The Brooklyn Nets and The Philadelphia 76ers agreed to a trade that is being considered the most league-altering trade of the 2021-2022 NBA season. The trade involves multiple superstars, including Ben Simmons and James Harden.
The 76ers have agreed to send the 2016 number one overall draft pick and former rookie of the year Ben Simmons to the Nets, along with Seth Curry, Andre Drummond and two future round one draft picks. In exchange, All-Star and former League MVP James Harden along with Paul Milsap will be joining the 76ers roster.
The trade comes as no surprise, as the 76ers have been trying to find a new destination for Simmons ever since his last time on the court during the 2021 playoffs. Simmons has sat out most of this year due to mental health reasons and Harden has expressed interest in wanting to get out of Brooklyn, so it’s only natural that the two teams were able to make a deal.
After a trade of this caliper, it’s often the case that we see people online argue over who “won” or “lost” the trade. Former Los Angeles Laker and basketball legend Magic Johnson tweeted that he believes with the addition of James Harden, the 76ers have a chance to win the NBA finals this year. The trade got the attention of many 76ers fans, and many have mixed feelings about it.
“I don’t know how I feel about if the trade was successful or not,” Elizabethtown College junior Andrew Furman said. “They weren’t making the finals with the roster they had, [and] now I think they have a fighting chance.”
While Harden is a former MVP, and still an All-Star, as the years go by it’s hard to determine how much longer Harden is going to be able to play at an elite level. On the other hand, Ben Simmons is still early in his career and he could continue to improve for years to come.
“The [76ers] motto is championship or bust,” Etown student and NBA fan Sagar Patel said. “The Nets have a lot more potential in the future with those picks.”
Both Simmons and Harden have yet to play a game in their new uniforms, but Harden is expected to make his debut Friday, Feb. 25 against the Minnesota Timberwolves. As for Simmons, there’s no official date for when he’s set to return, however, when asked, he said he hopes to be present playing against his former team in Philadelphia on March 10. As for who won the trade, I guess we will find out on March 10.
