Getty James Harden
James Harden remains on the Philadelphia 76ers. Though he has wanted a trade request dating back to June 29, as The Athletic’s Shams Charania reported, he has remained on the team. Bleacher Report’s Zach Buckley proposed a trade that would send Harden and Furkan Korkmaz to the Los Angeles Clippers.
Buckley proposed the following swap between the Sixers and Clippers.
Clippers receive: Harden, Korkmaz
Sixers receive: Norman Powell, Nicolas Batum, Terance Mann, Brandon Boston Jr., 2028 Clippers First-Round Pick (Top-3 Protected), 2030 Clippers First-Round Pick
Buckley did not explain why the Sixers would want that package back for Harden and Korkmaz but explained why the Clippers would want specifically those two, especially Harden.
“Harden may not have the same burst he once did, but he’s an elite playmaker (league-leader in assists last season) who could thrive as a third option in this offense. The Clippers also have enough perimeter stoppers to cover for his weaknesses on that end.
“Korkmaz would make the money work, but he could find floor time if he ever harnessed a consistent three-point shot.”
Powell averaged 17 points a game with the Clippers during the 2022-23 season and will enter the third year of a five-year, $90 million contract.
Buddy Hield Named as Sixers Trade Target
Though he floated Damian Lillard and Zach LaVine as stars that the Sixers could go after, Buckley floated Indiana Pacers sharpshooter Buddy Hield as a trade target, comparing his impact to former Sixers sharpshooter JJ Redick.
“Should the Sixers fail to find a star—or somehow wind up convincing Harden to stay—then an elite shooter like Hield would be a sensible target. Much as JJ Redick once did, Hield could keep the interior open for Embiid by racing around screens, launching movement threes, and demanding constant attention from opposing defenses,” Buckley wrote.
Since coming to the NBA, Hield has been one of the league’s premier three-point marksmen. In his first full season with the Pacers, Hield shot 42.5% from three on 8.5 attempts a game. Hield hasn’t made the playoffs once in his seven-year NBA career, but playing next to Embiid could open up each of their games, as Hield’s gravity as a shooter would draw less attention from the league’s MVP and vice versa like Redick did.
TJ Warren Named as Sixers Free Agent Target
With the Sixers in need of some bench scoring, Liberty Ballers’ Paul Hudrick explained why TJ Warren’s history as a scorer could appeal to the Sixers.
“In signing Warren to the minimum for his age-30 season, you’re hoping he can rekindle just a tiny bit of that offensive magic. Warren was a gifted scorer who was bit by the injury bug just as things seemingly began to click for him. The biggest thing might be if he can rediscover the three-ball. Warren shot well over 40 percent from deep in the two seasons before his injury. He’s been below 30 percent in the limited action since.
“With his skill, size, and experience, a minimum deal couldn’t hurt,” Hudrick wrote.
The 46 games Warren had played combined for the Phoenix Suns and Brooklyn Nets during the 2022-23 season were the most he had played since the 2019-20 season.