James Harden’s recent trade to the Philadelphia 76ers has undoubtedly been the talk of the town lately.
Leaving the duo of Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving to join forces with Joel Embiid surely has its pros and cons for the former NBA MVP. Was it finally a good or a bad call for Harden?
The good news for the new Philadelphia superstar is that the team is well organized and the roles are clear on and off the court. Harden is going to blend with the team smoothly and upgrade them for the mutual purpose, which is no other than the championship.
Joel Embiid is the undisputed leader of the Sixers, but in a totally different gameplay. Should the two superstars match well, then Philadelphia will easily ascent to the top of the East and set sail for the Finals.
Photo: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
On the other hand, the existence of the Durant/Irving duo in Brooklyn makes the Nets a difficult team to beat. With both superstars healthy, Brooklyn is automatically one of the top contenders in the East and a team that nobody wants to face in the playoffs.
Harden’s departure gives Irving more time to create and Durant more freedom to execute. The choice of Harden to stand against them is surely interesting.
The NBA payoffs will determine Harden’s call. If Philadelphia makes a championship run, the Beard would have made the right choice. The success will be even greater for him following his decision to leave the safety of Brooklyn.
Should the Nets get all the way to the Finals and the title, though, his choice is a failure. One thing is certain. With Harden’s move, the cards are shuffled. The James Harden/Ben Simmons trade shaped the title picture in the NBA and set the bar high for the postseason.
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