Clippers trade Tobias Harris to the Sixers

In an eventful trade deadline week, the Philadelphia 76ers have made a move for borderline all-star player, Tobias Harris.

Yesterday, Adrian Wojnarowski reported that the Clippers have agreed to a trade with the Sixers where they will send Tobias Harris, Boban Marjanovic, and Mike Scott to the Sixers for Landry Shamet, Wilson Chandler, Mike Muscala, 2020 first-round pick, the Miami Heat’s unprotected 2021 first-round pick, and two second-round picks.

As is common in all eye-catching NBA trades, people in sports media have been debating who “won the trade”. Many cite the array of draft picks the Clippers received, and how this trade will help them go star-hunting in the off-season as reason why they won the trade. Others have claimed the Sixers gave up a few valuable assets for one all-star caliber asset in Tobias Harris, effectively giving the Sixers a “big four” to compete for a finals spot this season.

Acquiring Harris is no small feat for the Sixers. This season, he is averaging 20.9 points, 7.9 rebounds, on 49.6 FG%, and 43.4 3PT%.

Harris a potential 20 and 10 forward, that doesn’t need to handle the ball to be effective, and he is an efficient shooter. For the Embiid/Simmons/Butler combination to work, the Sixers needed a stretch four who can shoot the three at an efficient rate. They now have that in Harris.

Regardless of who won the trade, both teams got what they wanted. The Sixers got a fourth star (that actually compliments their starting lineup) and the Clippers got more trade assets and cap space to make some big moves between now and next season. The Clippers also stand to gain a first-rounder in this year’s draft if they miss the playoffs – trading away your best player is a good way to do that.

Another interesting report from Woj gets at the Sixers mindset behind this trade. Jimmy Butler and Tobias Harris are free-agents this off-season, but the Sixers aren’t looking to rent these players for a one-and-done finals push. They would like to secure both players long-term and maintain an affordable big four that will contend every year with cheap role players surrounding them.

That’s a bold decision for the Sixers to make, especially with Simmons and Embiid presumably yet to enter their prime. But it does signal some direction for a franchise that has previously wandered around in the darkness, ‘trusting the process’, so that they could one day get to this point.

This trade also signals that the Clippers and the Sixers understand the modern NBA. The Sixers, while lacking depth, have an incredible starting five. If you have another three to four (bench) players that fill specific roles, that’s all you need to win a championship. The Clippers have depth, but are now attempting to turn that depth and wealth of assets into some superstars to build around. Stars win games, and in the playoffs, most teams play eight guys in the rotation.  Depth is a dying concept.

This deal also begs the question: what will happen to Markelle Fultz?

If the Sixers are going all-in now, it could make sense to see what you would get for Fultz. Although, if they are patient with Fultz, and he becomes the player they wanted him to become, he could lead their bench lineup for the next couple of years on a cheap rookie-deal. And if they manage to keep their big four, they will be looking for value on the margins.

It will be interesting to see how this trade alters these teams’ trajectories in the coming years. We will know more at the end of this season. Will the Clippers have Kawhi Leonard, Anthony Davis, or Kevin Durant (or some combination of those)? If so, the assets in this trade will surely play a role. And for the Sixers, will they make the finals this year? Regardless of if they do or don’t, will they secure Butler and Harris long-term?

Time will tell what this trade means for the Sixers and Clippers, but it projects to alter the course of the entire league.