So … who’s Daryl Morey going after now?
Within the wake of the long-awaited commerce that despatched James Harden from Philadelphia to the LA Clippers late Monday night time — and thereby ended one of the vital 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’s just about not possible 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 alternative (together with P.J. Tucker) in alternate 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 because the summertime.
A fast refresher on what’s coming the Sixers’ means, in accordance with league sources: A 2026 first-rounder (from the Clippers by way of Oklahoma Metropolis), a 2028 first-rounder, two second-rounders and a choose swap from the Clippers. As Morey sees it, his greatest likelihood at taking this Sixers crew even nearer to title competition is to spherical up all these draft belongings and go trying to find the form 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 commerce grades: How did the Clippers and Sixers do within the deal?
Say what you’ll about Harden, however he led the league in assists (10.7 per recreation) 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 greatest nights, he’s nonetheless a top-tier expertise.
It’s protected to imagine Morey has a listing of targets for his potential alternative, however he’s additionally properly conscious that it might take a while for these gamers, whoever they is likely to be, to turn out to be obtainable. 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 commerce deadline.
Morey will certainly share his perspective within the coming days, nevertheless it stands to motive that three key components performed an element on this option to be completed with The Beard as soon as and for all:
• The draft belongings coming the Sixers’ means have been lastly sufficient that he felt fairly assured about his skill 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 “wanting into the details” 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 residence opener. The percentages of the messiness and discomfort growing on this fractured entrance gave the impression to be very excessive.
• The Sixers have seemed good with out Harden, profitable two of three video games whereas posting a internet ranking of 10.9 that’s (small pattern dimension and all) behind solely the Clippers and Nuggets. Philly almost ruined Milwaukee’s opening night time (118-117), then gained at Toronto (114-107) and at residence towards Portland (126-98).
Extra particularly — and importantly — the early revelation that Tyrese Maxey is on his solution to changing into an All-Star is of nice significance. The fourth-year guard is averaging 30.3 factors to date (he averaged 20.3 final season), 6.3 assists (up from 3.5) and 6.7 rebounds (up from 2.9).
However wait, there’s extra: After capturing 42.7 p.c from lengthy vary two seasons in the past (on 4.1 makes an attempt) and 43.4 p.c final season (on 6.2 makes an attempt), he has hit 56 p.c of his 3-pointers on even higher quantity (8.3 per recreation). It’s early, sure, however Maxey has been making fairly a powerful case for this elevated workload on the offensive finish to turn out to be his new norm beneath first-year coach Nick Nurse.
Not surprisingly, Embiid has seemed like his MVP-caliber self to date (averaging 31.0 factors, 10.3 rebounds, 7.0 assists and three.0 blocks per recreation). Tobias Haris and Kelly Oubre Jr. are each averaging almost 20 factors per recreation as properly.
Put all these developments collectively and also you begin to perceive why the time had lastly come for the NBA’s newest famous person saga to come back to an finish. The query now — one with out a solution simply but — is whether or not there might be one other star en path to Philadelphia within the months forward.
Get The Bounce, a every day NBA E-newsletter from Zach Harper and Shams Charania, in your inbox each morning. Signal up right here.
(Picture of James Harden and Joel Embiid: Mitchell Leff / Getty Pictures)
