It’s the NBA’s messiest situation. James Harden and the Philadelphia 76ers are getting divorced. It’s going to be ugly – in fact, it already is. According to Harden, Sixers GM Daryl Morey is “a liar”. Yikes.
This won’t be an easy situation for Morey to resolve. He won’t be able to play chicken like he did with Ben Simmons. Simmons was on a long-term contract – Morey could afford to wait for a good deal. By contrast, Harden just accepted a player option. He’s got one year left on his deal. If the Sixers don’t find a trade for him by this year’s deadline, they’re going to lose Harden for nothing.
So, they have to trade Harden. They may have to take below market value as well. The Sixers may have to take what they can get. Meanwhile, this creates buy-low opportunities for potentially interested teams. Could the Sacramento Kings be interested?
The Trade Proposal
Philadelphia 76ers Receive: F Harrison Barnes, G/F Kevin Huerter
Sacramento Kings Receive: G James Harden
With that said, Harden is no stranger to messy situations. It wasn’t long ago that he said the Houston Rockets “could not be fixed”. On the other hand, perhaps it’s somewhat unfair to paint Harden as a problematic superstar. Is it?
In fairness, he committed to the Rockets for a long time. In fact, the only reason he’s not the most important player the organization’s history is the existence of Hakeem Olajuwon. After The Dream, Harden is the historic face of the Rockets. His elite offensive production led to some of the more successful years in that organization’s history.
NBA TRADES, NEWS & RUMORS: James Harden, Sacramento Kings & Philadelphia 76ers Updates
Eventually, he forced his way out anyway. We don’t even blame him. With that said, since leaving the Rockets, Harden’s been on a downward spiral. He spent a season on the Brooklyn Nets before forcing his way to the Philadelphia 76ers. Now, he’s forcing his way off of the Sixers. Should the Kings really take a risk on him?
Why The Sacramento Kings Do The Deal
We’re not sure. This is a massive risk for the Kings. It could backfire. Have we sold you yet?
Jokes aside, the Kings had a clear identity last season. They were a weak defensive team, and the best offensive team in the NBA. Harden does nothing to alter that balance. He’s a notoriously low-effort defender. On the other hand, he remains one of the better offensive players in the NBA. If the Kings acquired him, they’d be leaning into an identity. The Kings could outscore opponents on a near-nightly basis.
NBA TRADES, NEWS & RUMORS: James Harden, Sacramento Kings & Philadelphia 76ers Updates
Meanwhile, they can arguably spare both of these players. Malik Monk was more impactful than Huerter in this year’s playoffs. Keegan Murray is on track to usurp Barnes. If the Kings want to form an elite offensive trio of Harden, Domantas Sabonis and De’Aaron Fox, this would be the way to do it. Should the Sixers accept this offer for Harden?
Why The Philadelphia 76ers Do The Deal
Yes. If this deal is on the table, the Sixers should take it and run. They’d be extremely lucky to land a player like Huerter in exchange for Harden. At this point, it’s highly unlikely that they’ll find a better return on the open market.
After all, Harden is a flight risk. He’s a free agent this summer. Meanwhile, everyone knows that he’s going to do what he feels like doing. At this point, it wouldn’t be a shock if Harden signed a one-year, billion-dollar deal to play in China. We’re joking again – kind of. The point stands, Harden’s trade value has reached an all-time low.
NBA TRADES, NEWS & RUMORS: James Harden, Sacramento Kings & Philadelphia 76ers Updates
So, landing a 6’7 off-guard with elite movement shooting would be huge for the Sixers. Meanwhile, they could use a wing-like Barnes to space the floor at the 4 spots. This may not be ideal, but the Sixers won’t find an ideal return for Harden. At this point, the situation is far too messy.
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