Re-grade the Trade: 76ers win big as James Harden escapes to LA

The Philadelphia 76ers are reckoned to be among the favorites to win the championship next season. After all, the franchise managed to assemble a much more well-rounded roster nearly overnight; following a mass exodus of their own free agents, the front office went ahead and snagged the biggest fish in free agency in Paul George and surrounded their new Big Three with well-fitting parts.

What made their free agency bonanza possible, however, was a trade that nearly sent them into shambles last year. James Harden infamously forced his way out of Philly, but not before casting a huge cloud on the team’s capacity to win now and sustain their winning cause for the foreseeable future.

Nearly one year later, how did the trade age for the 76ers?

Re-grading the James Harden for the 76ers nearly a year later

Grade for the 76ers: A

Philadelphia never intended to just flip Harden, but the former MVP basically forced them to. In so doing, the 76ers managed to somehow extract a considerable number of assets from the Clippers without sacrificing their financial flexibility that allowed them to make an overhaul this summer. The draft compensation from LA also filled what was once a near-empty tank on the draft capital department.

Even better, the move allowed the team to truly get a bird’s eye view on how Tyrese Maxey would fare with a bigger role. The result is a Most Improved Player finish from the first-time All-Star and suddenly, a much brighter immediate future for the franchise.

Grade for the Clippers: C

Conversely, the Clippers’ grand scheme of forming a troika with Kawhi Leonard, George, and Harden was cut short. After an incredibly hot sequence last season that bolstered their title bid, the team simply flamed out before injuries started consuming them. To add insult to injury, they are now profiled to be a mere playoff participant with Leonard being a massive question mark and George leaving them for Philadelphia.

It’s not like the franchise can pivot, either. No team will mortgage its entire future to snag injury-riddled and aging stars like Leonard and Harden, and the Clippers basically bid adieu to whatever draft asset it has for the near future. Worse, they are still caught up in another headache with a minor part of the trade in PJ Tucker, who still has a year remaining on his deal.