76ers: Did PJ Tucker’s Move to Clippers Come By Surprise?

PJ Tucker claims he was not expecting to move via trade this season.

When James Harden wanted to be traded away by the Philadelphia 76ers to land on the Los Angeles Clippers, it was the league’s worst-kept secret. So, when the deal was officially made, with the Sixers sending Harden out to LA, it was far from surprising.

However, the trade still had a shock factor to it. As Harden wasn’t the only player to get dealt, the Sixers also parted ways with their starting veteran forward, PJ Tucker.

While Tucker’s name was tossed into hypothetical packages over the summer, there was no smoke around his name as the Sixers and the Clippers negotiated a possible deal. So, when Tucker was moved to the Clippers, he claims it was unexpected.

“I wasn’t expecting to get traded, so I didn’t know. It kind of came out of nowhere,” Tucker told the New York Post on Monday. “And from what I know, [Joel Embiid] didn’t know either. But you never know with this stuff, man. It’s the NBA. You never know.”

As a well-known good friend of Harden’s, Tucker has shown plenty of support for the ten-time All-Star throughout his pending trade request in Philadelphia. From an Instagram post to publicly voicing his support for Harden during his media day segment ahead of training camp, Tucker’s message was clear: he would not change his views on Harden over basketball-related decisions.

While some outsiders speculated Tucker’s unwavering support for Harden could land him in a bad spot with the Sixers, the organization didn’t move on from the veteran forward as a result of his feelings towards the Harden situation. After all, Tucker wasn’t alone in supporting Harden.

“James’ situation had nothing to do with me,” Tucker explained. “As much as I get thrown in it, I’m kind of a casualty in that sense.”

After one full season in Philadelphia, Tucker appeared in just three games for the Sixers this year. After getting traded to the Clippers, Tucker wasted no time getting out on the floor just one night after the deal went down. 

It seems Tucker was content with remaining in Philadelphia, as he mentioned the trade was unexpected, and there wasn’t any dysfunction with the organization due to the Harden saga throughout the offseason into the start of the regular season. Although his run with the Sixers didn’t pan out as desired, Tucker doesn't seem to have any sour feelings about the situation, as he's already moved on.