After the Philadelphia 76ers blew a 3-2 series lead to the Boston Celtics in the 2023 NBA Playoffs, rumors that James Harden would be traded began swirling. Over the summer, those rumors started to pick up, with reports stating that Harden himself wanted out of Philadelphia. Fast forward to the second week of the NBA season, and Harden is a Los Angeles Clipper. While the Clippers are certainly title contenders, the query is whether the 76ers are still in that conversation.
Are the 76ers Still Title Contenders After the James Harden Trade?
What They Got
In exchange for Harden, the 76ers received Marcus Morris, Robert Covington, Kenyon Martin Jr., Nicolas Batum, and a handful of future draft picks.
While the picks may eventually come in handy, many Philadelphia fans worry that they may not be able to remain relevant without Harden. The fans’ concerns may be valid, but the team acquired some role players who can immediately jump into the rotation.
Morris is a forward who has started every game since the start of the 2021-22 season. Covington is a forward who has travelled around the league since leaving Philadelphia in 2018. Batum, another forward, has started games and been around the league for over a decade. All three men have already eclipsed the age of 30, so they may be unable to give the 76ers the big minutes they once could. That said, they may still be able to contribute as rotational players that get subbed in to play defense and shoot the three. Out of the three players, Morris is the one most likely to find himself in the starting lineup, as he is the only one who has averaged more than ten points per game since the 2021-22 season.
The piece that most fans are excited about is Martin. He is only 22 years old and has a highlight reel that would get any NBA fan amped up. His flashy play style will undoubtedly make him and Tyrese Maxey a backcourt tandem that is must-see television.
The 76ers may have gotten themselves some quality players out of the Harden trade, but they did not get anything that really moved the needle forward.
What They Lost
While Harden is past his prime, the 76ers lost one of the league’s perennial scorers. Even at 34, Harden can score 40+ points on any given night. That said, the team also rid themselves of the drama and baggage that came with Harden.
The 76ers also sent P.J. Tucker and Filip Petrusev to the Clippers with Harden. Tucker was a starting forward for Philadelphia, but the team brought three forwards that are not that far in skillset compared to Tucker. Petrusev, on the other hand, was not a starter and is likely years away from becoming one.
The Verdict
So, are the 76ers still title contenders after the James Harden trade? The short answer is no because they still are not on the level of the Milwaukee Bucks or Celtics; however, they may still be the winners of the trade because they were never really contenders anyway, with the Harden situation shadowing over the team.
On his FS1 show, The Herd, sports analyst Colin Cowherd stated his opinion on the matter.
“The Sixers. by the way, didn’t get a star, but I think won the trade… They got a chemistry upgrade getting Harden out of the building. And [they got] multiple expiring contracts which means they could have 65 million dollars next year in cap space.”
Philadelphia still has Joel Embiid and Maxey to build their future around. Moving Harden may not change the landscape of the roster much right now. On the flip, it certainly gives the team fresh air to breathe moving forward. Maybe they will make another move to try and go for it all this year. Or perhaps the team will just stick with what they got. Regardless, fans can at least rejoice that the Harden saga is now over.
