Breaking News: James Harden Traded to the Clippers!

        After months of talking and stirring up drama it has finally happened again, James Harden forced his way out of one team and landed with another. Harden was able to force his way out of Houston, then Brooklyn and now Philadelphia. Harden is going to LA and join Paul George, Kawhi Leonard and Russell Westbrook. The Clippers already had championship aspirations but with the addition of James Harden it is championship or bust. 

        James Harden was traded to Philadelphia at the trade deadline a couple seasons ago. After the failed experiment of Durant, Irving and Harden in Brooklyn James Harden quietly requested a trade from Brooklyn and landed in Philadelphia. The same deal that sent Harden to Philadelphia also sent Ben Simmons to Brooklyn. Harden and the 76ers finished the 2022 season as the 4th seed in the Eastern Conference and made it all the way to the second-round however they lost the East-Semis to the Miami Heat in six games. 

        After an early playoff exit James Harden entered free agency and would re-sign with the 76ers on a 2-year, $68.4 Million deal and the second year of his deal is a player-option. In Harden's perspective he took less money to give the 76ers financial flexibility which they used to get Danuel House Jr and PJ Tucker. The Sixers finished the 2023 season as the 3rd seed in the Eastern Conference, Joel Embiid won MVP and James Harden led the league in assists. The 76ers had a great season and they made it as far the second-round, once again. The 76ers had a 3-2 series lead against the Boston Celtics but proceeded to lose the next two games. 

        In the summer of 2022, when Harden signed his deal, he was promised by Daryl Morey that he would give Harden a max contract worth up to $210.1 Million over the next 4-years. Daryl Morey is the current Philadelphia 76ers president of basketball operations but his history with Harden goes all the way back to their days with the Houston Rockets. The plan was that Harden would opt-out of his current deal and sign his max contract however Daryl Morey got cold feet and decided not to give him the max contract. When it was clear that Morey was not going to offer the max, James Harden opted into his player-option but immediately requested a trade and he made it known that his preferred destination was the LA Clippers. 

        There were on and off conversations between the Philadelphia 76ers and the LA Clippers however it was just recently announced that James Harden got his wish and was traded to the Clippers. The Clippers acquire James Harden, PJ Tucker and Filip Petrusev. The 76ers get back Marcus Morris, Nic Batum, Robert Covington and KJ Martin. The Clippers are sending a 2028 unprotected first-round pick, two second-round picks and a pick swap to the 76ers. The Clippers are sending a 2027 first-round pick swap to the Oklahoma City Thunder, clearing way for OKC to move a protected 2026 first-round pick  the 76ers. The Clippers are sending a 2024 and 2029 second-round pick to the Sixers in the deal too. In addition, the Philadelphia 76ers are waiving Danny Green due to the necessity of opening a roster spot to complete the deal. As of right now it is looking like the Clippers view Harden as a one year rental but the business can wait until next summer.