The Philadelphia 76ers, just as any team would, were probably one of the many teams who gave the Brooklyn Nets a call when the news came out that Kevin Durant wanted out of Brooklyn. Joel Embiid certainly had a reaction to the news.
The Durant era has not gone as expected in Brooklyn as he has dealt with injuries, as has Kyrie Irving, and the Nets have not had the type of success they were hoping for when they formed the duo. Durant has still been spectacular averaging 28.7 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 6.1 assists as a member of the Nets, but the team success hasn’t been there as there has been a variety of reasons for it.
The Sixers would love to have Durant join forces with Embiid and James Harden in Philadelphia and a new mock trade cooked up by Bleacher Report has the superstar forward heading to the City of Brotherly Love.
The fake trade proposal
Nets receive: Tobias Harris, Tyrese Maxey, Matisse Thybulle, and three first-round pick swaps (2024, 2026, 2028)
Sixers receive: Kevin Durant
B/R on why the Sixers do this deal
The hurdle of reuniting Durant and Harden may seem too high to clear, but KD expressed no hard feelings when his former teammate asked for a trade last year. At the very least, Durant understands Harden’s motivation now, and it also seems clear that Harden’s exit had more to do with Kyrie Irving than anything else.
The Sixers’ side of this needs no explanation. Durant, Harden and Embiid would be the most dangerous trio in the league, and Philly gets off Harris’ deal in the process of assembling a new superteam.
Don’t forget, the Sixers have sign-off from the guy whose opinion matters most.
Analyzing the deal from a Sixers standpoint
There really isn’t much analysis needed here. Durant next to Harden and Embiid makes Philadelphia one of the top teams in the East and firmly in the conversation with the Boston Celtics and the Milwaukee Bucks to come out of the East.
The potential problem in this deal is probably Harris and his contract. One can assume that the Nets would rather not take on that deal if they are going to enter a rebuild after losing Durant and Irving. Therefore, a third team might have to get involved, but the Sixers do not have much control over draft picks to include and attach to Harris’ bloated contract. Ideally, a team would want picks coming with Harris as sweeteners.
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