The Philadelphia 76ers are aggressively pursuing a trade with the Los Angeles Clippers centering around James Harden.
Although both parties have made it clear that they want to get something done, some big issues have persisted. Namely: the Sixers’ most recent demand for the Clippers and the latter squad’s refusal to include two key role players in any potential deal.
That being said, because it is clear that both sides are motivated to find a common ground, most folks around the league believe that eventually they will.
This week, a report surfaced suggesting what the 76ers’ immediate next move will be if they do trade Harden to the Clippers.
“Daryl Morey’s motivation is whatever he gets from the Clippers, he wants to be able to flip that for another All-Star level guard that he could replace James Harden with,” ESPN insider Adrian Wojnarowski said on NBA Today.
When this process first began, Philly’s demands were a bit different. Clearly the front office’s stance has since softened. Part of that likely is because of just how angry Harden is at Morey, and part of it probably stems from the Clippers’ general indifference towards actually making a trade happen.
Not only do the Clippers already have a Plan B in place should the Harden thing not work out for them, but every team who has expressed even mild interest in the former MVP at one point has bowed out of the race for him.
Brittany Mahomes’ skirt for yesterday’s Chiefs vs Broncos game stole the show from Taylor Swift and everyone else: https://t.co/ydH8nMO77u
— Game 7 (@game7__) October 13, 2023
It really feels like if the Clippers don’t trade for Harden, nobody will.
And since Harden has made it clear that he won’t suit up for Philly, that puts Morey in a bit of a pickle.
At this point, it feels like eventually Harden will end up in a Clippers uniform. How long will it take the 76ers to actually let him go, though? Time will tell.
Related: LaVar Ball Responds To Big Baller Brand Shoes Ruining Lonzo’s Knees
A longtime sports reporter, Carlos Garcia has written about some of the biggest and most notable athletic events of the last 5 years. He has been credentialed to cover MLS, NBA and MLB games all over the United States. His work has been published on Fox Sports, Bleacher Report, AOL and the Washington Post.
