Well, that took a while. After months of speculation and rumors James Harden was granted his wish… again. To his team of choice… again. To the team he really wants to play for… again. This time he really, really means it though!
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.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) October 31, 2023
The details, per ESPN, follow.
Clippers receive
Sixers receive
- Marcus Morris
- Robert Covington
- Nicolas Batum
- KJ Martin
- 2028 unprotected first-round pick
- 2024 and 2029 two second-round picks
- 2029 pick swap
- 2026 first-round pick from Thunder (swap for 2027 pick LAC already sent to OKC)
- Thanks to @F#$*Ingles2 for adding this detail!
The Sixers will then waive veteran guard Danny Green to create the roster space for the trade, sources said.
Lot’s going on there, what do you think? I asked our team at thePeachBasket for their thoughts on the first big in-season trade of the 2023-24 NBA season.
Jesse VanDerveer, Brooklyn Nets contributor
I feel it will not help the Clippers. They are adding another veteran that is semi injury prone to an already veteran and injury prone team. Yes, he can add some scoring and play-making but at the end of the day they don’t need another ball dominate guard.
Brandon Sparks, Los Angeles Lakers contributor
76ers got fleeced! They got 3 players who play the same position and they all are old as dirt 
I think the 76ers definitely succumbed to Harden’s needs at the end of the day. They were holding out in hopes to retrieve Terance Mann in any trade but with the team already struggling this season they made the move. The Los Angeles Clippers look like a super team but with so many injury prone players. I see this ending the same way the Brooklyn Nets super team ended.
Roger Straz, Cleveland Cavaliers contributor
James Harden kept his promise, he was never going to ever play for another Daryl Morey team again. The trade for 76ers seems be addition by subtraction. For the Clippers, not sure if Harden is the missing piece but generally the first couple of months the Clippers should get the best version of Harden, after that….. we will see.
Steve Purciello, NBA Fan Expert
Philadelphia won because they dumped a problem, got players on expiring contracts and if you combine it with Tobias Harris’ contract they can sign a big time free agent next year. It also allows Tyrese Maxey to grow without James Harden holding the ball. This will help Maxey become an All Star and future All NBA player. Also the ’28 draft pick is valuable because the Clipper stars will be well past their prime and it’s difficult to rebuild on the fly in the NBA.
Pirasanth Gunasekaram, Toronto Raptors contributor
The Los Angeles Clippers won this trade because they got James Harden without giving up Terance Mann and Norman Powell. Yeah, I get that Daryl Morey’s plan for the Philadelphia 76ers is to get as many assets as you can and flip them for a star at the trade deadline. Or create cap space to sign a star in the offseason, but right now that looks like a fever dream.
Allen Simon, Sacramento Kings contributor
When I first looked at the James Harden trade details, my initial thoughts were: “Wow, the Sixers really got fleeced–definitely not the return they were hoping for.” In general, I think it’s tempting to just look at trades in terms of the current players being moved and the immediate impact that will have (especially for a team like the Sixers that’s looking to be a contender this year). But the picks that the Sixers got are nothing to sneeze at. Collecting unprotected first-round picks isn’t easy, and it’s easy to imagine a scenario in which the Clippers are bottom-feeders by 2028, especially since they’ve already surrendered much of their draft capital for the years between now and then.
That pick and the 2029 swap both have the potential to yield some serious talent. Finally, I don’t think the active players going to the Sixers should be completely overlooked. Having veteran depth on the bench can be important in the playoffs. A sneaky good game or two from even one of those four players could change the outcome of a tight series.
Jordan Leturgez, Chicago Bulls contributor
James Harden being traded to the Los Angeles Clippers? That’s a game-changer. I mean, picture this: you got Kawhi Leonard, Paul George, and his former teammate Russell Westbrook on the same team. That’s a serious squad right there. The Clippers are going to be an absolute force to be reckoned with. Harden’s offensive skills are off the charts, and his ability to create and score makes him one of the most potent offensive weapons in the league. This trade has the potential to shake things up in a major way. It’s going to be exciting to see how he meshes with the Clippers’ roster and how they perform in the playoffs. I can’t wait to see what unfolds.
Tyrone Smith, Detroit Pistons contributor
I personally feel both teams made out well. The Clippers, in my opinion, didn’t lose any significant depth with this trade while getting a guy who can give you 20pts 10ast on any given night. The Sixers get some toughness and veteran leadership added to their squad in addition to draft capital they could use to make another significant deal. I give the Clippers a slight edge in this deal.
Sam Fortney, Miami Heat contributor
The Sixers come out on top here in my opinion. They get rid of a disgruntled, aging star who has been in decline in recent years. The Clippers are now faced with a multitude of lineup issues now with the pairing of Westbrook and Harden in the backcourt, while the Sixers get valuable two-way players to surround Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey and improve their shooting ability and overall bench depth.
We will have more thoughts on this trade from our Los Angeles Clippers contributors soon!
