Source: 76ers deal Simmons for Harden
The Philadelphia 76ers have traded Ben Simmons, Seth Curry and Andre Drummond and two first-round picks to the Brooklyn Nets for James Harden and Paul Millsap, two people with knowledge of the trade told USA TODAY Sports.
The person requested anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly until the trade is official.
This ends a spectacle that has hampered both teams: Simmons has not played a game for Philadelphia this season as a result of the fallout from his performance in last year's Eastern Conference semifinals against Atlanta and the subsequent blame placed on him.
It also ends a disappointing attempt by Brooklyn to create a super team with Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving and James Harden. The three played just 16 games together over the course of 1 seasons and have nothing to show for it.
Philadelphia president of basketball operations Daryl Morey maintained he wouldn't trade Simmons unless it yielded a return that can help the Sixers win a championship. That kind of deal wasn't on the table until the situation with Harden and Brooklyn soured.
With Harden arriving, Morey, who was in charge of the Houston Rockets when Harden developed into an MVP, has what could be an outstanding 1-2 combo: Harden and Joel Embiid.
Embiid is having a career-year and is an MVP candidate, averaging 29.4 points, 10.9 rebounds, 4.3 assists, 1.4 blocks and one steal while shooting 49.8% from the field, 35.8% on 3-pointers and 81.2% on foul shots.
The Sixers lose depth and shooting in the deal, but they also desperately needed an All-star caliber player to compensate for Simmons' unavailability.
Brooklyn gets Simmons, who is 25 and a three-time All-star. He heads to the Nets with questions to answer. While Simmons is a great defense, playmaker and passer, especially in the open court, he has no reliable outside shot and is coming off a series against Atlanta where he shied from even taking shots near the rim.
Brooklyn has dropped in the standings since Durant's injury. The Nets are 29-25 and in eighth place in the Eastern
Conference. They have lost nine of their past 10 games and are 5 1⁄2 games out of first place.
— Jeff Zillgitt, USA TODAY
AP source: Mavs sending Porzingis to Wizards for 2 players
DALLAS – The Dallas Mavericks are sending Kristaps Porzingis to the Washington Wizards for Spencer Dinwiddie and Davis Bertans, a person with knowledge of the trade said Thursday.
The deal was reached not long before the NBA trading deadline and ends the plan to pair Porzingis with fellow European and young Dallas star Luka Doncic. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the trade hasn't been announced.
Porzingis has missed the past five games with a right knee injury and has been sidelined for 21 of 55 games this season because of various injuries and a positive COVID-19 test.
Doncic and Porzingis never established the bond the club hoped would develop when Dallas acquired Porzingis in a trade with the New York Knicks before
the deadline in 2019.
At the time of the trade, Porzingis was still recovering from surgery for a torn ligament in his left knee not long after he was named an All-star with the Knicks in 2018. He made his Dallas debut in 2019-20 but remained injuryprone in two-plus seasons with the Mavericks.
The 26-year-old Porzingis signed a $158 million, five-year contract with the Mavericks before ever playing for them. The 7-foot-3 Latvian averaged 20 points and 8.8 rebounds in 134 games with Dallas.
— Associated Press
AP source: Hornets acquire Montrezl Harrell from Wizards
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – The Charlotte Hornets have acquired power forward/ center Montrezl Harrell from the Washington Wizards for veteran backup point guard Ish Smith, second-year forward Vernon Carey Jr. and a future second-round draft pick, said a person familiar with the situation.
The person spoke to The Associated
Press Thursday because the deal has not been announced.
Hornets general manager Mitch Kupchak has been looking to add a center who can score and defend for quite some time. Harrell is 6-foot-7, but has a 7-foot-4 wingspan and he's expected to play both power forward and center.
Center Mason Plumlee was acquired this offseason to help bridge the gap after big men Cody Zeller and Bismack Biyombo were not retained as unrestricted free agents.
The 28-year-old Harrell is a Tarboro, North Carolina native and is averaging 14.1 points, 6.7 rebounds and 2.1 assists in 46 games this season for the Wizards while shooting 64.5% from the field. During his seven years in the NBA, Harrell has averaged 13 points and 5.3 rebounds per game.
Harrell's best season came in 2019 with the Los Angeles Clippers when he averaged a career-best 18.6 points, 7.6 rebounds and 1.1 blocks per game.
— Associated Press
Celtics send Dozier, Bol to Magic to cut salary
BOSTON – The Boston Celtics announced they've traded guard PJ Dozier and forward Bol Bol, along with a future second-round pick and cash to the Orlando Magic on Thursday in exchange for a protected 2023 second-round pick.
Dozier and Bol came to Boston in January from Denver as part of a threeteam trade that also involved San Antonio. Neither has seen action for the Celtics. Dozier is out for the season following surgery for a torn ligament in his left knee. Bol is recovering from right foot surgery.
Boston entered the day about $3 million over the salary cap as the league's trade deadline loomed. It was in danger of being hit with the “repeater tax” for being over the cap threshold in three out of four seasons. The 2021-22 salaries of Dozier ($1.9 million) and Bol ($2.1 million) will keep Boston from incurring that luxury tax penalty.
The Celtics (31-25) have won a season-high six straight games and are in seventh place in the Eastern Conference.
— Associated Press