76ers thought they had made a deal for James Harden

The 76ers scrambled to trade for James Harden, apparently offering Ben Simmons and Matisse Thybulle before the Rockets sent Harden to the Nets.

How far has Philadelphia come?

Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer:

But the Sixers believed they had struck a deal for Harden, sources said. The team won’t come out and say it, but Morey has gone to great lengths to reunite with the 2018 MVP. Simmons and Thybulle were even briefed by their agents on Wednesday of an expected trade.

Another league source said the Rockets never called the Sixers back for a counter-offer before they struck the successful four-team deal that sent Harden to Brooklyn.

Does that support the theory, Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta refused to trade Harden to Philadelphia, where former Houston general manager Daryl Morey now works?

May be.

Morey has a reputation for not warning players of possible moves. Telling Simmons and Thybulle to expect a trade would be a strong signal that the 76ers really expected a deal to be done.

But maybe Morey is trying to change his reputation. He has resolutely declared that Philadelphia will not trade Simmons. This situation may have prompted him to keep his players up to date with the possibility of a trade.

It’s also common for one team to believe a trade is near when the other team doesn’t share that point of view.

Houston wouldn’t get a counter-offer from the 76ers would be a little telling. But maybe the Nets made a take or leave offer as a negotiating tactic and the Rockets felt they had to accept immediately. On a related note, it’s possible Houston – after lengthy talks with Philadelphia – could know the 76ers wouldn’t make Brooklyn’s offer.

So, I’m not assuming the Rockets played in Philadelphia. Houston has just accepted a different, arguably better, offer.