The James Harden trade request saga came to an end early on Tuesday morning.
The Sixers have agreed to trade Harden to the Los Angeles Clippers alongside PJ Tucker and Filip Petrušev, confirmed by a source to NBC Sports Philadelphia. The news was initially reported by ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
In exchange, the Sixers will receive Robert Covington, Nicolas Batum, KJ Martin, Marcus Morris Sr., as well as draft compensation, including an unprotected first-round pick in 2028. The team will waive Danny Green to make room on the roster for the completion of the deal, according to Wojnarowski.
Morris, Martin, Batum, and Covington all have contracts that will expire soon.
Covington was involved in another major trade for the Sixers five years ago when he was part of the package sent to the Timberwolves in exchange for Jimmy Butler. Known for his defensive skills, Covington earned a spot on the NBA’s All-Defensive First Team in the 2017-18 season and spent five seasons with the Sixers.
Morris, who hails from Philadelphia, is a 34-year-old veteran player, while Martin, at 22 years old, is known for his athleticism and highlight-reel dunks. Batum, the captain of the French national team, brings versatility and experience to the team.
Harden played a full NBA season in a Sixers uniform, participating in 79 regular-season games since being traded from the Brooklyn Nets to the Philadelphia Sixers in February 2022.
During his time with the Sixers, Harden had several standout performances, including a 45-point game in Game 1 and a 42-point game in Game 4 during the team’s second-round playoff series against the Boston Celtics last year. He led the league in assists per game and played a key role in maximizing Joel Embiid’s impact on the court. He also provided guidance to young teammate Tyrese Maxey. With Harden, the Sixers achieved a record of 54-28, their best since the 2000-01 season.
The Sixers made the decision to part ways with head coach Doc Rivers after a disappointing Game 7 loss in Boston and hired Nick Nurse. Following this, Harden exercised his $35.6 million player option and requested a trade.
The process of parting ways with Sixers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey was lengthy and unpleasant. In August, Harden publicly referred to Morey as a “liar” at an event in China, and the NBA fined him $100,000 for making trade demands public.
Harden was absent for the Sixers’ media day and Nurse’s first training camp practice. However, he made his return to the team on Day 2 after a personal absence of 10 days. Morey was not in a hurry to trade him away.
During the team’s media day, Morey stated, “We’ll either move James for a player of high caliber that will contribute to our championship aspirations or for draft picks that will enable us to acquire such a player in the near future.”
On October 19, Harden explained further why he had lost trust in Morey.
“This is definitely a challenging time,” he said. “For me, it’s about trusting the people I’ve known for over a decade. When I was traded here, my intention was to retire as a Sixer. I wanted to stay here and end my career with the Sixers, but the front office had different plans. It’s beyond my control.
“It’s not something I wanted to happen, being in this situation, but I have to make decisions for the well-being of my family. I understand that this is a business. It’s as simple as that. When I come in here every day, I work hard and do everything required of me as a professional, just as I’ve done for the past 15 years.”
Although Harden returned to the Sixers last week after his absence, he did not join the team for their season-opening road trip. He watched their victory over the Portland Trail Blazers from the bench. Nurse stated that Harden was still getting back into shape and would participate in practice on Tuesday.
However, Harden will not be present at that practice.
Instead, the Sixers will enter a new phase led by Embiid and the rising star Maxey, who was recently awarded the NBA’s Eastern Conference Player of the Week for his performances in the team’s 2-1 start.
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