Harden-Simmons trade toughens Bulls’ path in East originally appeared on NBC Sports Chicago
If the Chicago Bulls didn’t already have their hands full contending in the Eastern Conference, they sure do now.
That’s a nod to Thursday’s blockbuster trade between the Nets and 76ers, which will reportedly send James Harden and Paul Millsap to Philadelphia, and Ben Simmons, Seth Curry, Andre Drummond and draft capital to Brooklyn.
These two teams, when whole, already projected to be playoff powerhouses. And you can argue this deal improves both sides.
For Philadelphia, the trade pairs two of the game’s elite talents in Harden and Joel Embiid — the former a perennial MVP candidate enduring a modest season by his lofty standards, the latter a candidate at the forefront of this season’s MVP conversation.
Plus, save for Curry, that team’s surrounding core of Tobias Harris, Tyrese Maxey, Matisse Thybulle and Danny Green remains largely intact. And Harden, whose still-impressive averages of 22.5 points, 10.2 assists and 8.0 rebounds have been underscored by at times lackluster effort, should be invigorated in a new situation.
The Bulls were already 0-3 in games against the 76ers this season. Matchups against them aren’t getting easier.
Meanwhile, Brooklyn gets some reprieve from Harden’s will he, won’t he trade demand saga, and adds reliable shooting in Curry (which should lessen the blow of Joe Harris potentially missing the rest of the season) and sorely-needed frontcourt presence in Drummond.
But the headliner is Simmons, who, if healthy and engaged, is a fascinating fit alongside Durant, Irving, Curry and Co. While the Nets’ star trio of Durant, Irving and Harden flashed a sky-high ceiling, that was always predicated on their offensive firepower masking defensive deficiencies. Simmons, for all his warts, was one of the league’s best and most versatile defenders when he last played — and a natural facilitator. Now, the question is how soon he'll be ready to play, and if he can return to his past form when he does.
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The Bulls were 2-1 against the Nets this season before the trade, but that loss was a 138-112 demolition at the United Center in one of the few games Durant, Irving and Harden were all available. Brooklyn has slipped into the play-in fray with Durant injured, Harden doing Harden things, and Irving continuing on as a part-time player, so, combined with the Simmons uncertainty, their newly-assembled squad is a bit of an unknown. But the potential is there.
When the dust settles, that leaves the shorthanded — but hopefully healthy come playoff time — Bulls to vie with the defending champion Milwaukee Bucks, battle-tested Miami Heat, juiced-up 76ers and potentially new-look Nets at the top of the Eastern Conference. The fresh-faced Cavaliers are in the mix, too.
And with the standings as cramped as they are — the conference’s top eight seeds are separated by just 5.5 games, with the third-place Bulls one game out of first, 1.5 out of fifth and 3.5 out of the play-in — the stretch run becomes all the more important for seeding. Falling out of the top four — or six, for that matter — would almost guarantee an elite first-round opponent. And they only get gaudier as they go.
So, if you weren’t already: Buckle up for this season’s Eastern Conference playoffs. It’s sure to be a wild ride.
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