Getty James Harden
The James Harden era is over for the Philadelphia 76ers, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, who posted about 2 a.m. Eastern time on October 31 that Harden had been traded to the Los Angeles Clippers.
“BREAKING: The Philadelphia 76ers have agreed on a trade to send guard James Harden to the Los Angeles Clippers, sources tell ESPN,” Wojnarowski posted on X, formerly Twitter.
BREAKING: The Philadelphia 76ers have agreed on a trade to send guard James Harden to the Los Angeles Clippers, sources tell ESPN.
The final terms of the deal are not official.
With Harden — and the drama surrounding him — gone, the Sixers can embrace the team’s next chapter, which will focus on Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey leading the Sixers.
Philadelphia was 2-1 without Harden, their only loss coming on the road against the Milwaukee Bucks in the season opener.
James Harden Trade Package Revealed: Report
Wojnarowski followed up his initial reporting of the trade with details regarding the other players involved.
“The Sixers are acquiring Marcus Morris, Nic Batum, Robert Covington, KJ Martin, multiple draft picks, and a pick swap for James Harden, PJ Tucker, and Filip Petrusev, sources tell ESPN,” Wojnarowski posted.
Wojnarowski described the exchange of draft capital.
“The Clippers are sending the Sixers a 2028 unprotected first-round pick, two second-round picks, and a pick swap, sources tell ESPN. The Clippers are also routing the 76ers an additional future first-round pick from a third team,” Wojnarowski wrote, without elaborating on the identity of the third team.
The Clippers are sending the Sixers a 2028 unprotected first-round pick, two second-round picks and a pick swap, sources tell ESPN. The Clippers are also routing the 76ers an additional future first-round pick from a third team.
Among the bigger headlines from the trade – besides the Sixers’ unloading Harden, of course – is that the team also managed to get rid of 38-year-old P.J. Tucker. Trading Tucker and the two years left on his contract — for which is he owed almost $23 million — helps their plans to maintain cap flexibility in 2024.
Also notable is the fact that the Sixers were not able to pry Terance Mann from the Clippers, a player they coveted, according to The Athletic.
The Sixers also reunite with Robert Covington, who played for the Sixers from 2015 to 2018. Marcus Morris Sr. has never played for the Sixers but grew up in Philadelphia. Though the Sixers didn’t acquire Mann, at least Harden is no longer a problem, and the team will be bidders in free agency in 2024.
CBS Sports gave Philadelphia an A- for the trade. “The real benefits here are of the longer-term variety. Philadelphia was never going to build a championship team around Harden, but it now has two realistic chances to do so without him in the relatively near future,” Sam Quinn wrote on October 31.
Quinn was less charitable toward the Clippers, giving them a C-. “The Clippers probably made the best version of this trade that they reasonably could have made. But their grade for the deal as a whole comes down to how much Harden ultimately increases their championship odds. The answer, on first glance, is not very much.”
Danny Green Waived After James Harden Trade: Report
Wojnarowski added that Danny Green will be waived to make room for all the players coming in from the Harden trade.
“The 76ers are waiving veteran guard Danny Green, sources tell ESPN. Philadelphia needed the roster spot to complete the trade with the Clippers,” Wojnarowski wrote via his X account.
Green appeared in two games for the Sixers in the 2023-24 season. At 36 years old, he’s no longer the premier 3-and-D wing he was at the top of his game. Still, he brings veteran leadership which might be enough to keep his NBA career alive.
Though Green will hit the open market again, it wouldn’t be too outlandish to suggest that it may not be long before they bring him back.