Report: 76ers Acquire James Harden, Send Ben Simmons to Nets in Blockbuster Trade

The Nets and 76ers have agreed to a blockbuster deal that will send James Harden to Philadelphia, according to The Athletic’s Shams Charania.

Harden will join the 76ers along with forward Paul Millsap, while the Nets will receive Ben Simmons, Seth Curry, Andre Drummond and two first-round picks, per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. 

Thursday’s deal marks the end of weeks of speculation regarding Harden’s future in Brooklyn. Harden will now reunite with 76ers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey, who served as the Rockets’ general manager from 2007 to ’20.

Harden, 32, is a seven-time All-NBA selection, three-time scoring champion and one-time MVP. He led the Rockets to eight straight playoff appearances from 2013 to ’20, but he forced his way out of Houston early last season. He is averaging 22.5 points and 10.2 assists per game, seeing a decline in both his scoring numbers and shooting percentages.

Simmons has not played in 2021–22, citing mental health concerns. He was selected with the No. 1 pick in the ’16 draft, and he earned three All-NBA selections in his first four seasons. Simmons drew significant criticism for his performance in the ’21 Eastern Conference finals, in which he took just 14 shots across the final three games against the Hawks. 

Both Philadelphia and Brooklyn remain in the hunt for the Eastern Conference crown this season. The 76ers enter Thursday night at No. 5 in the East at 32–22, while the Nets sit at 29–25.