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As the Nets await a timetable for Ben Simmons to make his debut, the 76ers similarly will be absent James Harden for a while.
Harden, who had missed his final four games with Brooklyn with what the team termed a tight left hamstring, will not play until after this weekend’s All-Star break, the 76ers announced.
Harden, who practiced Monday for the first time with his new team, also will skip the All-Star Game — a game for which he was picked last by captain LeBron James because Kevin Durant refused to draft his suddenly former teammate.
By not attending, Harden surely would avoid some awkward conversations. Cleveland’s Jarrett Allen, the former Net, will replace Harden.
Harden will miss Tuesday’s home game against the Celtics and Thursday’s road game in Milwaukee. Following the break, Philadelphia plays in Minnesota on Feb. 25 — before a home-and-home set against the Knicks.
The Nets are scheduled to face Harden’s Sixers on March 10 in Brooklyn.
Harden is expected to be officially introduced in Philadelphia on Tuesday during a news conference that will include general manager Daryl Morey.
The Nets radically transformed at the trade deadline, but they did not make the trade that Nic Claxton feared: one including him.
The third-year big man, one of the few attractive and inexpensive pieces the Nets had to offer, heard the rumblings and hoped for his phone not to ring.
“It was a roller coaster,” the 22-year-old said at Monday morning’s shootaround, before the Nets hosted the Kings. “I didn’t know what was going to happen, it was all out of my control. But I’m happy I’m still here and moving forward for the rest of this year at least.
“Going to work for a championship and let the chips fall where they may.”
Claxton will be present, though how much he plays will be a curiosity. The Nets already were deep in the post with Claxton, LaMarcus Aldridge, Blake Griffin and Day’Ron Sharpe fighting for minutes, then they upgraded in landing two-time All-Star Andre Drummond.
“We’ve kind of had that center-by-committee for a little while now, and each guy has a slightly different profile,” coach Steve Nash said. “I think Andre brings a totally different look for us at center with his physicality, natural rebounding. We’re still kind of piecing together each guy’s role.”
Claxton, who was set to return to the Nets following four games missed with a hamstring injury, just was content to be on the court and in Brooklyn.
“Everybody’s settling in after the deadline,” Claxton said. “It’s good that everybody knows this is the group we have moving forward.”
In addition to Claxton, Aldridge was set to return Monday after missing seven straight games with an injured ankle.
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