Sixers trade James Harden, P.J. Tucker, Filip Petrušev to the Los Angeles Clippers in a blockbuster deal

James Harden got his wish.

Early Tuesday, the 76ers parted ways with the disgruntled point guard, who no longer wanted to play for them, in a blockbuster deal with the Los Angeles Clippers.

The Sixers packaged Harden, P.J. Tucker, and Filip Petrušev to L.A. for Marcus Morris, Robert Covington, Nic Batum, KJ Martin, a 2028 unprotected first-round pick, two second-round picks, a 2029 draft-pick swap, and an additional first-rounder from a third team, league sources confirmed. The Sixers also waived Danny Green to create a roster spot.

This will be a homecoming for Morris and Covington. Morris, a North Philly native, was a standout player at Prep Charter High School. Covington was the Sixers’ standout small forward for a little over four seasons before being traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves in a package for Jimmy Butler on Nov. 12, 2018.

This move comes four months after Harden picked up his $35.6 million player option for this season. He did so with the expectation that Daryl Morey, the Sixers’ president of basketball operations, would trade him this summer to the Clippers.

But the Sixers suspended trade talks for him in August, leading to the disgruntled point guard calling Morey “a liar.”

Harden also vowed to never be part of an organization that includes Morey. He did, however, report to training camp after missing media day in Camden and the first training camp practice at Colorado State University.

The Clippers remained interested and had been talking to multiple teams in an effort to acquire draft-pick swaps for the Sixers. But at the time, a league source said a draft-pick swap in a package for the three-time scoring champion might not move the needle for the Sixers. The source said the Sixers were interested in the type of deal that would include Terance Mann and first-round picks.

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An unwillingness to part ways with Mann seemingly led to the two sides ending trade talks for a second time on Oct. 16. And that was around the same time that Harden was a no-show at practice.

Harden went absent following a team practice on Oct. 15 and didn’t return until last Wednesday. The Sixers said he was away dealing with a personal matter. However, they were surprised when he didn’t show up for practice on Oct. 18. And it was no secret that he was frustrated that the Sixers had not progressed in trade talks with the Clippers.

Then upon his return, Harden expected to accompany his teammates on the road trip. Even after the Sixers instructed him to stay behind to “ramp up” his conditioning, Harden still tried to board the team flight to Milwaukee.

He also missed all four preseason games and participated in only one scrimmage before the season.

» READ MORE: Sixers president Daryl Morey faces career-defining season as James Harden saga looms over his legacy

The Sixers had always been adamant about needing two first-rounders in any deal in order to add to their roster around Joel Embiid. They can use these picks to acquire an All-Star-level player to pair with Embiid and Tyrese Maxey.

Meanwhile, this deal also allowed the Sixers to keep their roster flexibility.

Morris ($17.1 million), Batum ($11.7M), Covington ($11.6M), and Martin ($1.9) all have expiring contracts.

As a result, Embiid, Paul Reed, and Jaden Springer are the only Sixers with standard NBA contracts that go beyond this season. Tuesday is the deadline for the Sixers to pick up the fourth year on Springer’s rookie-scale contract. The Sixers intend to have enough salary-cap space available next summer to sign Maxey and an A-list free agent to lucrative contracts.

But for the time being, the additions of Morris, Batum, Covington, and Martin provide forward depth, length, additional toughness, veteran leadership, and more defensive-minded players to a team desperate to get out of the second round of the playoffs.

Morris, 34, had been away from the Clippers recently for personal reasons. However, the 6-foot-8, 215-pounder has averaged 12.3 points in 783 career games with the Clippers, Phoenix Suns, Detroit Pistons, Boston Celtics, New York Knicks, and Houston Rockets.

Batum, 34, averaged 2.7 points, 2.3 rebounds, 1.0 steal, 1.7 blocks, and 18 minutes in three games with the Clippers this season. The 6-8, 230-pounder is in his 16th season.

Covington, a 6-7, 209-pounder, averaged 3.0 points and 2.0 steals as the Clippers’ starting power forward this season. He’s tied for seventh in the league in steals.

The 11th-year veteran has career averages of 11.1 points and 1.5 steals in 588 games. Covington’s best days were during his Sixers tenure from Nov. 15, 2014, to Nov. 12, 2018. He averaged 12.9 points and 1.6 steals and was named a 2018 first-team all-defensive selection during his Sixers tenure.

Martin averaged 5.0 points, 1.0 steal, and 15.5 minutes in two games with the Clippers this season. The 6-6, 215-pound small forward is coming off career-high averages of 12.7 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 1.5 assists last season with the Rockets. Martin, in his fourth NBA season, is the son of former NBA veteran Kenyon Martin Sr.

But the big pieces the Sixers got were the draft picks that could help them acquire something to help Embiid and Maxey in the future.

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The city’s basketball fans were ecstatic when the Sixers acquired Harden on Feb. 10, 2022, from the Brooklyn Nets in a blockbuster trade for Ben Simmons. The belief was that he would help catapult the team into an NBA Finals appearance.

Two postseason appearances later, the team was still hitting a second-round ceiling.

Harden led the NBA in assists last season at 10.7 per game. He was the first Sixer to win the league’s assist title since Wilt Chamberlain in 1967-68. Harden and Embiid, who won his second straight scoring title and was voted the league’s MVP, formed one of the league’s best duos.

But Harden will likely be remembered most for his poor performance in an embarrassing 112-88 loss to the Boston Celtics in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference semifinals at TD Garden.

The three-time scoring champion looked uninterested from the start and scored just nine points on 3-for-11 shooting to go with five turnovers. This marked the second time in as many seasons that Harden had a lackluster effort in the game in which the Sixers were eliminated.

He finished with 11 points, nine assists, and four turnovers in a 99-90 conference semifinal loss to the Miami Heat in Game 6 on May 12, 2022. Harden was held scoreless in the second half.