Shannon Sharpe pithily explains why the Philadelphia 76ers got the better deal in trading Ben Simmons, Seth Curry and Drummond for James Harden.
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The James Harden trade will have ripple effects on the championship aspirations of franchises across the NBA. The Beard is probably the best pick-and-roll guard in the league today, save for Trae Young.
Harden joins hands with Joel Embiid, who’s literally a cheat code in the pick-and-pop or in the hard roll. NBA fans will definitely be treated to a ton of top-10 plays of the night connections between the two.
Ben Simmons, meanwhile, strengthens the Brooklyn Nets significantly on the defensive end. He’s one of the few forwards in the league with the size and the quickness to partially contain the LeBron and Giannises of the world.
His arrival also allows Kyrie and Kevin Durant to be the main ball-handlers as he roams around as a cutter on offense. This is a role tailor-made for a player like Ben, who relies a lot on his quickness, instincts and transition play.
Without a game being played, it is difficult to evaluate which team has gained more in the trade. There’s obviously a crying need that Harden fulfils for the Philadelphia 76ers. He’s their first Hall of Fame guard since Allen Iverson, and probably the best passer in franchise history.
Shannon Sharpe takes to Twitter to evaluate the James Harden-Ben Simmons trade for Philly
Shannon Sharpe is one of those who believe the 76ers won the trade hands down. For the Pro Football Hall of Famer, a trade should always be evaluated by which team got the best player.
In this case, it’s pretty obvious that the Sixers got the better guy – an MVP and a multiple scoring champion. Ben Simmons might possibly make the Hall of Fame, but Harden is a top-15 to 20 offensive player of all time.
“You know who won it, the 76ers. They got a guy in James Harden who can compete at a high level vs Ben Simmons who was giving them nothing. Would you rather have a car that starts or one that don’t crank?”
.@ShannonSharpe on who won the trade between the Sixers and Nets:
“You know who won it, the 76ers. They got a guy in James Harden who can compete at a high level vs Ben Simmons who was giving them nothing. Would you rather have a car that starts or one that don’t crank?” pic.twitter.com/rgNJxOtwYX
— UNDISPUTED (@undisputed) February 11, 2022
What matters at the end of the day is how well the two new acquisitions fit in with their teams. Both teams have championship-caliber talent for both ends of the floor now. Giannis’ Bucks will be sweating buckets at the prospect of facing either team in the playoffs.