- The Los Angeles Clippers acquired James Harden in a trade with the Philadelphia 76ers.
- The Clippers’ 2023-24 NBA title odds improved after the Harden trade was announced.
- PJ Tucker and Filip Petrusev are on their way to Los Angeles after being involved in the trade package.
James Harden finally received his wish. The Philadelphia 76ers sent Harden to the Los Angeles Clippers in a blockbuster trade. According to BetOnline’s 2023-24 NBA Championship odds, the 76ers shortened from +1800 to +1200 to win the title.
The trade has been a long time in the making. In July, we reported that the Clippers were favored to trade for the disgruntled 34-year-old guard. The Clippers had -200 odds to acquire Harden, as owner Steve Ballmer continues his mission for an NBA title.
The former Microsoft executive has green-lighted several big moves over the last few years. In 2019, the Clippers acquired Kawhi Leonard and Paul George with the intention of winning a championship.
Leonard and George haven’t paid off for the Clippers yet, but with a legitimate “Big Three” in place now, we’ll see if this is the final piece of the puzzle for Ballmer. As we’ve discovered in the past, putting a superstar roster together doesn’t always equate to success.
Harden Takes Another Shot At NBA Championship
Harden’s move to the Clippers doesn’t represent the first time he has been a member of a Big Three super team roster. The Brooklyn Nets assembled a roster that included Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, and Harden.
Things never sorted out for the Nets, and it resulted in one of the most disappointing combos in recent NBA history. The next stop for Harden was forming a formidable squad with Joel Embiid in Philadelphia.
After another playoff failure in 2022-23, Harden signaled that he was interested in joining another team. In addition to frustrating playoff losses, the relationship between Harden and 76ers’ president Daryl Morey was fractured.
In August, it came to a head during Harden’s media appearance in China. Harden publicly shamed Morey with the cameras rolling in front of several fans and the media.
“Daryl Morey is a liar and I will never be part of an organization that he’s a part of,” Harden said to a crowd. “Let me say that again: Daryl Morey is a liar, and I will never be part of an organization that he’s a part of.”
If that wasn’t enough to suggest that Harden was being traded, Harden failed to show up for the 76ers’ media day. Additionally, Harden didn’t appear in any preseason games and started the regular season holding out.
After the trade was completed, the 76ers’ 2023-24 NBA Championship odds fell from +2000 to +3000. This represents an implied probability of just 3.2 percent.
Harden Trade Details
Harden was the centerpiece of a trade that included multiple assets. The 76ers also acquired forwards PJ Tucker and Filip Petrusev in the trade. Tucker has appeared in three games this season, averaging 2.0 points and 4.7 rebounds in 22 minutes per game.
The 38-year-old will look for his second NBA title after winning in 2021 with the Milwaukee Bucks. Petrusev is a project piece, who has appeared off the bench in just three minutes of action this season.
Those are the only minutes that the 50th selection of the 2021 NBA Draft has gotten in his NBA career. Petrusev isn’t expected to see much floor time with the Clippers, but Tucker can provide some depth.
The 76ers acquired an unprotected 2028 first-round pick and two second-round picks in 2024 and 2029 from the Clippers. Also, the 76ers will receive a first-round pick from the Oklahoma City Thunder and a first-round pick swap via the Clippers.
Along with the draft equity, the Clippers sent Marcus Morris, Kenyon Martin Jr., Nicolas Batum, and Robert Covington to Philadelphia. Morris has not made it on the floor for a regular season game this year. As the subject of trade rumors, Morris was held out of the lineup by head coach Nick Nurse.
Martin Jr. is the most notable acquisition for the 76ers. In his third NBA season, the 22-year-old forward recorded a career-high 12.7 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 1.5 assists per game.
Martin Jr. hasn’t had much of a role on Nurse’s team. In two games, Martin Jr. has averaged just 5 points, 1.5 rebounds, and 0.5 assists in 15.5 minutes per game.
Now, the attention turns to Embiid’s future in Philadelphia. With Harden gone, Embiid might be in line to request a trade. In July, Embiid suggested that he would be happy leaving Philadelphia for a better situation.
