“I Absolutely Give Up Ben Simmons”: NBA Analyst Urges 76ers to Pursue James Harden

A couple of days back, the Philadelphia 76ers officially announced Daryl Morey as their President of Basketball Operations. Morey was previously the GM for the Rockets. Ever since he arrived in Philly, he has been linked with a move to his former player, James Harden.

But The Athletic’s Shams Charania revealed that the Rockets are clearly not on board for it. But he doesn’t rule out the 76ers just yet.

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Chris Broussard says the 76ers don’t mind trading Ben Simmons

NBA analyst Chris Broussard agreed that the Rockets would not give up Harden. But if they do, Broussard says he won’t think twice about giving up Ben Simmons.

He said, “Ben Simmons is somewhat injury-prone. If I am Philadelphia, without question, I absolutely give up Ben Simmons, and whatever it has to get James Harden.”

While Morey has mentioned that both Simmons and Joel Embiid can work together, his praise for the latter stood out. He is clearly a big fan of the Cameroonian All-Star, and it looks like it is going to be Embiid’s team. So even if Simmons stays, he is just going to be the secondary star on the team.

Can James Harden turn the Philadelphia 76ers into the best team in the East?

Broussard then talked about how Harden would turn the 76ers into the best team in the East. While playing at Houston, Harden’s usage rate was off the charts. That led to inefficient scoring, and when he failed, they were bound to lose.

If the 76ers land Harden, they can use him not just as an outside scorer but also as a primary playmaker. At his best, Harden led the league in assists. So him combining with Embiid will make them a deadly duo. If they are able to defend Kevin Durant, they will make it out of the East.

This trade scenario is an unlikely one, but if it happens, the 76ers will benefit the most.

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