons, Seth Curry, Andre Drummond and two first-round picks (protected) to the Brooklyn Nets for James Harden and Paul Millsap.
The deal brings to an in depth one of many messiest and longest dramas in NBA historical past as Simmons heads to Brooklyn. The Nets now add a defensive participant of the 12 months candidate with very good athleticism and playmaking capacity however after all a devastating legal responsibility in taking pictures.
Listed below are two takes on the deal.
Moore: Virtually as vital given the uncertainty round Simmons, who hasn’t performed in eight months, are the draft picks, which permit Brooklyn to pursue future upgrades to the roster.
The Nets get return on worth, Simmons’ potential as a solution for his or her defensive points and Curry as a top-end shooter subsequent to Joe Harris (who could miss the remainder of the season) and Patty Mills. It’s not clear right now if the Nets intend to maintain Drummond or purchase him out.
Philly provides Harden, a top-level scorer and playmaker — when wholesome and engaged — who comes with questions on whether or not years of heavy utilization have diminished his capacity to impression the sport at his former MVP degree, and a real star subsequent to Joel Embiid. The Harden-Embiid pick-and-roll might be lethal, particularly with Embiid stopping to pop at 18 ft.
Don’t be shocked if Harden abruptly performs himself into form and appears extra motivated. The rumors and experiences of his unhappiness with Brooklyn have been widespread. That is the place Harden wished to go.
Nets odds moved longer at BetMGM to +425 after the commerce, then instantly shifted again to 7/2 whereas Sixers odds shortened to 11/2. The Nets now have a 22 p.c implied probability on the title (which positively has some anticipated worth with Kevin Durant anticipated again) whereas the Sixers transfer to fifteen p.c.
Each groups improved on this commerce, fixing main issues with stars who wished out.
Palmer: On the floor this appears like deal for the 76ers. A couple of months in the past it appeared the 76ers had no leverage in buying and selling a disgruntled Simmons who was sitting out this season to facilitate a commerce.
The 76ers now achieve a high 10-15 participant in Harden in alternate for Simmons, who wasn’t anticipated to web a participant higher than Malcolm Brogdon. Nonetheless, Harden appears to be on the decline since struggling a hamstring harm final season.
This 12 months he’s seen his manufacturing dropped to ranges we haven’t seen since he got here off the bench in Oklahoma Metropolis, averaging 22.5 factors on 41.4 p.c taking pictures and 33.2 p.c from behind the arc, the bottom of his profession. If you think about that Harden is a free agent this summer time and so they should pay $200 million for a star with a ton of mileage, it appears the 76ers’ window could possibly be this 12 months solely.
Harden may very nicely return to kind and if he does, he’s definitely a worthy addition to a 76ers crew which lacked perimeter scoring and playmaking however his match with Embiid could possibly be clunky even when he’s wholesome.
With the 76ers additionally giving up Drummond, Curry and two first-round draft picks, it feels as if the Nets bought the higher of this deal because it offers them a greater inside presence, playmaking and taking pictures which may give them a reputable probability at profitable the East.
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