This trade sends James Harden to the Clippers and Lauri Markkanen to the 76ers

Ahead of next season, there are a lot of teams that will likely be looking to get better. The Philadelphia 76ers and the Los Angeles Clippers are both in that category, as they both fell short of the championship in the 2023 playoffs.

There are also teams that are in a rebuilding process, that have solid veterans to trade. One of those teams is the Utah Jazz. Perhaps all three teams can come together to make a mutually beneficial deal. In this scenario, James Harden heads to the Clippers, which is reportedly his preferred destination. Lauri Markkanen joins the 76ers, and the Jazz get a huge package featuring players and picks.

Los Angeles Clippers Receive: James Harden, Collin Sexton

Philadelphia 76ers Receive: Lauri Markkanen, Robert Covington

Utah Jazz Receive: Norman Powell, Marcus Morris Sr., Amir Coffey, Kobe Brown, Brandon Boston Jr., 2030 First-Round Pick (LAC), 2030 First-Round Pick (PHI), 2029 First-Round Pick Swap (PHI favoring UTA)

There is no doubt that this trade could potentially be a game-changer for those three teams, but it could also alter the favorites in both conferences as well. Here is why the three teams should consider making this deal.

The Los Angeles Clippers Finally Land James Harden

The Los Angeles Clippers would finally get James Harden in this trade scenario, and he would give them a quality starting-caliber shooting guard. Though James Harden is no longer the superstar he was in his prime, he should slot in nicely as a No. 3 option behind Kawhi Leonard and Paul George.

This past season with the Philadelphia 76ers, James Harden averaged 21.0 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 10.7 assists per game, while shooting 38.5% from 3PT range. His playmaking would be useful on a roster full of 3PT shooters like the Los Angeles Clippers, and playing on the team would make his life a lot easier offensively. He would be an x-factor in their pursuit of a championship.

The other player that the Los Angeles Clippers would receive is Collin Sexton, who has shown that he can be a fantastic spark-plug scorer coming off the bench. He would essentially be a younger replacement for guard Norman Powell. Though Sexton isn’t necessarily a better player, he is just as good a scorer, putting up 14.3 points, 2.2 rebounds, and 2.9 assists for the Jazz last season.

In this trade scenario, the Los Angeles Clippers would have to send out the expiring contracts of Marcus Morris Sr. and Robert Covington, alongside some young players in Brandon Boston Jr. and Kobe Brown. Norman Powell would be included in the deal as well, with the draft compensation being their highly-valuable 2030 first-round pick. Though the team would definitely lose some of its depth, that is a small price to pay to land both James Harden and Collin Sexton. This would increase the team’s overall talent level, and allow them to have a higher chance of winning the championship.

The Philadelphia 76ers Land A Star While Retaining Tyrese Maxey

Lauri Markkanen was the 2022-23 Most Improved Player, and for good reason. He put up 25.6 points, 8.6 rebounds, and 1.9 assists per game for the Utah Jazz, and made the All-Star team. Though he is a really good scorer and rebounder, Markkanen hasn’t shown that he can be the No. 1 option on a playoff team yet. That makes him the perfect No. 2 option behind Joel Embiid, and together, the duo would be able to potentially win in the Eastern Conference.

The key here is simple for the 76ers: they would be able to add a star while also retaining Tyrese Maxey. Even if Joel Embiid moves on in the future, then the team can build around Markkanen and Maxey. From a basketball standpoint, the fit is sound.

The 76ers would have to move James Harden to the Los Angeles Clippers, who would then move some of their own assets to help the team land Lauri Markkanen. The 76ers would also have to throw in some of their own draft compensation in this scenario, and also take on Robert Covington’s contract.

This deal allows the 76ers to get a star in a potential James Harden trade, even if that means attaching some of their own picks in the deal. That can be considered a win for the franchise, which is why they should absolutely consider doing it.

The Utah Jazz Receive A Huge Package For Two Players

Lauri Markkanen is on a two-year deal right now, and he is worth far more currently on the trade market than he would be if he were on an expiring contract next season. As of right now, it is unclear whether he is willing to sign an extension with the franchise. Also, there is a chance that Lauri Markkanen’s breakout season is not the caliber of play he is able to sustain. Often, we have seen players have one insane season, only to never replicate it again.

Collin Sexton could also be good to trade right now, as he is a solid role player that can bring in some young prospects for the team. The team already has a number of solid guards such as Jordan Clarkson, Talent Horton-Tucker, Keynote George, and Ochai Agbaji, which means Sexton could be surplus to requirements.

In this trade, the Utah Jazz would receive some solid veterans as the salary part of this deal: Norman Powell and Marcus Morris. Powell is obviously a prime candidate to trade down the line, as he is on a three-year deal. That means he could have value for contending teams, especially at the trade deadline. Morris provides salary relief with his expiring contract.

Next, we have young prospects Kobe Brown, and Brandon Boston Jr. included in this deal, alongside the draft compensation. Both the Clippers’ and the 76ers’ picks in 2030 could end up being valuable, as those two teams are unlikely to contend at that time. The pick swap in 2029 could also be a good one, as the Jazz might be very good then, while the 76ers, as previously mentioned, not so much.

This deal would allow the Utah Jazz to bottom out in order to get a top-tier pick next season, while also getting some prospects they could develop and picks for the future. This could be a great deal for the team, especially if they use the picks effectively.

The Philadelphia 76ers And The Los Angeles Clippers Would Both Get Better

The Utah Jazz would obviously get worse with this trade, but they would get solid value for their players. However, both the Philadelphia 76ers and the Los Angeles Clippers would get better, and it would be no surprise to see either or both teams in the 2024 Finals if this deal was made.

The Los Angeles Clippers would get a quality shooting guard, who can do almost everything on the basketball court. Though James Harden is on an expiring deal, he clearly wants to be with the Clippers, and the team could easily decide to give him a high-value contract if Harden plays well.

Meanwhile, the Philadelphia 76ers would find a suitable deal for James Harden, and ensure that they can compete during the Joel Embiid era. Markkanen is a perfect fit next to the superstar in the frontcourt, and his shot creation will be at a premium in the playoffs.

This deal could potentially be a solid one for all three teams involved. Though multi-team trades don’t often get done, this is one of the scenarios that could actually work out, and we’ll see what ends up happening in the future.