Sixers’ Tobias Harris and Matisse Thybulle detail the emotions that come with being involved in trade rumors as an NBA player.
On Monday, NBA trade deadline week began with multiple reports suggesting the Sixers' and Nets' primary decision-makers - Philadelphia's Daryl Morey and Brooklyn's Sean Marks - had held just one trade conversation about James Harden to that point, four weeks ago, and it was fruitless. Marks reportedly told Morey 'no' immediately.
Things looked (momentarily) bleak for any Sixers fans holding out hope for a trade deadline deal and a shot at a legit NBA Finals run.
But buzz started flowing the other way on Tuesday, and now we've got what feels like a total 180-degree reversal via a new report from Philadelphia Inquirer beat reporter Keith Pompey.
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Pompey published a story Wednesday morning in which he reported that the teams indeed had trade talks about Simmons and Harden on Tuesday, which would break that supposed deadlock with roughly 48 hours to go before Thursday's hard out.
Here's the news straight from Pompey:
"Multiple sources said the Nets and Sixers engaged in trade discussions Tuesday and bickered over pieces to add to a potential deal.
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"The Sixers are confident that they can get Harden this summer. But even being 100% confident might not justify what would be perceived as wasting one of Embiid's prime seasons."
Folks, it sounds like we've got a chance at a blockbuster after all.
It always seemed like it would come down to the wire before either side of the discussion was able to fully write the other off.
The Sixers are clearly motivated to trade for Harden before the deadline, and are simply trying to figure out the right deal so they don't give up too many valuable assets. The Nets seem reluctant to trade Harden before the deadline because they think they'll have a shot at a playoff run when Kevin Durant returns from his MCL injury, but they also know they could lose The Beard this summer and not get Simmons in return.
It's stalemate-o'clock, and now it comes down to negotiations - which is a good sign for Sixers fans who want a deal, because at least both sides are talking.
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The bickering itself is likely over what exactly the Nets will get on top of Simmons - Tyrese Maxey? Matisse Thybulle? Seth Curry? Another player? - and what Morey is willing to surrender.
Personally I'd be fine with shipping out Thybulle, as valuable as he is, or Curry, Danny Green, or Furkan Korkmaz. I would not be fine with trading Maxey. But we'll see.
Pompey also included a few other nuggets: he confirmed that the Sixers have indeed talked with the Oklahoma City Thunder about a possible Tobias Harris salary dump trade, which was buzzed about on Tuesday; and he also suggested Furkan Korkmaz could be on the move before 3 p.m. on Thursday, with the Indiana Pacers apparently taking a shine to the Turkish Delight.
We're really in the home stretch now, and every report between this moment and the deadline will come layered with spin and bias, so it's important to keep your wits about you. I believe that the Sixers and Nets indeed did talk Tuesday, but there's also a chance this report is coming from the Sixers' side (or from Klutch) to apply public pressure and grease the wheels of a deal.
It's wild out there in the rumor mines. Stay safe, and keep checking back for more updates - because you know they'll keep coming.
