Sixers Reportedly Opting for Flexibility in James Harden Trade

Sixers leave door open for another move later down the road

A week into the regular season, the Philadelphia 76ers have put an end to the James Harden saga. News broke early morning Tuesday that Daryl Morey has worked out a deal to send the All-Star guard to the Los Angeles Clippers. 

When Harden first requested a trade, it appeared that Morey was going to follow the same blueprint from the Ben Simmons saga. Be patient until a deal comes along that keeps the Sixers in a position to contend. However, that wasn't the case here. Instead, he secured a return package consisting of picks and veteran players. 

In his story breaking down the trade, ESPN's Adrain Wojnarowski cited what Morey's motives could be. He states that this package could allow the Sixers to swing a move for another high-level player later down the road. 

"The Sixers had wanted to get two first-round picks out of a Harden trade and believe that those assets -- coupled with the second-round picks and a pick swap -- give them a chance to pursue another high-level guard in a trade to partner with MVP Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey this season."

Following this move, Morey has more than enough flexibility to execute another trade in the months leading up to the trade deadline. Marcus Morris, Robert Covington, and Nic Batum are all valuable veterans and are on expiring contracts. Similar to before, Morey now just has to be patient for the right deal to come along. 

Even if something doesn't come up before the deadline, the Sixers still have a ton of flexibility moving forward. Riding it out with this package gives them depth around Embiid and Maxey, along with a sizable amount of cap space to re-shape the roster next offseason.