‘Worst day in his career’: 76ers cut Ben Simmons loose in James Harden trade

Ben Simmons is finally leaving Philadelphia courtesy of a blockbuster trade that has reverberated around the NBA.

Ben Simmons’ break-up with Philadelphia is finally official.

The 76ers are getting rid of the disgruntled Aussie in a blockbuster trade confirmed on Friday morning (AEDT) that will see them acquire Brooklyn Nets superstar James Harden.

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The Nets are trading Harden and Paul Millsap to the Sixers for Simmons, Seth Curry, Andre Drummond and two first-round draft picks before the NBA trade deadline, according to ESPN.

Harden declined to sign a contract extension with Brooklyn before this season and is eligible to become a free agent this winter. He’s believed to have issues with anti-vaxxer Kyrie Irving not being able to play home games, because of vaccine mandates in place in New York City.

That, combined with connections he has to people within the Sixers, seemed to pave his road from Brooklyn to Philadelphia.

Brooklyn acquired Harden from the Houston Rockets last year to form a “Big Three” with Irving and Kevin Durant, giving up three first-round picks, four first-round swaps, Caris LeVert, Jarrett Allen, Taurean Prince and Rodions Kurucs.

But the Nets lost to last year’s eventual champions Milwaukee Bucks in a seven-game second-round playoff series in which both Harden and Irving suffered injuries.

The Nets will get the Sixers' 2022 first-round pick unprotected with a right to defer until 2023 and a 2027 first-round pick protected 1-to-8, sources tell ESPN. The 2027 pick would roll over to 2028 protected 1-to-8 again. The pick turns into two seconds and $2M in 2029.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) February 10, 2022

Ben Simmons is on the move. Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images/AFP

Simmons hasn’t stepped foot on the court this season after refusing to suit up for the Sixers, citing mental health reasons.

The 25-year-old demanded to be traded and was prepared to sit out the entire NBA campaign if a deal couldn’t be done, such was his anger at being, in his eyes, thrown under the bus by his teammates and coach following last year’s ugly playoffs exit at the hands of the Atlanta Hawks.

Simmons’ unwillingness to shoot became the hottest topic in the Sixers’ post-season horror show as he came under heavy fire from all quarters for not showing enough intent on offence. Many pundits pointed to that glaring weakness as the primary reason for Philly’s failure to progress further in the playoffs.

Simmons was fined million of dollars for missing team activities in the pre-season and then the season proper, but not even that punishment was enough to make him wear a Philadelphia jersey again. He wanted out but the organisation wasn’t prepared to let him go unless it could secure a bona-fide superstar in return.

Trade rumours have abounded for months but nothing had materialised because other teams weren’t offering up packages or players attractive enough to convince the Sixers to part with their three-time All-Star.

But their divorce was made official on the eve of the NBA trade deadline expiring and Simmons will become the second Australian on Brooklyn’s roster, joining Patty Mills in New York.

James Harden wanted out of Brooklyn. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)

The Nets have been building a super team by recruiting Harden, Irving and Durant with the intent of winning a championship. That plan didn’t materialise last season and while the loss of Harden will hurt, Simmons at his best is still one of the most influential players in the NBA.

Before the trade was announced, ESPN reported Harden was keen to leave Brooklyn but had avoided making a formal approach to the Nets, for fear of the public backlash he would receive for asking to be traded twice in as many years.

The 10-time All-Star was with Houston for nearly a decade before heading to the exit in 2021, and his stint in Brooklyn has been shorter than many would have anticipated — and ends without that highly sought-after championship.

‘Worst day in his career’: World reacts to blockbuster trade

ESPN pundit Stephen A. Smith didn’t mince his words, saying the Nets are the obvious winner in this trade deal.

“This could potentially go down as the worst day in the career of (76ers general manager) Daryl Morey. You gave up a shooter in Seth Curry, the bottom line is he’s one of the premier shooters in the game. He’s gone,” Smith told NBA today.

“You gave up two first-round picks. How do you go from asking for first-round picks to giving up two of them? That makes no sense to me whatsoever.

“When you think about Ben Simmons and how he compliments KD (Durant) and Kyrie, what he brings to the table in terms of his playmaking ability, ball-handling skills, basketball IQ, and most importantly, defensive prowess.

“There’s no question, along with Ande Drummond, a big body Brooklyn desperately needed because we know they’re a bit thin on their front line.

“You take all these things into consideration, I don’t think there’s any doubt that Brooklyn benefits from this trade.”

Smith pointed to Harden’s age and fitness concerns as to why Philadelphia has received the short end of the stick.

“Is he going to lose weight? Is he going to get younger? Is the hamstring injury suddenly going to disappear? We’re watching what we’ve been watching for the last couple of years,” Smith said.

“As great as we know he is, he hasn’t been himself, meaning the guy Daryl Morey was overseeing in Houston. And because he hasn’t been that guy, I’m wondering how long can he be that guy in Philadelphia.”

Who is the real winner? Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images/AFP

NBA writer for The Ringer, Kevin O’Connor, said the trade is great news for Simmons.

“I wrote on Monday why the Nets are a dream fit for Ben Simmons,” he tweeted after the news was made official. “This deal is a massive victory for him and Klutch.

“Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving can unlock new dimensions to his game.”

MMA journalist Ariel Helwani, who worked on NBA broadcasts when employed by ESPN, tweeted: “I think both the Sixers and Nets win. Nets needed to make a change. Sixers needed to unload Simmons and try to win now. Solid deal for both. Hope they meet in the playoffs so it gets super fun and awkward!

“Kyrie and Simmons (on the road) should be interesting. Man, so much pressure on Simmons. If he stinks it up this could be it for him. Will be curious to see what shape he’s in when he returns. Hopefully he’s worked on his shot.”

Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports wrote: “Brooklyn will take its time getting Ben Simmons acclimated, but the star guard welcomes a change of scenery and has already had conversations with Kevin Durant and they’re all on the same page.”

Plenty also had some fun on social media referencing the relief Sixers General manager Daryl Morey must be feeling after finally getting a deal done to send Simmons on his way.

Morey was head of the Rockets when they picked up Harden in 2012 and in 2020, in the same month Morey resigned as Houston’s GM, Harden requested a trade.

Sports Illustrated wrote on Twitter Morey had “pulled off one of the biggest blockbusters in recent memory”.

With the New York Post