Last night marked the official start of the 2023–24 NBA season as the reigning champions secured a doubleheader over their rivals and a newly formed superteam stole a victory away from their opponents. And even though the Philadelphia 76ers’ season won’t begin until tomorrow, viewers undoubtedly tuned in to see the exciting schedule of games.
That being said, 76ers fans have quite a lot on their plates with the team opening the season with a huge asterisk attached. After all, what happens with James Harden could ultimately dictate how far they could go in the playoffs especially with their rivals having amped up their squads to the point where the East has suddenly become top-heavy.
Wild, but possible: Can the 76ers trade James Harden for this veteran All-Star PG?
One of the biggest storylines to keep an eye on before opening night was how Chris Paul would fit with the Warriors. Golden State may have ultimately lost the battle to a mighty Phoenix team, but the future Hall of Famer did manage to play well despite being new to his team’s style of play.
However, despite the positive signs, a relatively lengthy adjustment period could make the Warriors shudder considering their shortening championship window. In that case, there could be a scenario where they shop the veteran playmaker at midseason’s point even if it’s only a rental.
In that case, Philadelphia can volunteer itself as a suitor. Harden is far from a perfect fit for Golden State’s pass-happy, movement-based offense, but at this point in their careers, Harden has the edge in half-court scoring and relative size — two major points of vulnerability for the 2022 champions.
On the flip side, whereas Harden has turned into an idle mammoth due to his prolonged absence from the team, Paul can immediately contribute for the 76ers as a key player. The team’s lack of a natural table-setter is its waterloo right now, and the veteran is still an elite facilitator who should be a beneficial presence for both Joel Embiid Tyrese Maxey. Philly’s much slower pace than Golden State’s should also serve him well.
Even if both players are scheduled to be free agents in the upcoming season, it will obviously require an extraordinary level of fear on the part of the Warriors to even consider going after Harden at Paul’s expense, but the league has seen more strange turns of events than we can count. If and when that day comes, the Philadelphia 76ers would benefit greatly from a James Harden-Chris Paul trade.
