76ers’ Trade Target for James Harden is ‘Untouchable’ in Talks, per Report

This could complicate things in the Sixers’ potential likelihood of trading Harden soon.

The 76ers apparently know who and what they want in exchange for James Harden in order to facilitate a trade that gets him to his desired destination, the Clippers. 

The problem? Los Angeles is reportedly unwilling to make that deal. Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer reports that the Sixers want a package that includes Terance Mann and first-round picks. But the Clippers view Mann as an “untouchable” player in trade conversations, per Pompey, which Philadelphia president of basketball operations apparently knows.

Per Pompey:

The Clippers want to get a deal done soon. They’re offering a first-round pick, a draft-pick swap, and expiring contracts for the 2018 MVP and three-time scoring champion. And a source said Los Angeles doesn’t want to raise their offer ... The source says Morey is the one holding up the deal.

But the plan to add draft-pick swaps in a package for Harden hasn’t moved the needle for the Sixers. They’ve said they’re interested in a package that includes Clippers guard Terance Mann and first-round picks. But the source said Morey knows Mann is untouchable.

So while the Sixers and Clippers appear to be waiting on the other side to blink first, we’re slowing creeping up to the start of the 2023-24 NBA season. At that point, if Harden is still a member of his current team, it’ll become increasingly interesting to see if trade talks then get put on hold until closer to the trade deadline.