Per late-breaking reports on Tuesday night, the Clippers will send forward Tobias Harris to Philadelphia in a multiplayer deal that will also include picks.
The full trade, first outlined by ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, kept coming clearer as supporting reports trickled in. Woj added that the second-round picks were 2021 and 2023, while Ramona Shelbourne clarified some of the protections, notably that the Sixers’ 2020 first-round pick is lottery protected through 2022 before converting into a pair of seconds.
@ramonashelburne: The 2020 Sixers pick is lottery protected for 3 years. Becomes 2 second round picks (in 23 &24) if it doesn’t convey before then. The Miami first round pick in 21 is unprotected.
@wojespn: Sixers are loading up with a fourth All-Star caliber player in East, Harris; Now Clippers have one of league’s most coveted picks — 2021 Miami 1st — along with 2020 1st — to become players in marketplace when star talents want trades to get to LA. https://twitter.com/wojespn/status/1093046121407094784 …
And ESPN’s Rachel Nichols pointed out that the Clippers’ 2019 pick — sent to the Celtics via Memphis in 2016 — is apparently lottery-protected in both the upcoming draft and 2020; it converts to a 2022 second-round pick if undelivered prior. Dealing Harris would likely lower the Clippers chances of completing their unlikely playoff push.
On the Sixers side, Wojnarowski reports the team is attempting to create cap space and work the contracts to keep “a new Big 4” of Harris, Jimmy Butler, Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons intact beyond the impending free agencies of the former two stars. Embiid is on the first year of a contract extension, and Simmons is on year three of his rookie deal.
Harris, who’s now been traded five times in his eight seasons (including a three-teamer on draft night in 2011), is averaging a career-best 20.9 points while shooting 49.6 percent and 43.4 percent from deep, along with 7.9 rebounds and 2.7 assists in 34.6 minutes. He was widely considered one of the top players not to be named among those participating in the upcoming All-Star Game.
