In the end, Daryl Morey got his man.
What initially looked like foolhardy posturing ended up being the smart play for Morey and the Philadelphia 76ers. They were able to pull off the trade deadline’s biggest deal by a mile, acquiring James Harden and Paul Millsap in exchange for Ben Simmons, Seth Curry, Andre Drummond, and two protected first-round picks. As part of the deal, Harden is exercising his player option, assuring he will be part of the Sixers next year as well.
The East now looks much different than it did a day ago, and it could shift the current balance power.
The move gives Philadelphia a second superstar, and Joel Embiid a running mate who can shoot, drive, and pass. The fit between the two should be evident pretty quickly. All they had to give up was a guy who didn’t play for them this year, a center with no real value, Curry, and picks. If things go the way the Sixers think, the picks will be meaningless and worth the cost of doing business.
The reduced workload on Embiid gives the Sixers a better chance of him surviving a long playoff run. Injuries and fatigue were always Embiid’s greatest nemesis, so Harden’s presence can help alleviate that. It could also have an impact on Tobias Harris, who can slide more into a complementary role. It’s possible the Sixers traded for an upgraded Harris in this deal if he can thrive in the chaos Harden creates.
The Nets, meanwhile, are still nowhere close to their final form. There are serious questions about why Harden, who forced his way to Brooklyn last season, wanted out so quickly. The reporting out of Brooklyn has hinted strongly that Kyrie Irving is at the heart of his issues, and it’s possible that the team’s decision to allow Irving to play part time irked Harden.
How that impacts the team moving forward is interesting. They will be seen as strong contenders, maybe even favorites, when fully healthy, especially if New York City eases restrictions and allows Irving to play full time.
With a healthy Kevin Durant on the wing and Irving at the point in the half court, Simmons can be a pick-setter and roller, playing a bit like Robert Williams. In transition, though, Simmons becomes a monster who can lead the break and finish at the rim. A fully-invested Simmons who buys into his unique role can be transformative for the Nets.
Not only would Simmons add a versatile weapon who can elevate teammates, he’s an elite individual defender who can be deployed against a Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jayson Tatum, or whichever other elite wing they might face in the playoffs. I wouldn’t be shocked to see the Nets deploy a box-and-one defense with four Nets in a zone and Simmons living inside the jersey of the opposing star.
If there's any solace for the rest of the East, it’s that it’s not out of the question for these teams to face each other in the first round. Philadelphia 32-22 and 2.5 games out of first, while Brooklyn is 29-25 and 5.5 back. Durant won’t be back until sometime after the All-Star break, so it’s possible the Nets will continue to struggle for a while.
Meanwhile, the Sixers are hoping Harden and Embiid can flash some instant chemistry to keep them at or near the top the rest of the way. A 3-6 playoff matchup between these two teams isn’t that far-fetched, and it would be a welcome first round battle for the rest of the East hoping for (why not have them beat each other up and eliminate one of them right away?).
The shift at the top comes as the rest of the conference’s elite mostly made minor moves (the Miami Heat might change that perception if they acquire Goran Dragic after he’s bought out). The Milwaukee Bucks swapped Dante DiVincenzo in a four-team deal to acquire Serge Ibaka. The Cleveland Cavaliers fortified themselves with the acquisition of Caris LeVert earlier in the week. When it comes to the current top five, the Nets and Sixers were obviously the biggest movers.
The race for the middle of the conference, a.k.a. “avoid the play-in tournament,” is an interesting one. The Celtics fortified their defense by adding Derrick White and Daniel Theis. They are also offensive upgrades who fit Ime Udoka’s system better, so Boston will certainly compete to be in that mix. The Toronto Raptors added Thaddeus Young, whom they believe will bolster the bench and help continue their recent run of success.
The Charlotte Hornets added Montrezl Harrell, which certainly adds to an already intense, offensively-focused roster, but does nothing to change their significant defensive issues. They will remain dangerous with LaMelo Ball slinging the rock and having one more target to find, but they will also be dangerous to themselves.
This deadline reshaped the East a bit. The Milwaukee Bucks are the champs, and they're hoping their talent keeps them at the top. Miami is the current top seed, and if they can pull a buyout coup, they hope to stay there. But the Sixers and their acquisition of Harden are pushing their way to the front of the class.
If Brooklyn can recover from their free-fall, they’ll have the roster to beat any of them, even if their seed suffers from this recent skid. That puts Chicago and Cleveland, two teams currently only a game out of first, into the next tier; a tier Boston, Toronto, Charlotte, and Atlanta are all hoping to join.
The tightly-packed East is only getting tougher because of the shift at the top. The play-in tournament will be a bloodbath between four pretty good teams. The first round could see early exits for teams who have spent time at the top of the standings. The winner of this conference will have to survive a vicious gauntlet for a chance at a championship.
So this is what it was like to be in the Western Conference all those years.