An enticing trade proposal has the Philadelphia 76ers sending superstar James Harden to a surprise Eastern Conference team.
Earlier this offseason, the 2018 league MVP opted into his $35.6 million player option for 2023-24 with the hopes of facilitating a trade out of Philadelphia. But with August around the corner, the future Hall of Famer remains a member of the 76ers’ roster.
At NBA Analysis Network, James Piercey proposed a blockbuster trade that has the 76ers sending Harden to the Indiana Pacers (who don’t exactly have a rich history of trading for All-Star-caliber players) in exchange for T.J. McConnell, Buddy Hield, Daniel Theis and a top-five protected 2025 first-round pick:
“Sure, they could sit him until the deadline. What then? If they haven’t moved Harden yet, he’ll walk next summer. This situation has an expiration date. With that in mind, the Sixers could do worse than this.
Adding an elite shooter like Field could bolster the duo of Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey. Throw in a pair of decent reserves and a protected first, and who knows? The Sixers may add the Pacers to their list of Harden suitors – whether Harden likes it or not.”
The Pacers are coming off a third straight losing and non-playoff season, and the lack of star power has been a key reason why. 2020 first-rounder Tyrese Haliburton was the Pacers’ leading scorer in 2022-23 with an average of 20.7 points per game.
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Trading for Harden alone wouldn’t make the Pacers a championship contender, but he would bring relevance to the franchise as they continue to endure a frustrating rebuilding period.
For the 76ers, getting equal value in return for Harden is much easier said than done. But Piercey’s trade proposal seems like a fair exchange for the future Hall of Famer, as Hield and McConnell would help keep their competitive window open with 2023 league MVP Joel Embiid leading the way.
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