Grade the trade: Boston Celtics proposal upsets two fanbases

It’s August. There is next-to-no NBA news happening at this point of the summer, which means writers are forced to get creative. Unfortunately, the Boston Celtics were the victims of a creative disaster, as Sports Illustrated’s Eric Jay Santos whipped up a mock trade.

After laying out the potential of this deal, Santos did cover his bases.

“This trade idea serves as a scenario to consider if the Celtics decide to pursue Harden, not an endorsement of the decision to do so,” he wrote.

It’s a good thing that he did because this is a complete and utter disaster of a deal.

Should the Boston Celtics trade for James Harden?

Not in a million years, buddy.

This has just been a disastrous offseason for both Harden and the Philadelphia 76ers. Philly was bounced in the Eastern Conference Semifinals by the Celtics. They had a prime opportunity to beat Boston at the Wells Fargo Center, and finally get one over on their rivals.

Harden then proceeded to lay an egg in two straight games as the Sixers went crashing out of the playoffs.

Then, about a month and a half later, the former MVP opted into the final year of his contract and then went on to immediately request a trade.

Since then, he’s gone back and forth with general manager Daryl Morey because a deal hasn’t gotten done.

Why hasn’t a deal gotten done?

Well, because not a single one of the 29 other NBA teams wants to give anything up in order to land Harden.

Not only was the 34-year-old terrible at the most crucial part of Philly’s season, but now he’s serving as a massive headache for the organization.

Final Grade for Boston Celtics-Philadelphia 76ers James Harden trade: C for ‘Get ready to learn Chinese, Buddy’

The popular meme of NBA Commissioner Adam Silver, used to indicate that a player has performed so poorly that they’ll have to lace ’em up in China, fits perfectly for this trade.

https://twitter.com/JoshuaRivera92/status/1691997278867726490?s=20

Not only is this a terrible idea for the Celtics, who are hoping to finally capture their 18th NBA championship this season, but it’s just as bad for the 76ers.

If Philadelphia was to agree to this the fanbase would lose its mind. Al Horford has to be one of the City of Brotherly Love’s least favorite players in the NBA. Horford joined the 76ers in the summer of 2019 on a lucrative contract. He went on to have a very short stint there, as he was never able to get comfortable next to Joel Embiid.

Then, he rejoined the Celtics via trade from the Oklahoma City Thunder and has picked up right where he left off before leaving Boston — torturing Embiid and the Sixers in the process. (Get it?)

Philly fans want nothing to do with Horford and Celtics fans shouldn’t want anything to do with Harden.