If a notification pops up on my phone that “The Rockets and Sixers have agreed to trade…” my heart will jump just like everyone else. While I have mixed feelings on a potential James Harden trade, it would undoubtedly be a deal that changed the timeline of competing for a championship.
The Sixers are certainly in “win-now” mode, but with Simmons (24) and Embiid (26) still on long-term deals and entering the primes of their career they are not exactly “all-in” for just this season. Finding complementary players to bring out the best in the duo has been the theme of this offseason and one great fitting role player may be able to be pried from Houston for a much cheaper price.