Birds of the same feather flock together. So do NBA stars. Often, a star player lands on a team with other stars. In today’s NBA, we often see star players join forces.
Just look at the Philadelphia 76ers. When James Harden decided to leave the Brooklyn Nets, he wanted to join Joel Embiid on the Philadelphia 76ers. When he was leaving the Houston Rockets, he wanted to land on either the Sixers or the star-studded Nets. As they say: birds of the same feather…
With that said, they don’t always flock together for long. Harden is looking to leave the Sixers now, too. It’s been reported that he’s interested in landing on the Los Angeles Clippers. Could he settle for L.A.’s other team?
The Trade Proposal
Philadelphia 76ers Receive: G D’Angelo Russell, F Rui Hachimura
Los Angeles Lakers Receive: G James Harden
The recent history of the Lakers follows the same trend. Stars attract stars. When LeBron James joined the team, that wasn’t necessarily expected to be the case. James was to lead a young collection of talent to eventual playoff glory. If you believe that, we’ve got a bridge in Brooklyn to sell you: James Harden used it to drive right out of town.
The Lakers would send out most of their young talent to pair James with Anthony Davis. Birds of the same feather would flock together again. The rest is history: James and Davis would win an NBA championship together. This wasn’t the first time that James brought a group of stars together, either.
NBA TRADES, NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: James Harden, Philadelphia 76ers & Los Angeles Lakers Updates
Some would call James the father of the superteam. We’re unsure about that: the 2007 Boston Celtics and the 1973 Sixers would beg to differ. Still, James has been a pioneer. His NBA career is almost over. Would teaming up with Harden help him land one more title?
Why The Los Angeles Lakers Do The Deal
This deal would certainly have some narrative value. If this worked out, it would make for quite the story. Harden finally caters his game to another star and wins big. The story practically writes itself.
Here’s the thing: the odds of that story coming to be would be quite high. We’ve seen Harden change his game alongside fellow stars already. He’s capable of playing a more complementary role. Harden is a keen passer with a genius-level understanding of the game. In other words, he’s just the type of player that tends to thrive alongside James.
NBA TRADES, NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: James Harden, Philadelphia 76ers & Los Angeles Lakers Updates
Considering that Harden is an elite floor spacer, that holds even more true. This star duo makes sense on paper, and they make sense alongside Davis. Should the Sixers help the Lakers put such a talented roster together?
Why The Philadelphia 76ers Do The Deal
Harden may be a dynamic talent. At this point, he’s tanked his own trade value. Harden is a free agent next summer. He’s made a habit of leaving teams as soon as he’s questioning his situation. So, nobody will send out a king’s ransom in return for him.
With that in mind, this is a good return. Arguably, it’s headlined by Hachimura. He looked like a useful utility player with a long career ahead of him in last year’s playoffs. The Sixers should happily add him if the Lakers make him available.
NBA TRADES, NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: James Harden, Philadelphia 76ers & Los Angeles Lakers Updates
Meanwhile, Russell can make up some of Harden’s playmaking, too. With Embiid and Tyrese Maxey on the roster, the Sixers should stay relevant even following this deal. They’ll have more depth, and with a new coach, they could even improve. If not, expect Joel Embiid to flock for a new team before long.
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