Sixers coach Doc Rivers feels the relationship with Ben Simmons remains strong following the James Harden trade

When James Harden was traded on Wednesday from the Houston Rockets to the Brooklyn Nets in a four-team blockbuster, one of the most relieved people other than 76ers point guard Ben Simmons had to be coach Doc Rivers.

Whether he would admit it or not.

That’s because the Sixers were involved in trade talks for Harden. As The Inquirer’s Keith Pompey reported, Simmons and Matisse Thybulle were even informed by their agents on Wednesday of a potential trade, according to sources.

When asked before Thursday’s home game with the Miami Heat if he was relieved to not have to deal with potential Harden trade scenarios, Rivers was at his diplomatic best.

“I said it before, I like our team, I like today after the trade that we are the same team,” Rivers said.

The first-year Sixers coach was then asked if he feels the chemistry could splinter when a player knows he was mentioned prominently in trade talks.

“As far as your name being mentioned in trades, I just know when I was a bad player, I was never mentioned in trades and when I was a really good player, I was mentioned in trades,” said Rivers, who played 13 seasons in the NBA. “Unfortunately, it is part of the business.”

He then gave a different perspective.

“I would look at it the other way, and that’s how I looked at it,” he said. “The year I made the All-Star team (1987-88 with Atlanta) I was on the trading block that next year and that’s just the way it is. It’s our league. And I looked at it that way like ‘Man, I played myself good enough that I am mentioned in trades.’ Now, I was never mentioned in a trade with a James Harden. I was never that good. That’s how you should look at.”

Simmons’ name came up in Harden trade rumors during the preseason and Rivers said at the time he talked to his point guard about the situation.

Now Rivers had to do it again and it is still a legitimate question whether he and the staff can maintain a relationship with Simmons and will the point guard listen to what the coaches are telling him?

“You know what I would listen to -- coach is trying to make me a better player,” Rivers said. “All right, as long as I am here, I am going to try to make Ben a better player. And to me that is the most important part of the relationship.”

Rivers says he feels there is no problem with the relationship.

“We did talk (Thursday) during shootaround, so I think we are fine,” Rivers said. “... Ben was good, he was great in shootaround today and that’s all you can hope for.”