The Philadelphia 76ers are getting nowhere while waiting for teams to take an interest in James Harden and then extorting them with a high asking price for a disgruntled superstar who is past his prime and on an expiring contract. Instead of staying on the defensive, it may be time for Daryl Morey to get aggressive and find an unconventional situation to this problem.
The Los Angeles Clippers have reportedly taken a step back from trade discussions for Harden, making it the perfect time for Morey to offer Harden to other teams in the NBA. Instead of getting picks for Harden, Morey can go aggressive and orchestrate a three-team deal that sees Harden land up in New Orleans to unleash Zion Williamson while the 76ers get Brandon Ingram. The third team is the Brooklyn Nets, who finally address their point guard concerns and move off Ben Simmons.
Trade Details
Brooklyn Nets Receive: C.J. McCollum
New Orleans Pelicans Receive: James Harden, Ben Simmons, 2024 First-Round Pick (PHI), 2025 First-Round Pick (PHX), 2028 First-Round Pick (PHI), 2028 Second-Round Pick (BKN), 2029 Second-Round Pick (DAL)
Philadelphia 76ers Receive: Brandon Ingram
This isn’t a trade many have thought likely, due to the Pelicans not showing any inclination to move off Ingram or CJ. But this deal can get them a lot of future assets and a point guard that could perfectly complement Zion.
Brooklyn Gets A Point Guard And Dumps Ben Simmons
The Brooklyn Nets are a very weirdly constructed team right now. Their roster’s balance seemed off after the Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant trade, but it hasn’t improved after the summer. The team made no big moves except reinforcing the edges of their rotation by bringing in Dennis Smith Jr. and Lonnie Walker IV. The team could be among the ones vying for a top-six playoff berth in the East if they got a genuine point guard onto the roster.
Spencer Dinwiddie has been decent, but outside of him, there aren’t any ball-handlers on the roster. C.J. McCollum would address that and even be a floor-spacing option when required. He would complement most of the Nets’ players well on the court with his shooting and passing ability. He averaged 20.9 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 5.7 assists last season and could be the perfect piece for the Nets to solidify their playoff chances this season.
There has been a disconnect between coach Jacque Vaughn and Ben Simmons. Even with all the hope for a Simmons rebound season, it may be better to move off him for a veteran player who can contribute regularly on the court. The first-round pick they give up is not only the price for an upgrade but the contract dump on the Pelicans.
New Orleans Stay Asset-Rich While Navigating Zion Williamson’s Future
The Pelicans may believe that they just need health to be competitive in the West, but we’re five seasons into the current makeup of the roster and have been left unconvinced. A shakeup is required, and acquiring Harden would be precisely that. Giving up Ingram may seem ludicrous, but the Pelicans have a lot of strong wing players emerging like Herbert Jones and Trey Murphy III that could make a big impact. Ingram’s offense is a massive tool but has left the Pelicans looking clunky and without a solid game plan given his iso ability and Zion’s inconsistent health.
Some of the best Zion moments on the court came with a pass-first point guard like Lonzo Ball. Even at the price of losing Ingram, the Pelicans get one of the best passers of this generation in Harden. He led the league in assists while averaging 21.0 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 10.7 assists last season. Given the place his NBA career is in right now, Harden will be motivated to have a strong year with the Pelicans to see if he’ll even re-sign with the franchise, given how they perform.
If it works out, the Pelicans can maintain Harden on short-term contracts given his age and market value. If Harden wants to leave, the Pelicans open up a lot of salary flexibility to continue building alongside Zion while being three first-round picks richer as a result.
The 76ers Make The Most Of Their Situation
With Harden not in the 76ers plans, the team needs to make a move. Acquiring a wing scorer like Brandon Ingram would be the perfect move, especially with Tobias Harris’ uncertain future and the emergence of Tyrese Maxey as a guard. Maxey is ready to be the primary ball-handler of the franchise, so trying to replace Harden with another guard may not be ideal. Adding a wing terror like Ingram would give the 76ers a late-game scoring option that we’ve seen both Harden and Embiid fail to be.
Ingram averaged 24.7 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 5.8 assists last season and has been unable to thrive with the Pelicans. The constant injuries to him and Zion have handicapped that franchise, so the 76ers will have to take a measured risk on this deal. But with Harden already on his way out, they may have to fork up the two picks to upgrade their roster even with a player of Harden’s caliber leaving. Ingram is just 28 years old and still has years of his prime ahead of him, giving Embiid long-term assurance on a co-star in Philadelphia.
There’s no path to becoming better than the Bucks or Celtics on paper for any team in the East. But with a big three of Embiid, Ingram, and Maxey, the 76ers could come closer than any other team to possibly upsetting them and making a Finals run.
A Trade That Sends Three Teams In Three Directions
This trade would cause a massive shuffle in the NBA. The Nets become a more realistic threat in the East, possibly surpassing teams like the Hawks and the Raptors in the middle of the East and finding their footing as a definite top-six franchise. With personal pick equity already leveraged in coming seasons, the Nets will be incentivized to be good, especially with Mikal Bridges emerging as a possible franchise star.
The Pelicans hedge sideways by opening up flexibility by giving up both Ingram and CJ. Harden would be a phenomenal fit alongside Zion, but there are many off-court questions the Pelicans will still be looking for answers to. The best way to stay competitive and manage the troubling situation that could be brewing is to maximize their assets while seeing how Zion develops. The Pelicans could be the leaders in any trade conversations in the future due to how stacked they are with future draft capital.
The 76ers take a step towards contention. While it’s hard to equate Harden’s impact with what Ingram will provide, it’s fair to say that it’s the best player the 76ers could get their hands on given how the Harden trade saga has played out. Upgrading with talent to make yourself a more diverse roster should always be the goal, and Daryl Morey would be very pleased if he could make something like this work.
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