Over the last several months, two big-time NBA stars asked their teams to trade them: Damian Lillard and James Harden.
Lillard finally grew impatient after more than a decade of languishing on a mediocre Portland Trail Blazers team and asked out. Throughout the summer, many thought he would get sent to the Miami Heat, his preferred destination. Instead, in late September, he was traded to the Milwaukee Bucks, making them arguably the favorites to win the world championship.
The Philadelphia 76ers agreed to trade Harden this summer, but when they didn’t find a suitor, he went off on management, accusing executive Daryl Morey of being a “liar” and not showing up to the team to start the year.
Late Monday night, he reportedly obtained what he wanted: a trade to the Los Angeles Clippers.
The Sixers are acquiring Marcus Morris, Nic Batum, Robert Covington, KJ Martin, multiple draft picks and a pick swap for James Harden, PJ Tucker and Filip Petrusev, sources tell ESPN. https://t.co/fSOkgO5xd3
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) October 31, 2023
There were some Los Angeles Lakers fans who were hoping the Purple and Gold would land Harden, a former regular-season MVP. Lakers fans took to X, formally known as Twitter, to react to the news.