Sixers Urged to Change Stance on James Harden Trade

Analyst urges Sixers to put an end to James Harden saga

As the Philadelphia 76ers get ready for the regular season, the James Harden saga still hangs over their heads. While the disgruntled star intended to suit up in games, he remains away from the team for personal reasons. 

Dating back to when Harden first requested a trade, Daryl Morey's stance has been the same. Similar to the Ben Simmons trade saga two years ago, he is waiting for a package to come about that keeps the Sixers in a position to compete for a championship. 

Patience worked out for Morey and the Sixers in the past, but one analyst feels they should change their approach. While appearing on ESPN's Get Up, Tim Legler shared his thoughts on a potential Harden trade.  

"Philly has to recalibrate what they think they can get back," Legler said. "They need to make this move, they need to do it sooner rather than later because a not fully bought in James Harden is just going to drag you down and continue to be an anchor around Joel Embiid's ankles."

Instead of trying to flip Harden for another star-caliber player, Legler feels the Sixers should bolster their supporting cast and let Tyrese Maxey be the second option to Joel Embiid. 

"You need to move on from him, you need to get role players that fit with Embiid, give the ball to Maxey and let's see what his ceiling is," he continued. "It's time to make that move." 

While Tyrese Maxey looks ready to make the leap, this approach might not yield the Sixers the results they are looking for. The Eastern Conference has become an arms race, and the only way to keep up is with more star talent. 

The Milwaukee Bucks and Boston Celtics both made drastic improvements this offseason. If the Sixers want to stay within striking distance of those teams, they need to generate a return for Harden that lands them another star player to pair with Embiid and Maxey.