The trade deadline is coming on quickly. Last week Daryl Morey was on the Mike Missanelli show saying that it was very likely that nothing would happen until the summer. Morey is a pro and he knows the importance of letting people know that he is not in a hurry. Throughout this process, Morey has played it smart by being patient. He knows that Simmon’s value is lessened because he wants out. He also knows that given enough time other stars will be in the same position. Now we are seeing his vision come to fruition. We are now hearing about three possible deals about three elite or borderline elite players:
- James Harden,
- Bradley Beal, and
- John Collins.
Harden and Beal have led the league in scoring; while John Collins is a very athletic up and coming star. I am going to review each player, what the rumors are, and the pros and cons of a deal.
James Harden
James Harden is far and away the most likely option. Shams Charania, who is very plugged in broke the news yesterday. We all know that Morey has always loved Harden and he pursued him last year as well. Harden forced his way out of Houston when Morey left. He felt that they were no longer trying. The option of reuniting with Morey and getting to play with Joel Embiid has to intrigue him. Given the mess that we all saw coming in Brooklyn, it is no surprise that he would want out.
The pros of this move are obvious. Harden is one of the best one on one offensive players in NBA history. He is now 32 years old and no longer the same player as he was when he was setting records in Houston, but he is still an elite player who is a top 10 scorer. People worry about how ball dominant he can be, but I am not at all worried about that. Last season Harden chose to be a distributor with Kyrie and Kevin Durant and he was excellent. He can be the point guard on this team and teach Maxey how to play the position. Harden can also be that end of game clutch scorer that can work alongside Embiid. They would be nearly unstoppable during the playoffs when things get tighter. Adding Harden to this team makes the Sixers an immediate favorite for the title.
There are, however, a number of concerns with a deal for Harden. First, we would likely have to include another player or two to make it work. I would hate to lose players like Maxey, Curry, or Thybulle. Second, I worry about team chemistry. Part of the success of this team has been how close they are. They all trust and support one another. This is not something that Harden is known for. Does his presence change the way the team plays? Third, Harden is best off the dribble. I like how we are running the offense through Embiid so smoothly. Can Harden be a great catch and shoot player? That is something we have to see. Finally, Harden is a free agent next year and he is going to want BIG money. We still have a very young team and Embiid is just coming into his own. I would hate to trade away our biggest trade chip for a partial year rental.
Bradley Beal
Bradley Beal won the scoring title last year. He is the lone superstar on the Wizards, a team going nowhere. The Wizards started strong, but have fallen back recently. Beal has recently started questioning his long term fit with the Wizards. The Sixers have made no secret as to their desire for him, so the Beal/Simmons rumors have taken off. Scott Rafferty of The Sporting News has a good article on this topic.
There are a number of reasons that the Sixers should pursue Bradley Beal. He might be the best possible fit on anyone for this team. Beal is an elite scorer and shooter. He can break down defenders and beat people one-on-one and he can catch and shoot as well as anyone in the game. Beal would be a perfect scoring guard and would open up space for Embiid; while also being a great shot-creator when things slow down in the playoffs. Harden is still a better one-on-one scorer and passer, but Beal can catch and shoot as well as anyone in the league. Teams trying to defend Embiid and Beal would be in trouble. This move would also make Tobias better as he could focus on what he does well and not have to create as much. Also, from a chemistry stand point Beal trains with the same trainer as Embiid. I am sure that they have spent a lot of time together. As with Harden, adding Beal immediately makes the Sixers one of the favorites to win it all.
There are some concerns with Beal. He is a horrible defender. One of the worst in the NBA statistically. If we add him, we must have Thybulle to counterbalance his poor defense. Harden is not a great defender either, but he is much better than Beal. Beal is also much shorter and not as good of a passer and rebounder. It is possible that some of this is because of the team he was on. Maybe Doc Rivers and the Sixers culture would make him better, but this is definitely a concern. Beal is also going to be a free agent next year. He has shown more loyalty than Harden, so he is likely not as big a risk, but he could still leave. Finally, Beal is getting older and his numbers have dipped a lot this year. Is age catching up with him?
John Collins
John Collins is the last name on this list. He is not as established as Harden or Beal, but he is an up and coming player with a very high ceiling. He was a big key to the Hawks defense, rebounding, and though play last year. He is also becoming a better shooter. The Hawks are definitely shopping him and the Sixers have shown interest. The Hawks have been discussing a potential deal around John Collins, Bogdan Bogdanovic, and draft compensation. Read more about this on Yahoo Sports.
There are a number of reasons to like John Collins. He is young and would grow with this team. The window to win with him is 3-5 years long which aligns with the window for Embiid and the growth of the other young players. Collins is an elite rebounder and would instantly fix a part of the game that the Sixers struggle with. He is an excellent defender as you could see when he shut down Tobias Harris during the playoffs last year. He is also a decent three-point shooter. Collins would instantly make the Sixers a more athletic team and better defensively and as a rebounder. He could make the team better this year, but I am not sure that it would be enough to make them a title favorite.
The biggest problem with Collins is that he plays the same position as Harris. Harris is a great team leader, a borderline all star (he has the second highest scoring average of anyone not to make the all star game of the past three years), and a virtually untradeable contract. The Sixers would have to make a second deal with Harris for this to work out. I have one other concern about Collins. He has been vocal about wanting the ball more quite often as a Hawk. Would he be happy with his role on the Sixers?
My Thoughts?
Embiid looks healthy and he is having an incredible season. Assuming you do not have to give up Thybulle or Maxey for Beal or Harden and I think you have to consider those deals. I trust that Morey will make sure that he can lock these players up if they decide to come. My slight preference is Beal because I do not worry about him affecting the culture, but either player would be a big add.
Posidelphia 