As Sixers field Harden trade calls, Morey again has massive, tricky decision to make

Well, there’s still no shortage of Sixers drama.

That’s perhaps the most obvious takeaway from Thursday’s news that James Harden has exercised his player option and the Sixers will explore trades to ship him to a new team.

Beyond that, there’s much that merits consideration in assessing the Sixers’ situation. What’s a realistic outcome here? How about a good outcome?

ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported the Clippers and Knicks are among the teams “expected to have an interest in acquiring Harden.” The Athletic’s Shams Charania added the Heat to that mix. Of course, Harden is now under contract with the Sixers for the 2023-24 season, and it’s not a guarantee that 1. A deal the team finds sufficient swiftly materializes and 2. He begins next year elsewhere.

From where we’re sitting, the Clippers stand out as a potential trade partner. There’s buzz to back up that idea, too. The Sixers and Los Angeles have had discussions this week involving Marcus Morris and Norman Powell, Yahoo Sports’ Jake Fischer reported. And Law Murray, who covers the Clippers for The Athletic, reported Thursday night that “momentum for James Harden to LA is escalating” and “the Clippers appear to have an edge at the moment.”

Though Harden can still credibly be called a “star” — he just led the NBA in assists for the second time and scored over 40 points twice in a playoff series — other teams understand why acquiring him might not work out very well. Harden turns 34 years old in August, dealt with multiple injury issues last year, will be an unrestricted free agent after next season, and doesn’t have a sterling postseason reputation. The Sixers can obviously put together multi-part trades, but Harden alone seems unlikely to persuade a playoff-caliber team to give up a splashy name.

If Tyrese Maxey continues to make substantial improvements, that’s not necessarily a crushing reality for the Sixers. After a season in which Maxey averaged 20.3 points and shot 43.4 percent from three-point range, the Sixers would surely love to see the 22-year-old refine his pick-and-roll craft, draw more free throws, gain comfort as a lead ball handler, and provide consistently impactful ball pressure on defense under new head coach Nick Nurse. He very well may come up short of all that, but Maxey’s youth and exceptionally zealous approach validate plenty of optimism. Both Maxey and De’Anthony Melton are extension-eligible this offseason.

So, we return to the Clippers, who could wind up bringing Harden back to his hometown alongside fellow California kids Kawhi Leonard and Paul George.

Morris, a Philadelphia native, is a veteran stretch four and occasional small-ball five on an expiring contract. Powell, who played for Nurse on the Raptors, has become a very good, efficient scorer. Since the 2019-20 season, he’s posted 17.6 points per game and shot 40.7 percent from three-point range. He’s 6-foot-4 but has a 6-11 wingspan that helps him handle taller players and force turnovers at a decent rate. Terance Mann is another non-star on the Clippers’ roster with appealing qualities. We imagine he’d fit nicely with Maxey and Melton as a smart, selfless 6-foot-5 guard experienced with defending stars and adapting to fluctuating roles.

With all of that said, Sixers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey has historically been guided by a star-hunting philosophy. It’s ultimately on him and the Sixers’ front office to decide how to best play another high-stakes, high-drama scenario revolving around a star point guard.

Sixteen or so months after ending the protracted Ben Simmons saga and acquiring Harden, Morey again has a massive decision on his plate.