3-Team NBA Trade Ideas That Make Too Much Sense

The Damian Lillard trade saga is behind us. Training camps are underway. The 2023-24 NBA season is rapidly approaching.

But some offseason drama remains unresolved, especially with the Philadelphia 76ers, who have yet to honor James Harden's trade request.

After missing media day and the first day of practice, Harden reported to camp on Wednesday, but that doesn't mean everything is suddenly hunky-dory.

Harden publicly called Sixers president Daryl Morey a liar and vowed to never be a part of an organization he's involved with. Weeks later, he attended a party in which "Daryl Morey is a liar" was written on signs inside the venue.

The likeliest resolution of this situation still feels like a trade, so we'll concoct one that jettisons Harden elsewhere. But that's not all.

Depending on how the season goes for their respective teams, a few other stars could eventually find their way into trade rumors, so we've come up with trades for them as well.

Philadelphia 76ers Receive: Buddy Hield, Daniel Theis, Terance Mann, Norman Powell and Marcus Morris Sr. and a 2030 first-round pick from Los Angeles

Philadelphia 76ers Lose: James Harden, Tobias Harris and a 2029 first-round pick

The Sixers' goal throughout this saga has been to remain a title contender after moving Harden. While this deal doesn't send a superstar to Philly, the front office might just have to accept that Harden isn't one anymore, either.

This trade is a net neutral in terms of draft capital, and it surrounds the Joel Embiid-Tyrese Maxey two-man game with more shooting. Trying to defend those two when Buddy Hield (one of the best three-point shooters of all time) and Norman Powell (40.6 percent from three over the last five years) are on the outside would be a nightmare.

Given the potential ascension of Maxey, this doesn't even necessarily take Philadelphia out of the two-star mold. It just surrounds those two stars with a better fitting supporting cast.

Los Angeles Clippers Receive: James Harden and Jordan Nwora

Los Angeles Clippers Lose: Terance Mann, Norman Powell, Marcus Morris Sr., a 2024 second-round pick (via Toronto) and a 2030 first-round pick

There is some significant risk here. Harden is 34 years old and has quit on each of his last three teams. So, despite the Clippers being Harden's preferred destination, it's not surprising that they haven't acquired him yet.

Still, ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski said, "The Clippers are the most motivated team to give up at least a first-round pick in this." If no one else goes that far, a pick, Terance Mann and enough salary to make the deal work under the collective bargaining agreement might get this done.

L.A.'s depth takes a hit here, but Harden is still one of the best playmakers in the NBA. He'd make scoring easier for Kawhi Leonard and Paul George.

Indiana Pacers Receive: Tobias Harris, a 2024 second-round pick (via Toronto) and a 2029 first-round pick from Philadelphia

Indiana Pacers Lose: Buddy Hield, Jordan Nwora and Daniel Theis

After extension talks stalled, the Pacers started looking into potential trades for Buddy Hield a few weeks ago, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium. This deal sends him to a contender without forfeiting Indiana's ability to be competitive right now.

Hield is the only mainstay from last season's rotation on the outgoing side, as Jordan Nwora and Daniel Theis only played a combined 700 minutes for the Pacers in 2022-23. Tobias Harris can provide some of the shooting they'd lose from moving Hield while also being a bigger defender.

Shifting depth to the frontcourt and picking up a few draft assets in the process is a win, especially if Hield could be on his way out of Indiana after this season anyway.

Toronto Raptors Receive: De'Andre Hunter, Luke Kennard, Brandon Clarke, a 2027 first-round pick from Memphis, a 2029 first-round pick from Memphis and a 2029 first-round pick from Atlanta

Toronto Raptors Lose: Pascal Siakam and O.G. Anunoby

The Raptors can continue to tread water with a team that went 41-41 last season and lost Fred VanVleet this summer. Conversely, they could get what they can for Pascal Siakam and O.G. Anunoby right now, try to bottom out and emerge with more talent as Scottie Barnes nears his prime in a few years.

This deal sends three first-round picks to Toronto—the notion that they were ever going to get more than three for O.G. Anunoby always felt absurd—which is ultimately what matters most. De'Andre Hunter could be an interesting multipositional defender alongside Barnes, but he, Kennard and Clarke could all be gone by the time these picks start to convey.

Atlanta Hawks Receive: Pascal Siakam and Jake LaRavia

Atlanta Hawks Lose: De'Andre Hunter, Bogdan Bogdanović and a 2029 first-round pick

The Hawks have long been rumored to be interested in Siakam, and this trade lands him there as part of a star trio that includes Trae Young and Dejounte Murray.

Giving up two rotation wings and a first-round pick may seem like a hefty price tag for Siakam, but Atlanta may be in a unique position to do so. Saddiq Bey, Jalen Johnson and AJ Griffin are all waiting in the (ahem) wings.

A consolidation trade makes sense when Atlanta is getting a player who has averaged more than 20 points per game in each of his last four seasons.

Memphis Grizzlies Receive: Bogdan Bogdanović and O.G. Anunoby

Memphis Grizzlies Lose: Luke Kennard, Brandon Clarke, Jake LaRavia and a 2027 first-round pick and a 2029 first-round pick

Anunoby has been attached to the Grizzlies in rumors for several months.The idea of a defense with him, Marcus Smart and Jaren Jackson Jr. would be terrifying for opposing offenses.

Losing the picks and Luke Kennard's outside shooting hurts, but Bogdan Bogdanović can replace some of the latter while adding some playmaking. After finishing second in the West last season, Memphis can justify a win-now move like this.

Philadelphia 76ers Receive: RJ Barrett, Evan Fournier, Marcus Morris Sr., Nicolas Batum, Robert Covington, a 2027 first-round pick from New York, a 2028 first-round pick swap with New York, a 2029 first-round pick from New York, a 2029 first-round pick from Los Angeles and a 2030 first-round pick swap from New York

Philadelphia 76ers Lose: Joel Embiid and James Harden

After a summer of chaos and several years of postseason flameouts, Philadelphia could steer into a total rebuild if there's some indication that Embiid wants out.

Embiid could undoubtedly yield a ton of picks from several suitors, but few troves of draft assets are as deep as New York's. The deal laid out above doesn't even exhaust the Knicks' stash, so they could probably be talked into including more.

That' the most important piece of this puzzle for a team that would be starting over, but this package also sends one interesting(ish) young talent to develop with Maxey in RJ Barrett. Every other player heading to Philly is either on an expiring contract or on a functionally expiring contract (Evan Fournier has a team option in 2024-25).

New York Knicks Receive: Joel Embiid and Terance Mann

New York Knicks Lose: RJ Barrett, Evan Fournier, Isaiah Hartenstein, a 2027 first-round pick, a 2028 first-round pick swap, a 2029 first-round pick and a 2030 first-round pick swap

After a better-than-expected 2022-23 campaign thanks in large part to Jalen Brunson's All-Star-caliber point guard play, the Knicks can justify breaking the asset bank, especially if it brings them the reigning MVP.

Brunson and Embiid alone could probably lift New York to the legitimate contenders' tier, but this deal would still leave the Knicks with a supporting cast that includes Julius Randle, Josh Hart, Immanuel Quickley, Quentin Grimes and Mitchell Robinson.

That group might not be quite on par with the rosters recently assembled by the Milwaukee Bucks and Boston Celtics, but it isn't far off. In any given series, New York could potentially boast the best individual player, which goes a long way in the postseason.

Los Angeles Clippers Receive: James Harden and Isaiah Hartenstein

Los Angeles Clippers Lose: Marcus Morris Sr., Nicolas Batum, Robert Covington, Terance Mann and a 2029 first-round pick

Much of the earlier analysis of Harden's fit with the Clippers applies here, but this trade also returns Isaiah Hartenstein to L.A. That addition might allow the team to re-route him or trade Ivica Zubac to recoup some of the wing depth it lost in this deal.