The blockbuster trade near the 2022 NBA trade deadline had the Brooklyn Nets and the Philadelphia 76ers working out a deal containing some of each club's biggest stars according to an NBC Sports post.
The Sixers dealt disgrintled star Ben Simmons who had worn Number 25 while in Philly along with some fraft picks along with Seth Curry and Andre Drummond to the Nets in return for All-Star James Harden and Paul Millsap. The trade is interesting for multiple reasons, the first being that both stars were unhappy playing for their previous teams and had reportedly requested trades. Secondly the teams are each in position to make a playoff run.
The most intriguing situation coming out this trade for the purposes of the Sports Jersey Dispatch is the uniform digit implications the trade has caused. James Harden who has worn the Number 13 for his entire NBA career up to this point with the Thunder, Rockets, and Nets finds that Philadelphia has the 13 retired in honor of the great Wilt Chamberlain.
Ben Simmons who wore the Number 25 in the City of Brotherly Love, his entire NBA stint so far, found that Brooklyn has that uniform adornment retired as well in respect to the play of Bill Melchionni. Oh the Irony!
The result was that Harden has chosen to wear the Numeral 1 on his Sixers jersey while Simmons selected the Number 10 on his Brooklyn gear. History through jersey numbers has a whole new twist!
