By ADRIAN STEWART CO
JAMES Harden got his wish to play for the Los Angeles Clippers after being shipped by his former team, Philadelphia 76ers, in a blockbuster trade on Monday night (Tuesday in the Philippines).
According to a report by ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, the 76ers have shipped the 10-time NBA All-Star Harden along with P.J. Tucker and rookie center Filip Petrusev to the Clippers.
The 76ers, on the other hand, has acquired role players Marcus Morris, Robert Covington, Nic Batum, KJ Martin, a 2028 unprotected first-round pick, two second-round picks, a 2029 pick swap and an additional first-round pick from the Clippers.
To complete the deal, the 76ers are in talks with a third team where they will send the first round draft pick they acquired from the Clippers, while they will also release veteran guard Danny Green to create a roster spot to their newly-acquired players.
Harden’s trade to the Clippers have moved him closer to a possible first NBA championship as he teams up with fellow All-Stars Russell Westbrook, Kawhi Leonard, and Paul George.
In a separate report by ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne, it was said that Harden is “ecstatic” to fulfill his wish to be traded to the Clippers and hoping to fly to Los Angeles as soon as possible.
The 34-year-old Harden requested a trade out of Philadelphia in June due to his refusal to work with the 76ers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey, whom he called “a liar” publicly multiple times.
The Clippers and Sixers have been discussing a Harden trade since July but failed to reach an agreement as the former refuses to include veteran guard Terance Mann in the transaction.
The Clippers and 76ers began talking again on a trade over the weekend as it became increasingly untenable for Harden to be incorporated back into the Sixers’ lineup until a deal was reached in the late hours of Monday night (Tuesday, Manila time).
The Clippers will be Harden’s fifth team in the NBA after he started his career with Oklahoma City Thunder until he was moved to Houston Rockets, Brooklyn Nets and to the 76ers./PN
