Sixers Make Huge 6-Player Trade; Land Tobias Harris From LA

PHILADELPHIA, PA — The 76ers completed a huge trade in the early hours Wednesday morning just ahead of the NBA trade deadline, acquiring Los Angeles Clippers star Tobias Harris in a six-player deal that cements their status as championship contenders. The trade was first reported by the Associated Press.

The move gives the Sixers arguably the best starting five in the Eastern Conference. In Harris, they'll receive a 26-year-old in the midst of a career year during which he's averaged 20.9 points and nearly 8 rebounds a game, with a 49.6 field goal percentage.

The power forward will slot in as the fourth star on a Sixers squad that was already one of the NBA's best. At 34-20, they're on pace for another 50-plus win season, but they remain in 5th place in an extremely competitive Eastern Conference. Harris should help them narrow the gap with the conference-leaing Milwaukee Bucks, who at 39-13 have a 5.5 game advantage.

Heading back to Los Angeles in the deal are a slew of Philadelphia assets: stellar rookie guard Landry Shamet, useful forwards Mike Muscala and Wilson Chandler, 2020 and 2021 first round picks, a 2021 second rounder, and a 2023 second rounder.

The Sixers have also received center Boban Marjanovic and forward Mike Scott back from the Clippers as part of the trade, bolstering a bench unit that is their greatest weakness.

The Sixers hope that Harris is in Philadelphia long term. Like their other blockbuster piece they traded for this season, Jimmy Butler, Harris is a free agent at year's end. But they have hopes of signing them both to long term contracts, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.

Most industry experts agree that this new Sixers starting five — Ben Simmons at point guard, JJ Redick at shooting guard, Harris and Butler as forwards, and superstar Joel Embiid at center — is the best five in the East, and rivaled only by defending champion Golden State.

The question now will be whether the Sixers' bench, which has been a weakness all year and especially so after the loss of Robert Covington and Dario Saric in the Butler trade, can be improved enough to put them over the top.

Harris, for his part, seems ready. After a herculean effort in his final game in Los Angeles Tuesday, and upon hearing news of his trade to Philadelphia, he shared this:

The NBA trade deadline is Thursday, Feb. 7 at 3 p.m.

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