philadelphia 76ers

Brooklyn Nets point-guard Ben Simmons is a 3-time NBA All Star. The 26 year-old, who owns a 16 point-per-game average with nearly 8 assists, seems to be getting used to being a social media target for "haters." Few people have sympathy for the struggles of those pulling home $35.4 million each year playing professional basketball. However, even when Simmons claimed struggles with mental illness, many critics showed zero compassion. Now the 6'11" star is trying to use that negative energy to drive his success.

When Brooklyn Nets general manager Sean Marks traded James Harden to the Philadelphia 76ers in mid-February, he was essentially making a big bet. Now, down 0-3 to the Boston Celtics in the first round of the NBA Playoffs, we may be seeing how that bet paid off. Essentially, the 46-year-old Nets executive bet on three players in that transaction and unfortunately for Brooklyn fans, it appears that he got it wrong.

The Brooklyn Nets were unstoppable. Then, Kyrie Irving returned and Kevin Durant got hurt, and now James Harden has been traded. Was it more than a coincidence?