The market prior to the NBA trade deadline had been relatively quiet as Thursday rolled along.
However, that all changed just hours before the deadline, as the Philadelphia 76ers and Brooklyn Nets completed a monster trade sending Ben Simmons and Seth Curry to Brooklyn and former MVP James Harden to Philadelphia.
BREAKING: The Brooklyn Nets and Philadelphia 76ers are finalizing trade sending James Harden for Ben Simmons, Seth Curry and draft picks, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 10, 2022
There had been rumblings that the two teams were trying to get a deal done, but some worried that there simply was not enough time to hammer out the details.
It looks like there was just enough time. As a result, two contenders in the Eastern Conference will continue the 2021-22 season with completely new lineups.
For the 76ers, they get a guard who can score at will. Along with Joel Embiid, Harden will become part of one of the most potent duos in the NBA.
As for the Nets, they get a fantastic shooter in Curry as well as an all-around star in Simmons. Of course, Simmons has not played a single game this season as he sought a trade from Philly. Now, he’ll join forces with Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving on a team that has enough star power to win a title.
