The formal press releases sent out by the Sixers, Clippers, and Thunder following the completion of the James Harden trade earlier today included some new details on the deal.
Among those details? The Sixers will only have the ability to swap 2029 first-round picks with the Clippers if Los Angeles’ pick isn’t in the top three; Philadelphia acquired cash in the trade; and the Thunder will have the ability to swap either their own 2027 first-round pick or the Nuggets’ 2027 first-round pick (top-five protected) for the Clippers’ ’27 first-rounder.
Those announcements didn’t address a few other aspects of the deal though, which Bobby Marks of ESPN has provided (via Twitter):
- The Clippers sent out $3.1MM in cash in the trade, per Marks — $2MM to Philadelphia and $1.1MM to Oklahoma City. As Marks notes, this is the last season in which teams whose salaries are over the second tax apron will be able to send out cash in a trade.
- In addition to the $559,782 trade exception the Sixers created by trading Filip Petrusev (whose salary is only partially guaranteed), the team generated a TPE worth $6,831,413, according to Marks. As we outlined on Tuesday, that means Philadelphia adhered to the salary-matching rules for over-the-apron teams, which restrict those clubs from taking back more than 110% of their outgoing salary. The 76ers could have used the more lenient salary-matching rules for teams below both tax aprons to create a trade exception worth $11MM+, but that would have hard-capped the club at the first apron ($172.3MM) for the rest of 2023/24 — the route Philadelphia chose won’t create a hard cap.
- As we reported earlier today, Harden received a $40,595 trade bonus as part of the deal. His full trade bonus was worth $5MM+, but $40,595 was the maximum portion he could receive based on the Clippers’ ability to match incoming salaries. According to Marks (Twitter link), that bonus will create an additional $233,421 in projected luxury tax penalties for the Clippers, though Philadelphia is responsible for paying the bonus itself.
From an ideological standpoint the Sixers won this trade already, I think. They’re going to miss some playmaking and scoring ability from Harden, but there’s a huge defensive boost without him (I know it’s not technically any of these things because he hasn’t been playing in some time, but in terms of getting SOMEONE on the floor). You gotta believe this benefits the locker room, too, right? I know Tucker has always been a great teammate and others have spoken out in support of Harden, but this crap takes a toll (I watched him kill the Rockets internally every painstaking game towards the end when I had season tickets in Houston).
Upgrading the rotation is a big deal, but not as much so when you get into the playoffs and only go 3 deep off the bench. Playoffs are when they’re going to miss Harden, but overall I actually like this trade.
And this is coming from a much maligned Wolves fan still trying to come to terms with what we’ve done, again.
And then again. And also again. But then again.
Definitely can see the point you’re making and it makes sense. Just confused why they would miss Harden come the playoffs, when Harden has a track record of disappearing or disappointing in the playoffs?
Harden getting a bonus of $40k for a trade he wants, is just hilarious and also makes me feel so much poorer.
Agreed. Harden’s agent did well getting those extra 40k put on paper in case he got traded where he wanted.