Brooklyn Nets trade James Harden to Philadelphia 76ers for Ben Simmons, Seth Curry, Andre Drummond, sources say

PHILADELPHIA — The Brooklyn Nets and Philadelphia 76ers agreed to a blockbuster trade just hours before Thursday's deadline, with James Harden and Paul Millsap going to Philadelphia and Ben Simmons, Seth Curry, Andre Drummond and two first-round draft picks going to Brooklyn, sources told ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.

Brooklyn will receive Philadelphia's unprotected 2022 first-round pick, with the right to defer it to 2023, as well as a top-8-protected 2027 first-round pick, according to Wojnarowski. That pick would remain top-8 protected in 2028, and will turn into two second-round picks — and $2 million in cash — if it doesn't convey in either season, sources said.

The deal allows both teams to move on from unhappy superstars who had been seeking trades.

For Philadelphia, it means the end of what has been a monthslong saga surrounding Simmons, who asked to be traded shortly after the Sixers lost to the Atlanta Hawks in the second round of the Eastern Conference playoffs last year.

Outside of a brief cameo at practice in mid-October in the middle of training camp, Simmons hasn't been around the team since and has not played in a game this season. Sources told ESPN's Ramona Shelburne that Simmons will continue to work with his therapist to get mentally ready to play in Brooklyn.

«It's a work in progress,» one source close to Simmons told Shelburne.

Simmons has already talked to Nets star Kevin Durant and general manager Sean Marks, his agent, Rich Paul, told Wojnarowski. Simmons is eager to join the Nets and ramp up for a return to play this season, according to Paul.

«We've got to work to do to get him back to play, but it's a great step in right direction,» Paul told Wojnarowski.

The relationship between Harden and the