Guard James Harden has recently requested a trade from the Philadelphia 76ers, after opting into his $35.6 million player option. There is no doubt that many believe that moving him will reduce the chances of the 76ers competing at a high-level next season.

However, not all agree with that notion. Stephen A. Smith has recently claimed that the Philadelphia 76ers may be better off without James Harden, noting that the guard leaving could help Tyrese Maxey's development. 

"I think it's a beautiful thing if James Harden leaves Philadelphia for this one reason ... Tyrese Maxey. ... You're the Philadelphia 76ers, you hand Tyrese Maxey that ball and say, 'You that dude.'"

There is no doubt that a potential departure from James Harden could open up the touches for Tyrese Maxey to grow as a point guard. Still, talent is what ultimately wins games at the highest level. Even if Maxey takes a leap under coach Nick Nurse, the kind of production Harden provides is hard to replace.

This past season, James Harden averaged 21.0 PPG, 6.1 RPG, and 10.7 APG for the Philadelphia 76ers. He is clearly still an All-Star level player, and he will be a difference-maker on any team.

The 76ers Have Made Tyrese Maxey Untouchable In Trade Talks

There is no doubt that Tyrese Maxey is highly valued by the Philadelphia 76ers. In fact, a previous report revealed that the franchise considers him untouchable in any trades involving the team.

"My Yahoo! Sports colleague Jake Fischer reported Saturday that the 76ers are unwilling to include Tyrese Maxey in trade offers for Portland's Damian Lillard. He took it a step further, too, and I have heard the same. Maxey is not available in any trade conversations, according to one team source, with the Sixers adamant that the speedy guard is a significant part of their future and thus not available in any scenarios."

It will be interesting to see how Tyrese Maxey develops for the Philadelphia 76ers going forward. Many people clearly believe that Maxey is a future star, and he certainly has the talent to play at that level consistently. Tyrese Maxey is key to the 76ers contending with and without James Harden, and hopefully, he can rise up to the challenge.

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