A lingering issue was settled Tuesday by the 76ers, leaving long-lasting benefits that yet may be more immediate.
In using likely Hall of Fame point guard James Harden as the key piece in a complicated deal with the Los Angeles Clippers, the Sixers accumulated multiple draft choices, draft options and interesting players on expiring contracts. With that, basketball-operations president Daryl Morey can prepare another package for an instant roster boost, or bank his new assets for another time while seeing how the Sixers perform under new coach Nick Nurse with Tyrese Maxey at the point.
Harden authorized a one-year, $35.7 million deal last offseason, not long after declining to give Doc Rivers a confidence boost following a dismal Sixers effort in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference semifinals at Boston. Implying he was promised to be traded as an unwritten part of that agreement, he proceeded to attack Morey’s character in public and promising to never again play for the Sixers.
Harden, 34, skipped the training-camp Media Day and some early practices, eventually reported as part of his contractual obligations, then found “personal” reasons not to participate in the preseason or at all during the Sixers’ 2-1 start. Even when he did attempt to join the Sixers for their season-opening trip to Milwaukee, he was instructed instead to remain in Camden and work on his conditioning.
The situation cleared around 2 o’clock Tuesday morning when Morey agreed to send Harden, P.J. Tucker and Filip Petrusev to the Clippers in exchange for an unprotected 2028 first-round draft choice, the 2029 right to swap first-round picks and a 2026 protected first-round pick by way of Oklahoma City.
The Sixers also picked up Philadelphia native Marcus Morris, 34, former Sixer Robert Covington, 34, Nicholas Batum, 34, and K.J. Martin, 24, all on contracts that will expire at the end of the season. Morey also hauled in a pair of second-round draft choices that could fluff any residual trade package.
For roster space, aging Danny Green, who never did catch Nurse’s eye, will be waived.
Nurse already had found his replacement for Harden in Maxey, the reigning Eastern Conference Player of the Week. Though Tucker was starting, he was becoming an offensive drain who had provided a total of six points through three games.
Nurse will have options to replace Tucker in the lineup, but is likely to give Kelly Oubre Jr. and his natural scoring touch the first chance. The Sixers will entertain Toronto Thursday night at 7.
While perfectly political during Harden’s non-holdout holdout, there was no indication Nurse wanted to disturb what he had been building.
“I’m not sitting here thinking it’s a big relief,” Nurse said Tuesday after a practice in Camden. “I think these guys are focused. Other than a few minutes a day answering questions about it, it really wasn’t that cumbersome or bothering or taxing for me.
“I’m super excited to see what this group can do. That’s what we’ve poured a lot of our energies into.”
Though Harden did not produce as expected in his season-plus with the Sixers, he did gain the respect of his teammates. He was particularly valuable to the continued development of Maxey as a point guard, possibly as an All-Star.
“I texted him and told him I love him and appreciate him,” Maxey said of Harden. “One thing he really installed in me was confidence. I’ve always been a confident person, but he made me more confident. And all I can do is appreciate him for that.
“He took me under his wing and taught me a lot about this league as far as being professional and how things go. So I appreciate him and love him. Same thing with Tuck. I love those guys.”
Of the newcomers, few if any are expected to hang around long, though the 6-6 Martin could be of some value. A 2020 second-round choice of the Kings, he did average 12.7 points last season with a dreadful Rockets team. Batum has scored 10,635 NBA points, but was averaging 18 minutes and 2.7 points this season. Morris, who has not played this season, could add some of the ruggedness lost with Tucker. And for a team with too few shooters, Covington may have a few three-pointers still to give.
“In this league and other leagues I have coached in, you are going to war on the game night with who is available, right?” Nurse said. “That’s the kind of the mode I’ve been in. So that stays the same.”
Harden played 79 regular-season games for the Sixers, scoring 1,658 points. His 10.7 assist average led the NBA last season.
“James is a really good player,” Joel Embiid said at the beginning of training camp. “We love him on the team. If he is here, great. If not, we’ve still got a job to do.”
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The NBA fined Embiid $35,000 for what it ruled was his obscene gesture during the third quarter of a Sunday night victory over visiting Portland.
After finishing a drive, Embiid vigorously performed the the DX-Triple H pro wrestling celebration act. NBA president of basketball operations announced the fine without Joe Dumars comment.
Source: Berkshire mont
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