James Harden rumors dominated December and they don’t appear to be going anywhere as we embrace the new year. Philadelphia is one of the team’s atop Harden’s wishlist but the franchise will take their time evaluating Ben Simmons, Joel Embiid, and the new-look rotation around them before deciding to pursue a Harden deal.
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Many factors will come into play when assessing the current situation in Philadelphia, Sam Amick of The Athletic hears. The results, chemistry and “perceived ceiling” among them, Amick writes.
Philadelphia likely has the best trade chip available among teams in the mix for Harden, if indeed Simmons is on the table. Team president Daryl Morey recently shot down the rumors of a possible Simmons deal, though very few things in this league are certain. If Harden talks heat up leading up to the deadline, Morey has a trump card to obtain the former MVP.
Through two games with the Rockets, Harden is averaging 39.0 points per game (first in the NBA) while dishing out 12.5 assists per contest (third behind Nikola Jokic and Russell Westbrook). The 31-year-old paces the league with a 41.21 player efficiency rating.
