The NBA world was left stunned on Monday night when the Los Angeles Clippers traded for James Harden. What made it even more shocking was how little the Clippers had to part with to land Harden from the Philadelphia 76ers.
FULL TRADE DETAILS:
Clippers receive:
James Harden
PJ Tucker
Filip Petrusev
Sixers receive:
Marcus Morris
Nicolas Batum
Robert Covington
KJ Martin
Multiple draft picks
Pick swap
Oh my… 👀 (via @wojespn) pic.twitter.com/Uj5lYyJB2t
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) October 31, 2023
NBA fans couldn’t believe that the Clippers only had to give up that much to land the 10-time All-Star.
One was stunned that the best player the 76ers got back in this trade was Marcus Morris.
https://twitter.com/TahjSales/status/1719245056102564024
A fan mocked Daryl Morey for holding out for so long, only to get this haul.
Lmao this what Daryl Morey was holding out for pic.twitter.com/WhrywtVvOX
— Hater Report (@HaterReport_) October 31, 2023
One brutally roasted the haul that the 76ers got.
A half eaten apple and 3 used socks
— Kyrie’s Hub (@kyrieshub) October 31, 2023
The Clippers got Harden for nothing, a fan stated.
Clippers gave up nothing
— 🧑🏾🦯 (@KamSaucy2x) October 31, 2023
A fan termed this to be the worst return he had ever seen.
https://twitter.com/GoloFromKyotoo/status/1719243963234734246
While the player haul that the 76ers got in return for Harden, who averaged 21.0 points, 6.1 rebounds, 10.7 assists, 1.2 steals, and 0.5 blocks per game in the 2022-23 season, is very underwhelming, the true value of this trade is in the draft picks. They got two unprotected first-round picks in 2026 and 2028, along with a pick swap, and don’t expect the 76ers to keep them for very long.
The 76ers Are Planning To Pursue A Star With This Haul
The 76ers had made it clear very early on, what they wanted for the 34-year-old. Morey had stated that they’d want a very good player or something they can turn into a very good player for Harden. Well, with this trade, the Sixers believe they have the latter.
“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,” Adrian Wojnarowski wrote.
Morey clearly thinks he can package all of this along with some of the players they got, to land another star. One name that does come to mind is Zach LaVine. If the Chicago Bulls are struggling as the season goes by, they might be tempted to enter a rebuild which would see LaVine being made available on the trade market.
He certainly would be one to keep an eye on, but if the Sixers fail to land him or some other star, this trade would be seen in a very negative light.
The Clippers Look Stacked Now
As far as win-now moves go, this one for Harden is right at the top. L.A. has basically now gone all in with this trade and as a result, the Clippers look absolutely stacked with Harden. First of all, his arrival gives them the elite playmaker that this team has lacked in the Kawhi Leonard–Paul George era.
Harden also gets to play the role that I believe he is best suited to at this stage of his career, which is to be the third option. He can stick to facilitating for the two stars, who should shine playing alongside him. Harden’s arrival also significantly reduces the load on Russell Westbrook, but it does remain to be seen how the Clippers plan to use him now.
To go with that star-studded starting lineup, the Clippers also have the likes of Bones Hyland, Terance Mann, Normal Powell, and PJ Tucker coming off the bench. On paper, this looks like a very good team, and if the stars can stay healthy for once, they have the potential to finally get over the line, and win that elusive championship.
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