So … who is Daryl Morey going after now?
In the wake of the long-awaited trade that despatched James Harden from Philadelphia to the LA Clippers late Monday night time — and thereby ended one of the contentious standoffs between a star participant and a front-office govt in league historical past — the shortage of readability surrounding that essential query means it is nearly inconceivable to actually analyze what this all means for the Sixers.
Step 1 of Morey’s plan is now full with 76ers president of basketball operations sending Harden to his vacation spot of selection (together with P.J. Tucker) in trade for Robert Covington, Nicolas Batum, KJ Martin, Marcus Morris Sr. and draft picks. As I detailed earlier this month, it’s these picks that matter most if Morey’s going to salvage this case that had been so bitter for the reason that summertime.
A fast refresher on what’s coming the Sixers’ manner, based on league sources: A 2026 first-rounder (from the Clippers by way of Oklahoma City), a 2028 first-rounder, two second-rounders and a choose swap from the Clippers. As Morey sees it, his finest probability at taking this Sixers crew even nearer to title rivalry is to spherical up all these draft belongings and search around for the type of high-level participant who can one way or the other substitute the previous MVP who simply left city. And whereas he’s at it, assist quiet the noise amongst Sixers rivals about reigning MVP Joel Embiid finally doing the identical. That’s Step 2 right here, and it stays to be seen if Morey can pull it off.
GO DEEPER
James Harden trade grades: How did the Clippers and Sixers do within the deal?
Say what you’ll about Harden, but he led the league in assists (10.7 per sport) and nonetheless scored at a excessive degree (21 ppg.) on the age of 33 whereas taking part in a pivotal half within the Sixers’ 54-win 2022-23 season (and Embiid’s MVP marketing campaign). On his finest nights, he’s nonetheless a top-tier expertise.
It’s secure to imagine Morey has a listing of targets for his attainable substitute, but he’s additionally properly conscious that it might take a while for these gamers, whoever they could be, to develop into accessible. That’s the unavoidable reality that comes with this time of 12 months when most groups stay hopeful sufficient about their prospects that the willingness to deal is comparatively minimal. The annual uptick in desperation doesn’t usually come till later – like, say, a lot nearer to the league’s Feb. 8 trade deadline.
Morey will certainly share his perspective within the coming days, but it stands to motive that three key elements performed a component on this option to be finished with The Beard as soon as and for all:
• The draft belongings coming the Sixers’ manner have been lastly sufficient that he felt fairly assured about his potential to finally full the aforementioned Step 2, even when the Clippers held onto Terance Mann in the long run.
• The uncertainty surrounding Harden and the way in which he was selecting to deal with his Sixers existence was more and more disruptive with the league asserting on Thursday that it was “looking into the facts” surrounding Harden’s absence from the Sixers’ season opener towards Milwaukee. He had but to play this season and was on the bench in avenue garments for Philadelphia’s Sunday house opener. The odds of the messiness and discomfort growing on this fractured entrance seemed to be very excessive.
• The Sixers have regarded good with out Harden, successful two of three video games whereas posting a web score of 10.9 that is (small pattern dimension and all) behind solely the Clippers and Nuggets. Philly practically ruined Milwaukee’s opening night time (118-117), then received at Toronto (114-107) and at house towards Portland (126-98).
More particularly — and importantly — the early revelation that Tyrese Maxey is on his technique to changing into an All-Star is of nice significance. The fourth-year guard is averaging 30.3 factors thus far (he averaged 20.3 final season), 6.3 assists (up from 3.5) and 6.7 rebounds (up from 2.9).
But wait, there’s extra: After capturing 42.7 % from lengthy vary two seasons in the past (on 4.1 makes an attempt) and 43.4 % final season (on 6.2 makes an attempt), he has hit 56 % of his 3-pointers on even larger quantity (8.3 per sport). It’s early, sure, but Maxey has been making fairly a powerful case for this elevated workload on the offensive finish to develop into his new norm beneath first-year coach Nick Nurse.
Not surprisingly, Embiid has regarded like his MVP-caliber self thus far (averaging 31.0 factors, 10.3 rebounds, 7.0 assists and 3.0 blocks per sport). Tobias Haris and Kelly Oubre Jr. are each averaging practically 20 factors per sport as properly.
Put all these developments collectively and you begin to perceive why the time had lastly come for the NBA’s newest celebrity saga to return to an finish. The query now — one with out a solution simply but — is whether or not there will likely be one other star en path to Philadelphia within the months forward.
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(Photo of James Harden and Joel Embiid: Mitchell Leff / Getty Images)
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