The Houston Rockets might be entering a state of flux and change after both Daryl Morey and Mike D’Antoni stepped down from their roles. The fast-paced James Harden era looks to be in doubt after such massive organizational changes. While the Rockets had tremendous success in the past few regular seasons, they never managed to make an NBA Finals appearance. Their commitment to small ball and spacing fell flat, as the Los Angeles Lakers beat them down in 5 games. While it is no shame to lose to a team led by LeBron James, the Rockets should have done better after dominating Game 1.
On the flip side, the Philadelphia 76ers have two stars in Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons and just acquired Hall of Fame coach Doc Rivers. Adding fuel to the fire, the Sixers later signed Daryl Morey to be the GM of the franchise. Shockingly, the Sixers are poised to make big moves this season. Daryl Morey has remained a major advocate of James Harden and it is rumored that The Beard could be on his way to join Embiid in Philly. Of course, that means Ben Simmons is the one sacrificed for the future of Philadelphia.
By swapping star guards and making a major Blockbuster deal in the league, here is how the 76ers can create a monster Big Four with James Harden, Joel Embiid, Tobias Harris, and Al Horford.
Trade Package: Ben Simmons, Josh Richardson, No. 21 pick, a future first-round pick, a future second-round pick for James Harden
The 76ers Will Win The East With A Big Four
James Harden is too good to not be playing in an NBA Finals. The Rockets came close many times, but they lacked enough support around Harden each time. He has never had a dominant big man to throw the ball down to and always had to put up insane performances to help his team win. Joel Embiid is probably the best offensive center in the NBA with what he brings to the table. His duo with Ben Simmons has not worked to date, mainly because Simmons is very limited offensively and can’t space the floor. A lineup with Horford, Embiid, and Simmons clogged the lane too much and that is why the Sixers had no success last year.
Not to mention, the Sixers lost arguably their best overall player in Jimmy Butler to Free Agency last year. Butler would have probably helped the Sixers reach the Finals if he remained with the team, but that didn’t happen. Without Jimmy Butler and an awful fit with Ben Simmons, Joel Embiid is not set up for success despite the hiring of Doc Rivers. Rivers is a coach who had the most success with a dominant big man such as Kevin Garnett and Blake Griffin and will do wonders with Joel Embiid if he has the right pieces.
With Joel Embiid and James Harden, Philly are the scariest team in the East. They have more talent than anybody else and will certainly make a couple of Finals appearances. The duo simply possesses too much scoring and intangibles to not be dominant, and it will be a sight to behold. Tobias Harris will return to his best role as the third offensive option on the floor, and Al Horford has something to prove after a horrific season for him. Harris can play off of Harden and Embiid, two scorers who can take all the pressure. Al Horford can also be the fourth option, focusing his efforts on defense and spreading the floor while adding size in the paint.
James Harden gives the Sixers the best possible advantage to win the East. Harden had another spectacular season averaging 34.3 PPG and leading the league in scoring yet again. Harden finished top-3 in MVP voting meaning Philly will be pairing an MVP player in Harden with another one in Joel Embiid. Other teams in the East including the Celtics do not have 2 superstar players, and Tobias Harris and Al Horford are excellent 3rd and 4th options. Even the Miami Heat will struggle to match Philly’s explosiveness on offense and will most likely be second fiddle to the Sixers next year if this trade happens.
The Rockets Rebuild With A Potential Superstar Player And Draft Picks
While the Rockets do not need to trade James Harden, he might be happier joining forces with GM Daryl Morey again. The Rockets made huge changes in management, and Harden might not be willing to stay during an uncertain period with Russell Westbrook. In fact, Houston might want to cut their losses and trade James Harden (who is 31 years old) and rebuild with a budding superstar in Ben Simmons.
If the Rockets have to move on from their superstar, a return of Ben Simmons and Josh Richardson is the best possible compensation they can get. Their lineup will be immediately effective with Russell Westbrook leading the charge alongside Ben Simmons, Josh Richardson, Robert Covington, and Eric Gordon. The Rockets can blitz teams on the break and they will have some nice shooting with Richardson joining the fray. Simmons can start at power forward or center depending on the matchup, and the Rockets have a ton of flexibility in their roster.
If they decide to grab a big via trade or Free Agency, they can push Gordon back to the bench as an excellent Sixth Man. Houston have plenty of options when it comes to their team because they are lucky enough to have a top-5 player in the game. Swapping a 31-year-old with an uncertain future for a 25-year old star in Ben Simmons seems like a positive return. Josh Richardson is an underrated defender and needs more time to develop his overall game because he has shown 3-and-D capabilities.
Overall, the Rockets future is in doubt with James Harden and Russell Westbrook hitting 32 years old next year. If they decide to acquire Ben Simmons and Josh Richardson, they will receive a bundle of picks as well. The Rockets gave away their first-round picks to acquire Russell Westbrook last season, so they can recoup a package of future picks to start building around Ben Simmons. If they can move on from Russell Westbrook as well, the Rockets can be primed for a strong rebuild.
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