Daryl Morey, president of basketball operations for the Philidelphia 76ers, says the team has no plans to involve star Ben Simmons in any trades, either for James Harden or not.
"We are not trading Ben Simmons," Morey said, according to The Athletic's Shams Charania. "He is an important part of our future."
It had previously been reported that Simmons could play an integral role in the 76ers trading for James Harden.
Harden, who has reportedly requested a trade, prefers to land in Philidelphia, Miami, or Brooklyn, but without having Simmons on the table, the 76ers seem an unlikely destination for the former MVP.
Harden reacted to the rumors of his trade request after his preseason debut, earlier this week:
I can only focus on right now, and for me, the best James Harden is making sure I'm in shape. Like I said, I hadn't even had an opportunity to play 5-on-5. Individual workouts, when you do individual basketball training, is great, but as every NBA player can agree, there's nothing like 5-on-5 training, the physicality, making reads and things like that. Yesterday for my first time being out there, I felt good, and that's exciting.
[Via]