The Philadelphia 76ers have traded disgruntled guard James Harden to the Los Angeles Clippers, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported Tuesday.
The Clippers have acquired 10-time All-Star James Harden from the Philadelphia 76ers for a trade package built around Marcus Morris, Nicolas Batum, Robert Covington, KJ Martin and draft picks.
The Clippers will also acquire forward PJ Tucker from the 76ers. In a corresponding move after bringing in four new players, the 76ers also waived veteran guard Danny Green.
As for the draft picks that the 76ers will acquire, Wojnarowski reports that they’ll receive an unprotected 2028 first-round pick, two second-round picks and a pick swap. They’ll also receive an additional first-rounder from a third team that has yet to be named.
Though the return for the 76ers brings in a haul of depth pieces, they come with questions surrounding their age and ability at this point in their careers.
Morris, 34, has yet to play a game for the Clippers this year but averaged 11.2 points and 4.0 rebounds last season. Batum, 34, has scored a career-low 2.7 points and grabbed 2.3 rebounds so far this season. Covington, 32, has 3.0 points and 2.7 rebounds in the Clippers’ first three games.
Martin, the youngest of the group at 22 years old, was traded to the Clippers from the Houston Rockets this offseason. He’s scored a career-low 5.0 points in 15.5 minutes a game.
On June 29, James Harden exercised his $35.6-million player option with the Philadelphia 76ers, with the intention of being traded to the Los Angeles Clippers, according to multiple reports.
Since demanding a trade, Harden has done his utmost to force the team’s hand in getting a deal done including publically denouncing GM Daryl Morey while on a trip to China and saying that he would never play for a team managed by him ever again.
It’s been speculated that the predominant issue surrounding their defunct relationship had surrounded the team’s unwillingness to offer the guard a long-term extension.
Harden chose to not attend the team’s Media Day but joined the team during training camp in Colorado and practised with them. He didn’t play in any preseason games and wasn’t permitted to join the team on their two-game road trip to start the season.
It was reported by TNT’s Chris Haynes that he was refused entry onto the team plane and that they preferred that he stay in Philadelphia and ramp up to get in game shape for the season after being away from the team for 10 days to deal with personal matters.
He sat on the bench during their home opener win over Miami.
Philadelphia has started the season 2-1 with wins over the Toronto Raptors and Portland Trail Blazers. Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey have enjoyed great starts to the year, averaging 31.0 and 30.3 points a game respectively.
The Los Angeles Clippers meanwhile also sport a 2-1 record after an opening win against the Trail Blazers and a crushing 40-point victory against the San Antonio Spurs.
The Clippers have long been the front-runner to acquire Harden’s services, as the former MVP reportedly said that the Southern California team is the only one he wants to be traded to.
In earlier reports, they made wing Terance Mann untouchable in negotiations. Wojnarowski reported on Oct. 25 that the Clippers had paused talks with the 76ers surrounding Harden but considered themselves the only team in the running for the guard.
He now joins a Clippers team flanked by two-time Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard, six-time All-NBA wing Paul George as well as former MVP and former teammate from the Oklahoma City Thunder and Houston Rockets Russell Westbrook.
The Brooklyn Nets traded Harden to the Philadelphia 76ers in a blockbuster deal in which a package including Ben Simmons went the other way in February 2022.
Last season, Harden averaged 21 points and 10.7 assists in 58 games.
In the 2022-23 season, the Sixers finished third in the Eastern Conference behind the Milwaukee Bucks and Boston Celtics. They lost to the Celtics in Game 7 of the second round of the playoffs.
More to come.
