National Basketball Association

Beard In The City Of Brotherly Love?

Updated Dec. 18, 2020 12:56 p.m. ET

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As opening night for the 2020 NBA season quickly approaches, the biggest question surrounding the NBA landscape currently is what will happen to James Harden.

The Houston Rockets superstar has made it clear that he wants out of Houston, refusing to show up for training camp and missing the team's first preseason game.

After making the Booklyn Nets his top destination for a trade, the Rockets have now widened their net of potential suitors for the future Hall of Fame guard, with the Philadelphia 76ers being a potential trade partner – with former number one overall pick Ben Simmons perhaps available.

In three seasons with the Sixers, Simmons has been named the 2018 NBA Rookie of the Year while also being named an All-Star twice. The Sixers have made the playoffs all three seasons.

But for a player of James Harden's caliber, Chris Broussard would be willing to part ways with a dynamic young talent like Simmons.

Soon after reports broke that Simmons had been made available in a potential trade package for Harden, Sixers general manager Daryl Morey cleared the air, emphasizing that Simmons is not on the trading block.

But is Morey the most trustworthy person when it comes to trade talks?

History would say he isn't, as Nick Wright explained on First Things First.

"My close, personal friend Daryl Morey has a problem, and the problem is a lying problem. He's not always an honest fella when it comes to what he may or may not do with his team."

The Chris Paul saga in Houston when Morey was the general manager is Exhibit A.

In June 2019, Morey maintained that he did not want to trade the All-Star point guard.

A month later, Paul was traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder for Russell Westbrook.

It seems there might be fire to this smoke, then. And Friday on Undisputed, Skip Bayless stated that he believes Harden will be dealt sooner rather than later.

Whether Harden eventually ends up in Philadelphia, Brooklyn, a third team that isn't on the radar, or even remains in Houston remains to be seen.

But wherever he does end up could play a factor in determining who the 2021 NBA champion will be.

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James Harden

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