NBA Execs Believe 76ers Hope to Trade Ben Simmons for James Harden

When James Harden was the NBA's most disgruntled superstar last year, he left the Houston Rockets with no options but to trade him. Once Harden became available, the Philadelphia 76ers were reportedly in on the action and ready to trade Ben Simmons and more to land the former MVP.

As we know, Daryl Morey and the Sixers front office weren't able to make it happen. Instead, the Brooklyn Nets landed Harden's services. And the Sixers went from targeting Harden to zeroing in on Kyle Lowry before striking a small-scale deal for former Oklahoma City Thunder guard, George Hill.

Simmons was never in trade rumors beyond the Harden debacle. However, that changed when the 2020-2021 NBA season concluded as Simmons requested a change of scenery following Philadelphia's short-lived playoff run.

These days, Simmons is in a similar position as Harden was in Houston. Simmons wants out and he's willing to remain off the court until something gets done. Last season, it only took the Rockets a few weeks to find a resolution to their saga.

For Simmons and the Sixers, it's been a multi-month staredown that might last the entire 2021-2022 NBA season. A couple of weeks ago, it was reported that the Sixers' top priority for this season is getting Simmons back on the floor to play for them as there isn't another high-end star available.

Meanwhile, Ramona Shelburne of ESPN recently reported that Simmons is committed to his holdout and intends to sit out for the rest of the season if he isn't moved to another franchise beyond the trade deadline.

As the staredown continues and the rumors continue flying, it seems there's a chance the Sixers actually take the Simmons saga beyond this season. And if that's the case, there is a growing belief around the league that Daryl Morey is hoping to finally complete the Simmons-Harden swap he was hoping for last season, according to independent veteran NBA reporter, Marc Stein.

What Are the Executives Saying?

"Perhaps (Daryl Morey) has also been sold on a concept that executives with a growing number of rival teams say they see as Morey’s new preferred scenario: Keeping Simmons beyond the trade deadline to exhaust every last possibility for executing a complicated sign-and-trade in the offseason that finally brings James Harden to Philadelphia and routes Simmons to Brooklyn."

A lot has to happen in order for the Sixers to land Harden. The fact that the veteran superstar reportedly turned down an extension leading up to this season is a good sign for the Sixers if landing Harden is truly their plan.

But there's no guarantee that Harden wants out of Brooklyn by the end of the year. As Harden's been a star in the NBA for a long time now, the star guard's next big goal is winning a championship. Brooklyn came up short last season, but injuries played a significant part in their shortcomings. 

While the Kyrie Irving debacle caused some concerns this season, it's tough to imagine Harden is plotting a move right now. With or without Irving, the Nets are contenders. Despite dealing with many setbacks throughout the year, the Nets are still 27-16 on the year, just half a game back from first place in the Eastern Conference.

The idea of teaming up with Joel Embiid and reuniting with Daryl Morey could intrigue Harden. However, if Brooklyn makes it farther than the Sixers in the postseason this year, leaving Kevin Durant and the Nets could feel like a backward move for Harden -- especially if Brooklyn goes all the way.

Morey isn't crazy for holding out hope for Harden. But the Sixers are going to need a handful of other options on deck.

Justin Grasso covers the Philadelphia 76ers for Sports Illustrated. You can follow him for live updates on Twitter: @JGrasso_.