“Daryl Morey believes wholeheartedly in James Harden, he mortgaged the lot to get him” - Shannon Sharpe believes Harden will turn the narrative around in big games like Matthew Stafford

Daryl Morey was unashamedly happy following the Ben Simmons-James Harden trade last month. After digging in to get an All-Star in exchange for Simmons, the Philadelphia 76ers’ president of basketball operations got the player he wanted all along.

Despite the absolute 129-100 drubbing against the Brooklyn Nets on Thursday, Harden could still prove his doubters wrong.

As it was, Harden flopped again in a big setting, furthering his reputation of shrinking in marquee games. He had 11 points on 3-for-17 shooting, going 0-for-10 inside the arc, with four turnovers.

Pro Football Hall of Famer Shannon Sharpe isn’t giving up on “The Beard.” On "Skip and Shannon: Undisputed," the former Denver Broncos tight end was still positive about Philly and Harden’s season.

“On a scale of 1-10, I’ll go a 7," Sharpe said. "The good thing about sports is that you always get to update your resume. Daryl Morey believes wholeheartedly in James Harden. He mortgaged the lot to get him. I believe Harden will change the narrative.

"He and Joel Embiid, they’re gonna be right there competing for a championship when it’s all said and done.”

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Sharpe is going against common sense with his analysis of the former MVP. For much of The Beard’s career, he has come up short in the biggest moments. Even during his incredible run with Morey's Houston Rockets, he underperformed when the spotlight was at its brightest. For all of Morey’s trust and belief, the former MVP hasn’t repaid that in the biggest games.

March 10 was likely on every NBA fan’s calendar after the blockbuster Ben Simmons-James Harden trade last month. While the Australian was a scratch, Harden has been sizzling ever since he joined the 76ers. His impressive display only heightened the upcoming matchup against a potential playoff foe.

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Almost expectedly, Harden pulled another disappearing act that had social media going bananas. This early in March, fans were already calling it the playoffs as signaled by Harden's no-show. Ironically enough, some of the loudest boos reserved for Simmons were targeted at the former Nets superstar by game's end.

Can James Harden help Joel Embiid carry the Philadelphia 76ers in the postseason?

The Philadelphia 76ers' sizzling Dynamic Duo of Joel Embiid, left, ahd James Harden sensationally fizzled in their biggest test of the season. [Photo: Bleacher Report]

Unless he proves it otherwise, it’s tough to bet on James Harden proving his doubters wrong. “Jimbo Slice” has been to the playoffs 12 times, yet it’s hard to pinpoint a defining postseason moment of glory for him.

Harden’s inexplicable meltdowns are some of the easiest to pull out of thin air for true basketball fans. Instead of iconic memories of triumph, the 31-year-old superstar is known more for jaw-dropping failures.

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The befuddling display against his former Brooklyn Nets teammates was a perfect example of how Harden can turn into a glorified role player. He finished with a ghastly stat line of 11 points, six rebounds, five assists and four turnovers. The numbers don’t even start to tell the horrific tale that had fans booing him instead of Ben Simmons.