James Harden Trade Rumors: P.J. Tucker Mentioned in Talks Between 76ers, Clippers

The Philadelphia 76ers and Los Angeles Clippers have reportedly discussed including P.J. Tucker in James Harden trade talks.

Michael Scotto of HoopsHype reported the Clippers "covet Tucker's ability to guard multiple positions and defend the league's top opposing scorers."

Harden and Tucker have a close relationship dating back to their time with the Houston Rockets. The 2017-18 NBA MVP took a $14 million pay cut for the 2022-23 season largely to give the Sixers access to the non-taxpayer mid-level exception to sign Tucker in free agency last summer.

The Clippers have been the only team regularly mentioned as a potential suitor for Harden, who is from the Los Angeles area.

Harden's desire to play for the Clippers, along with his declining play and inability to be relied upon in both the postseason and to remain a happy camper behind the scenes, has led to a cooling on trade talks. Sixers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey said the team will only trade Harden if a deal arises that keeps the team a contender.

"If we don't get either a very good player or something we can turn into a very good player, then we're just not going to do it," Morey told 97.5 The Fanatic. "If James were to turn his mind around, we would all be thrilled. You've heard [Joel Embiid's] comments about that. But at this moment, he prefers to be traded, and we are attempting to honor that."

It's hard to find a workable trade between the Clippers and Sixers that will allow Philly to compete for a championship in 2023-24. The Clippers' best offer will include a group of solid-but-forgettable role players and draft picks, neither of which pushes the needle forward when attempting to build around a 29-year-old MVP.

If Damian Lillard decides he's open to a deal to Philadelphia, it's possible a three-team deal could be worked out between the Clippers, Sixers and Blazers. However, that would almost certainly result in the Sixers being asked to part with Tyrese Maxey—essentially trading Harden and Maxey for Lillard.

Tucker is a secondary concern. He's a quality role player but is 38 years old and got paid $10.5 million last season to average 3.5 points per game. It's hard to argue he's overpaid given his defensive contributions, but he's certainly not underpaid.

The Sixers' best bet, at this juncture, is to enter into an uneasy relationship with Harden for next season and hope the relationship repairs itself. Or, if it doesn't, the Sixers will head into next summer with Embiid in tow and significant cap space when Harden and Tobias Harris drop off the books.