Philadelphia 76ers: Grading James Harden Trade to Clippers

How did the Sixers do with the James Harden trade?

In the early hours of Halloween morning, the Philadelphia 76ers and the Los Angeles Clippers found a way to finally conclude the multi-month James Harden trade saga.

At last, The Beard is on his way out West, which is something he’s been pushing for since he picked up his player option with the Sixers for the 2023-2024 NBA season back in June.

Will it be the last of the Sixers’ trade talks this year? Well, that’s doubtful at this time.

All along, Sixers President of Basketball Operations Daryl Morey made it clear that he wanted a star-caliber player in return for Harden. The Clippers employ Kawhi Leonard and Paul George, two well-known league All-Stars, but they were immediately deemed out of reach for the 76ers.

A straight-up star swap wasn’t the end-all, be-all for Morey and the Sixers, however. Morey mentioned he would be open to snagging a package with assets that could be flipped later on down the line for a star-caliber player. Many reports have mentioned that the Sixers wanted at least two first-rounders to make a move worth their while.

Plan B was executed on Tuesday. The Sixers received a handful of role players, along with draft compensation, in exchange for a package centered around Harden. The league-wide expectation is that the Sixers will explore future moves to complete their ultimate plan of flipping Harden into another notable player to team up alongside Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey.

Sixers Opting for Flexibility in Harden Trade

In the event the Sixers don’t make a follow-up move, how does the trade look on paper?

Trade Review

Going Out

• James Harden

• PJ Tucker 

• Filip Petrusev

Coming In

• Marcus Morris

• Nic Batum

• Robert Covington

• KJ Martin

• 2026 1st Round Pick Protected via OKC 

• 2028 1st Round Pick

• 2024 2nd Round Pick

• 2029 2nd Round Pick

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Grade the Trade: Did the Sixers Make the Right Move?

Justin Grasso

Fortunately for the Sixers, James Harden didn’t take his trade request to the same heights as he did in Houston and Brooklyn. He might’ve disappeared for a bit, holding out for the entire preseason and forcing his way to remain inactive for the team’s opening week, but Harden kept the peace, for the most part. 

The Sixers might’ve been willing to wait several months for a better trade to come across their desk, but the sooner they could move on from the ten-time All-Star, the better.

At the end of the day, Harden wouldn’t buy in, whether he was willing to suit up or not. When you have the league’s reigning MVP in Joel Embiid and a budding young star in Tyrese Maxey, you shouldn’t stunt their growth as a duo. 

A lack of time with supporting pieces has always been a common complaint for the Sixers following the postseason. Solving the Harden saga quickly helps the Sixers get one step closer to eliminating that issue, and in the event they can’t complete phase two of the master plan, at least the Sixers have time to get creative and develop chemistry with their rentals.

As far as the incoming pieces go, the Sixers have four veterans headed their way, who all possess similar qualities. Coming in on expiring contracts, the Sixers aren’t tied to anybody long-term, and the rumored plan of spending big in free agency next summer remains an option. Are the championship odds higher than they would be with a motivated Harden? It’s doubtful, but the Sixers are certainly in a better position today than they were yesterday, with a disgruntled and absent Harden. 

Grade: B+

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Kevin McCormick 

Given the circumstances, Daryl Morey once again managed to turn nothing into something. Harden always had his sights set on the Clippers and, even with no leverage, got a suitable return. 

Parting ways with PJ Tucker is a tough blow, but now the Sixers have an abundance of wing depth. The added size and length should help against other top teams in the league, especially the Milwaukee Bucks. 

As far as a grade goes, it's a bit tough to say anything just yet. Morey likely isn't done as reports have already surfaced about the Sixers eyeing a high-level player with the newly acquired assets. 

There are two ways to look at this. On one end, the Sixers have depth around Embiid and Maxey that complements them. Also, they have the flexibility to make a big splash before the deadline or in free agency next offseason. With this added optionality going forward, the Sixers are trending in the right direction again following another disgruntled star saga. 

Grade: B+ (A if packaged is flipped for an All-Star this season)

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Declan Harris

With all that Morey was working with, getting four rotation players and a slew of draft picks isn't all that bad, it's better than it looks on paper. He now has the potential to either flip things this season for a third head of the Sixers' big three, or wait until the offseason.

James Harden made his mind up during the offseason about his future in Philadelphia, so it wasn't too disheartening to see him leave. However, seeing PJ Tucker's name in the trade, while not surprising due to his relationship with Harden, was still saddening as he was a valuable veteran on the team, giving some much-needed encouragement in the crunch time of playoff basketball.

While the names Nic Batum, Marcus Morris, Kenyon Martin Jr., and Robert Covington aren't as eye-popping as Harden's, they bring more than enough depth at the wing, which is always useful against some of the bigger teams in the league.

When it comes to the picks that were swapped, I think it's a great thing. Getting the two first-round picks helps get the draft prospects that were lost in the initial trade for Harden back. Even if they're traded away in the coming months or seasons, it's still a win-win for the Sixers.

All things considered, getting rid of a player who was adamant about leaving Philadelphia, a veteran, and a future prospect, in exchange for four rotation players who add depth at the wing positions, as well as four picks, is not too shabby from Morey and the Sixers' front office.

Grade: B+