Let's Set Odds: Will James Harden be Traded By The Deadline?

After months of waiting for players to get healthy, vaccine talk and flat out prayer, it looks like the super-trio of Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving and James Harden will never be able to reach its full potential. 

It was reported that the Brooklyn Nets were open to a deal involving Harden and the Philadelphia 76ers – with Ben Simmons being the prime trade target in return. Of course, these are just reports that a trade could happen. However, the writing is on the wall that the Sixers and Nets will swap stars and keep it moving. 

There hasn’t been a lot of action on the trading side of the NBA, but could this deal be the blockbuster we’ve been waiting for. Let’s examine the "odds.”

Odds James Harden Gets Traded by the Trade Deadline 

• Yes: +100
• No: -150

Harden Gets Traded

Right now, the Nets’ experiment feels like a failure. Harden is a shell of his former self, Kyrie Irving is there half the time and Kevin Durant is out for an extended period of time. Those three have only played 16 games together since they came together. 

The deal makes sense for both teams. The Nets could use the defense that Simmons brings and the Sixers could use another offensive creator on their side. If the Nets could land a 24-year-old All-Star that is also First-Team All-Defensive team, that would be a huge move for the present and future.

For Philadelphia, it gives them an elite star to put alongside Embiid and show him that they don’t intend to waste his prime. 

It’s a win-win. 

Harden Stays In Brooklyn

Although it seems like a disaster, trading away Harden after he’s played less than 82 games with the team would be a major disappointment. The reason the Nets went and got Harden could be the same reason he stays. The potential of having all three on the same court as once might be too much to pass up. 

Also, reports come and go and with only five days until the trade deadline, it seems like a quick turnaround from news-to-action. Harden is still one of the more valuable players in the league and has one of the highest ceilings in the league. 

If Harden stays and Durant comes back healthy, this is an entirely different conversation.