The Philadelphia 76ers are considered one of the favorites to win the championship next season. After all, the franchise managed to assemble a much more complete team almost overnight; after a mass exodus of their own free agents, management went on and caught the biggest fish in free agency in Paul George and surrounded their new Big Three with well-tailored pieces.
But what made this free agency bonanza possible was a trade that nearly sent them into ruin last year. James Harden was forced out of Philly, but not before casting a huge cloud over the team’s ability to win now and maintain its winning cause in the near future.
Nearly a year later, how did the trade go for the 76ers?
Grade for the 76ers: A
Philadelphia never intended to part ways with Harden, but the former MVP practically forced them to do so. In doing so, the 76ers were able to extract a considerable amount of assets from the Clippers without sacrificing the financial flexibility that allowed them to overhaul this summer. LA’s draft compensation also filled what was once a nearly empty reservoir in the draft capital department.
Better yet, the move gave the team a big picture look at how Tyrese Maxey would fare in a bigger role. The result is an Most Improved Player finish for the new All-Star and, suddenly, a much brighter immediate future for the franchise.
Clippers Grade: C
Conversely, the Clippers’ grand plan to form a troika of Kawhi Leonard, George and Harden has fallen short. After an incredibly hot streak last season that boosted their title hopes, the team simply fizzled out before the injuries began to bite them. To top it all off, they are now being touted as a major league team. single playoff participant with Leonard as a massive question mark and George leaving them for Philadelphia.
The franchise also can’t change course. No team is going to risk its entire future to acquire aging, injury-plagued stars like Leonard and Harden, and the Clippers are saying goodbye to any draft assets they have in the near future. Worse, they’re still caught in another conundrum with a small part of the P.J. Tucker trade, who has one year left on his contract.
