76ers reach deal to trade James Harden to Clippers for picks, four players

James Harden got his wish — he is headed to the Los Angeles Clippers.

After months of both the 76ers and Clippers front offices digging in their heels, the sides were able to find a creative solution and get a blockbuster trade done, a story broken by Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (at 2 a.m. Eastern). Both sides were able to get most of what they wanted out of a trade that ultimately will see a third team involved (even if it is technically a separate trade).

Here’s how the trade breaks down:

The Los Angeles Clippers receive Harden, P.J. Tucker and Filip Petrusev.

The Philadelphia 76ers receive a 2028 unprotected first-round pick, a 2029 pick swap, two second-round picks, Marcus Morris, Robert Covington, Nic Batum, KJ Martin and “an additional first-round pick that’ll be routed from a third team,” according to the ESPN report. That’s vague, as was the explanation.

The Clippers and a third team were still finalizing those details late Monday night, sources said.

That sounds like a trade on the one-yard line but not yet into the end zone. Philly president Daryl Morey has demanded two first-round picks in the trade, in part because he believes he can flip those picks — plus maybe a player such as Batum or Martin — for an All-Star level player to put next to MVP Joel Embiid and keep this team a contender.

Here are some quick late-night thoughts on this deal:

• Harden is a winner because he gets to go home to Los Angeles and play for a team he appears to believe will pay him as a free agent next summer.

• Harden may be right about getting paid, although maybe not the max contract (or close to it) he hopes to see. The Clippers are about to move into the new Intuit Dome next season and owner Steve Ballmer wants to do that with a team that is a draw. Harden, Kawhi Leonard and Paul George — assuming those last two get contract extensions and return that gives the Clippers a respectable trio. Whether the Clippers should want to sign up for another three years of that trio is another question, but they seem committed to it.

• With Leonard, George and Harden, the Clippers are a legit playoff threat to any team in the West — if that big three is healthy. Which is a big “if.”

• The incredible play of Tyrese Maxey to start the season — 30.3 points, 6.7 rebounds and 6.3 assists a game — makes trading away Harden less of a risk for Philly. Bringing back Harden would have meant taking the ball out of Maxey’s hands, which is not a good idea.

• The 76ers add depth they can use with Covington, Batum, Martin and Morris (who has battled injury and has yet to suit up for the Clippers this season.

• The Clippers stuck to their line in the sand of only trading away one first-round pick and not putting Terance Mann in the deal.