Miami Heat: James Harden For Ben Simmons Trade Could Be Brutal for Them

The Miami Heat’s season has been as solid as a rock. However, things around the league are getting pretty nutty.

The NBA Trade Deadline is on February 10th. We have already seen a few big trades happen before the deadline, such as the trade of CJ McCollum to the Pelicans and the trade of Domantas Sabonis to the Kings.

While it is highly unlikely that the Miami Heat make any big moves at the trade deadline, there are a few pieces that they could add at this point. However, a rising issue for Miami could be a trade another team makes, rather than a trade the Heat fail to make.

Two of the top teams contending for the NBA championship in the East are the Brooklyn Nets and the Philadelphia 76ers. When you look at their rosters, it becomes clear why.

The Nets feature three of the most talented players to ever play on the same team. The 76ers are led by Joel Embiid, who is having an MVP-type season.

Throughout the whole year, there has been drama circulating among both of these teams. For the Nets, it has been the chaos caused by Kyrie Irving that has left them uncertain of their future and uncertain if the potential of their Big 3 will ever truly come to fruition.

Now, it has been rumored that James Harden is not completely satisfied with his situation in Brooklyn. Based on his feelings and all that had been uttered by those that dared to comment on the situation though—shocker, right?

Miami Heat: James Harden For Ben Simmons Trade Could Be Brutal for Them

James Harden seems to feel that because of the Kyrie Irving situation and other injuries, he has to carry the workload more than he feels he should every night. It is making it difficult for him to understand his role on the team.

It is also rumored that he disagrees with some of Coach Steve Nash’s methods and that he is unhappy with the taxes in New York. This is important because James Harden is a free agent this summer, so he could leave if he is unhappy.

For the 76ers, it has been the chaos caused by Ben Simmons that has left them seeking a trade partner all year. Thanks to the magnificence of Joel Embiid, the 76ers have secured one of the top seeds in the East thus far.

However, the concern is that they still do not have enough to win this year. They do not want to waste Embiid’s prime.

Since Ben Simmons will not play, they are eager to find someone willing to trade a star-caliber player for him. After waiting the whole season, it is possible the 76ers can finally conclude their search for a trade partner.

It is rumored that the Nets and 76ers are discussing a trade that involves James Harden going to Philadelphia for a package centered around Ben Simmons. Even though those rumors have been disregarded by some, it was confirmed by ESPN’s Brian Windhorst that the two teams are definitely discussing a trade.

If this trade actually happens, it could be disastrous for the Miami Heat, who are having a great season so far. With the uncertainty of Kyrie Irving, the Nets’ health, and the absence of Ben Simmons, this season might be the best chance the Heat have to make it out of the East.

However, the Nets and 76ers could become significantly better with this trade. Let’s look at how each team would improve and how that would make things difficult for the Miami Heat.

Miami Heat: James Harden Could Make Joel Embiid’s 76ers The Elite Of The Elite

Beginning with the Philadelphia 76ers, they would be adding the perfect guard to pair with their star center in Joel Embiid. With the emergence of Tyrese Maxey as a proven skilled guard this season, the 76ers would have one of the best backcourts in the league.

Joel Embiid, alone, causes matchup problems for any team. He is virtually unguardable unless he is double-teamed.

Adding James Harden to the mix would not only space the floor, but it would create more chaos, allowing Harden to impact the game in multiple ways. He can be the leading scorer, the leading distributor, or both on any given night.

He has proven that he is able to provide whatever his team needs.

Joel Embiid is a tough matchup for the Miami Heat, even with the great defender that is Bam Adebayo guarding him. Historically, the Heat have had a difficult time handling Embiid and the 76ers.

If they get James Harden, they would have several options of attack and could do so while moving the ball quickly across the court. This would make it difficult to hide weaker defenders like Duncan Robinson and others.

Offensively, the Miami Heat might not have enough to match the 76ers and their potential superstar duo. At least, it might look that way on paper.

Miami Heat: Ben Simmons Might Not Actually Have To Shoot In Brooklyn Either

The Brooklyn Nets might not necessarily improve on paper, but Ben Simmons would help with some of their biggest weaknesses. James Harden is obviously far more talented than Simmons.

However, the Nets have enough star power where it wouldn’t necessarily matter if he was traded. A trio of Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, and Ben Simmons is more than enough to win a championship.

Plus, it is possible someone else is involved in the trade, like Tobias Harris, who is an underrated great player that is averaging about 19 points per game.

The biggest thing Simmons would provide to this team is defense. The Nets have been incredible offensively, but not so much defensively.

As one of the best defenders in the league, Ben Simmons can effectively guard any position. He would tremendously support their defensive effort, limiting their weaknesses.

Another weaker part of the Nets this year has been their lack of three-point shooting compared to the previous year. That has been caused, in part, due to the absence of their main sharpshooter, Joe Harris.

Another reason is a lack of continuity due to playmakers coming in and out of the lineup. Ben Simmons can fix those problems.

No one is better at generating three-pointers for teammates than Ben Simmons. The biggest critiques of Simmons are his lack of his own jump shooting prowess and his reluctance to shoot when necessary.

First, we haven’t seen him this year, so we do not know whether or not he has improved in any of these areas. He certainly has the potential to improve.

Even if he has not improved in either of these perceived flaws in his game, it might actually benefit the Nets. If Simmons does not want to shoot, he would be deferring to Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, both of whom are incredibly efficient shooters that can take over in the clutch.

Miami Heat: Either Move Makes It Tougher, But Neither Spells Disaster In East

The trio of Durant, Simmons, and Irving would cause several matchup problems for the Miami Heat. That’s not even mentioning the arsenal of role players that Brooklyn has.

Durant and Irving are incredibly difficult to guard off the dribble. Imagine adding an All-Star level guard who can create open shots for them and the rest of the team, while playing elite defense on the other end.

Simmons is also a great finisher. Even with all of the great defenders on the Heat, there really isn’t anyone who matches up well with him.

At least, not when you have to worry about Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving each scoring 30 on you. The one saving grace in this situation is that Brooklyn’s drama would still exist.

Right now, Kyrie Irving is unable to play in home games. However, even if this remains the case in the playoffs, there still might be an issue for the Heat.

Since Miami is currently the first seed, if they were to face the Nets in the playoffs, the Nets would actually have more away games than the Heat in the seven-game series. So, Brooklyn would conceivably be at their strongest form in four out of seven games.

If this trade actually happens, it does not mean that the Miami Heat have no chance to make it out of the East. They are the first seed for a reason— because they are a great team, both offensively and defensively.

They have excellent leadership and a talented roster from top to bottom. However, a James Harden for Ben Simmons swap would create two powerhouses in the East that could compete with Miami this year.

It is not impossible to beat either hypothetical team, as Miami would have a good chance against either of them. It would just make their road to the Finals that much more difficult.

That’s all.