Philadelphia 76ers Receive: James Harden

Houston Rockets Receive: Ben Simmons, Josh Richardson, Matisse Thybulle, 2020 First-Round Pick (via OKC), 2022 First-Round Pick

To start off, this much is clear: If Philly is going to acquire Harden, they would have to trade one of Ben Simmons or Joel Embiid. And it’s part of what makes this discussion so unique and interesting.

From Philadelphia’s perspective, which one would Morey and Rivers rather part with? Which one do they feel they can win with? These are big-picture questions that need to be answered before consummating a deal for Harden or another superstar.

For Houston, which would you rather have? Houston needs a center, so there’s definitely a case to be made that they could demand Embiid over Simmons.

But which skill set do they prefer? If they feel Simmons’ game would work with Russell Westbrook, perhaps they can add a less talented center than Embiid, and still be happy with the outcome.