5 biggest questions heading into 2021 NBA Playoffs

Who came out better in 76ers-Nets trade?

The biggest narrative that actually turned into something was the Nets-76ers trade that took Eastern Conference rivals and had them swap stars. The entire reason the 76ers made the move was looking towards the playoffs. Ben Simmons proved he can’t handle the pressure of the postseason last year, and now he’s on a new squad. Meanwhile, the 76ers sent the farm to Brooklyn to get James Harden. The results have been varied at best.

We won’t know who “won” that trade until the end of the postseason. The 76ers could have lost every single game after the trade until the postseason. As long as they made the playoffs and won in the postseason, they win the trade. Then there are the Nets. They are still considered favorites to win it all despite Ben Simmons playing exactly zero minutes for his new team. Reports say he is working towards a return, but we haven’t seen him play since he fell all over himself in the postseason last year.

This is one of the biggest trades in recent memory. We’ve seen bigger stars traded, but it’s never been between two teams both looking to make each other better. It is usually between one team looking to get a star and the other looking to cash out on said star. Both the 76ers and Nets needed to cash out, and they could help each other make the most out of their situation.

Finding winners in trades is probably a trope only we care about, but the narrative matters. Narratives get coaches fired. Narratives can get in players’ heads. Heck, narratives could be the reason a trade happens in the first place. Maybe the 76ers are patient with Simmons and maybe Simmons shows up for training camp if it wasn’t for narrative. Maybe Harden just works through the issues in Brooklyn with Kyrie and the rest of the problems that made it not work. Narrative still rules all, and it will continue to rule all in the NBA Playoffs.