Updated NBA MVP Odds After James Harden-Ben Simmons Trade – Joel Embiid Shortens to +200 Favorite

• The Philadelphia 76ers have acquired James Harden in a trade that sent Ben Simmons, Andre Drummond and Seth Curry to Brooklyn
• MVP frontrunner Joel Embiid now has an All-Star teammate after playing the first half of this season without Simmons
• How does this change the NBA MVP race?

James Harden and Joel Embiid are finally together. After Daryl Morey swung and missed when Harden went from Houston to Brooklyn, he has clinched a deal to acquire Harden from the Nets for Ben Simmons, Andre Drummond, Seth Curry and two firsts.

This comes with Embiid in the midst of another MVP-caliber season. He has been among the NBA MVP odds favorites in recent weeks, once again doing battle with Nikola Jokic for the top individual honor in the Association.

2022 NBA MVP Odds

Odds as of Feb 10 at DraftKings Sportsbook

Antetokounmpo lingers just behind Jokic and Embiid, as the Bucks are a half game out of 1st in the East and spent their deadline day acquiring Serge Ibaka.

Embiid Now Sharing the Workload With Harden

Joel Embiid has been a dominant two-way force this season. He’s at a career-high in usage, a figure which leads the league. With no Ben Simmons, Embiid has had to take on the role of point center on occasion, compensating for the Sixers’ lack of playmaking.

That will all change with Harden’s arrival. While this should help Embiid stay fresh come the playoffs, it could harm his statistical case to win MVP. His push for the award of late was partly based on just how much he was having to do with a weakened roster. He’s leading the league in scoring, and he could slip down that leaderboard with Harden on the team.

pic.twitter.com/OzKxG4HRlO

— Joel Embiid (@JoelEmbiid) February 10, 2022

The other way to look at this is team record was the biggest threat to Embiid’s MVP chances. Harden’s arrival all but guarantees the Sixers of a top four seed, and seeing as they’re only two back in the loss column from Miami, they could yet finish with the best record in the East.

Harden’s Impact in Philly

Harden has been far from an MVP so far this season. He played his way into the race down the stretch last season, though, and with what he’s capable of as a scorer and playmaker, he could put up some huge numbers alongside Embiid, Tobias Harris and Tyrese Maxey.

We are going to see Harden dominating the ball in Philly. Doc Rivers will likely stagger Harden and Maxey’s minutes, and Harden should be on the floor almost all the time Embiid is on the bench.

After some lackluster performances for the Nets, Harden should be more engaged as a Sixer. He made the same transition going from Houston to Brooklyn last season, and took no time to get up to speed. The question then, however, is whether he’s in the physical condition to be his dominant best, as he’s clearly lost a bit of burst this season. Was that a result of low motivation? Or is this the ageing curve so many expected?

Regardless, it’s impossible to imagine Harden becoming a legitimate MVP candidate this season. How he left the Rockets seemed to impact some voters last year, and this messy exit from the Nets will be just as detrimental. That’s not to mention he’s at just 33.2% from three this season.

Watch Out for KD Upon His Return

Kevin Durant was an MVP frontrunner prior to his injury. Due to return after the All-Star break, Durant comes back to a new-look team with more shooting in Seth Curry and a two-way force in Ben Simmons. There are murmurings of sympathy for Durant after how Harden left the team, which could help to shape an MVP narrative if he picks up where he left off.

Brooklyn is still just five back in the loss column from the #1 seed. Kyrie Irving remains a part-time player. The fit looks great with Simmons alongside Irving and Durant with the extra shooting of Curry. The Nets could well go on a run in the second half if Simmons improves the defense and Durant plays at the level he was earlier in the season.

It will take something spectacular for Durant to close the gap on Nikola Jokic, Embiid and Giannis Antetokounmpo. He’s certainly capable of the spectacular, and he’s got a team around him which should rack up regular season wins.

The case for Durant as a longshot option has improved. It’s trickier to judge with Embiid until we see how the offense looks with Harden.