(Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
The Miami Heat and Philadelphia 76ers are in a tough spot right now.
One team is desperately trying to get a star, and the other is desperately holding onto another one, and both situations could end in a disaster.
At least, that’s what Shams Charania of The Athletic seems to think.
In a recent appearance on The Rally, Charania explained that the Heat have been bracing themselves and setting themselves up to get Damian Lillard to Miami, and not getting him would be a ‘gut punch’ after they let Max Strus and Gabe Vincent go to prepare for him.
“If Miami misses out on Damian Lillard, that’s going to be a gut punch for them… Philadelphia, they’re in a tough spot.”
NBA Insider @ShamsCharania on the Heat and Sixers being held up by Damian Lillard and James Harden.@BrookeFletcher | #TheRally pic.twitter.com/0i5j2gpHOD
— The Rally (@TheRally) September 19, 2023
As for the Sixers, if James Harden shows up, but seems careless and disconnected, he’s only going to hurt his trade value, and the Sixers would never get an equal return for his services.
Truth be told, Daryl Morey’s obsession with James Harden has never panned out, not when he was in his prime, and definitely not when the rest of the league isn’t so high on him anymore.
Morey has overvalued Harden, and no one will give up as much as he wants for an aging, injury-prone, and disgruntled player who’s entering the final year of his career and has a history of not fulfilling his contractual obligations.
As for Lillard, it seems like the Portland Trail Blazers’ reluctance to send him to South Beach is a matter of principles or something personal more than about the actual trade offer Pat Riley could make, but that situation could be solved sooner than Harden’s.
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