Sixers prolonging Harden saga amid Clippers trade offer

Per Wojnarowski, Los Angeles’ provide of a first-round choose, a choose swap and expiring contracts is by far probably the most profitable provide the Sixers have acquired for Harden. Regardless of the provide, there isn’t a traction on a possible deal because the Sixers stay adamant that the Clippers embrace Terance Mann in any bundle for Harden. 

On Thursday, The Athletic’s Shams Charania reported on Bally Sports activities’ “The Rally” that Philadelphia values a bundle consisting of Mann and a number of first-round picks. Mann, 26, is probably the most intriguing commerce chip the Clippers must boast throughout an in any other case older roster.  

Los Angeles has lengthy valued Mann, refusing to incorporate him in a possible deal for then-Toronto Raptors star Fred VanVleet eventually season’s commerce deadline. Nonetheless, Mann is not the kind of participant that ought to halt a Harden deal from getting achieved. 

Whereas serviceable on each ends of the courtroom, Mann is an 8.0 PPG scorer who has struggled to carve out a constant function within the Clippers rotation — enjoying fewer than 20 minutes in 9 of Los Angeles’ ultimate 16 regular-season video games in 2022-23.  

From Philadelphia’s perspective, being stingy in a possible deal involving a former league MVP is comprehensible, albeit irrational. Harden’s declining scoring output and tendency to uproot franchises in an unpleasant trend have diminished his commerce worth. His 21.0 PPG scoring common as a Sixer is 12.6 PPG fewer than the 33.6 PPG he averaged over the ultimate three full seasons of his Houston Rockets tenure. Moreover, if Philadelphia does transfer Harden this season, it’s going to mark the 10-time All-Star’s fourth crew in as a few years. 

Until the Sixers really consider they will iron out their points with Harden, they’re higher off stomaching a less-than-stellar commerce return than rostering a disgruntled Harden into the season.