It remains difficult to get a read on the odds that the Sixers and Nets will complete a James Harden/Ben Simmons blockbuster before Thursday afternoon’s trade deadline.
As we detailed earlier today, a pair of ESPN reporters painted vastly different pictures of the likelihood of a deal getting done, with Brian Windhorst suggesting he believes a trade is more likely than not, while Adrian Wojnarowski expressed serious skepticism.
Since then, a series of new reports have surfaced, so let’s dive in and round up all the latest rumors on the Harden/Simmons front…
- Sources tell Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer that Harden wants to be traded to the Sixers, which echoes a claim Windhorst made during an ESPN appearance earlier in the day. Referring to the possibility of Harden being sent to Philadelphia, Windhorst said, “I can’t tell you how much James Harden wants this.”
- Matisse Thybulle‘s name has come up in trade discussions between the Nets and Sixers, according to Pompey. One source tells The Philadelphia Inquirer that Seth Curry and a first-round pick have been mentioned along with Thybulle as part of a possible package for Harden, though Pompey says a person close to the Sixers disputed that.
- According to Jordan Schultz (Twitter link), the Nets have pushed for both Thybulle and Tyrese Maxey, but a league source tells Pompey the 76ers are reluctant to part with either player. Previous reports have stated that Maxey is essentially off the table this week from Philadelphia’s perspective.
- Ian Begley of SNY.tv says the Sixers have been considering a package for Harden that includes Thybulle and “sizable draft compensation” in addition to Simmons.
- One of Pompey’s sources said that, as of Wednesday afternoon, a deal “isn’t as close to being finalized as people think.”
- Pompey suggests the Sixers seem to have a Harden-or-bust mindset heading into Thursday’s deadline, which means that if Simmons doesn’t get moved in a Harden deal, he’s probably staying in Philadelphia through the deadline.