At last, the disgruntled James Harden has been traded to the Los Angeles Clippers, meaning fantasy basketball impacts are imminent. The Clippers received Harden, P.J. Tucker, and Filip Petrusev from the Philadelphia 76ers in exchange for Nicolas Batum, Marcus Morris, Robert Covington, Kenyon Martin Jr., and draft picks. Here’s an analysis of how the trade affects the fantasy basketball world.
Analyzing the Fantasy Basketball Impact of the James Harden Trade
How Valuable Will Harden Be With the Clippers?
Harden’s statistics have declined each year since the 2019-2020 season. Still, he was one of three players to average a double-double of points and assists last season, even leading the league in dimes. With the 76ers last year, the 34-year-old averaged 21 PPG, 6.1 RPG, 10.7 APG, 1.2 SPG, and 2.8 3PM on 44/39/87 shooting splits.
His role should be similar to his time in Philadelphia. Kawhi Leonard and Paul George will shoulder most of the scoring load, but they’ll rely on Harden’s facilitating skills. He could see a bigger impact when the two stars are sidelined with injuries, as both have missed plenty of games over the years. Leonard and George should still have identical fantasy value, even with slight dips in their production. Harden will likely return about third-round value as the Clippers’ third option.
What Will Happen to Russell Westbrook?
Russell Westbrook has occupied the starting point guard spot for Los Angeles through the season’s first three games. During that time, he’s posted 11.3 PPG, 7.3 RPG, 6.7 APG, 0.7 SPG, 0.7 BPG, and 3.3 TOV on 60/50/00 splits (this efficiency will certainly decline).
The Clippers have some options with their new roster. Harden will likely take over the starting point guard duties and push Westbrook to the bench. Or Harden could move to shooting guard and start alongside Westbrook. Either way, Westbrook’s usage will drop, but he’s a player to monitor during this experiment.
The Clippers’ Bench
Outside of their four main players and Ivica Zubac, few other Clippers are rostered in fantasy leagues. With the addition of Harden, their value will further decline. Players like Norman Powell, Terance Mann, and Bones Hyland probably won’t be worth rostering, but they are streamer options to watch out for.
The Biggest Winner: Tyrese Maxey
Even when he played alongside Harden last season, Tyrese Maxey thrived. The Eastern Conference Player of the Week has already exploded for Philadelphia. He’s averaging 30.3 PPG, 6.7 RPG, 6.3 APG, 0.7 SPG, 4.7 3PM, and 1.0 TOV on 50/56/91 shooting percentages through three games.
Maxey is already one of the top fantasy players in points and categories leagues, and this should stay the same throughout the season. He has full control as the permanent starting point guard and will see excellent usage. Ultimately, Maxey was one of the top candidates for a huge breakout season, and this trade sealed it.
Other Winners for the 76ers
De’Anthony Melton could get more minutes, although he hasn’t stood out for Philadelphia while Harden was out. It’s still early in the season, but the combo guard sits outside the top 100 in fantasy value and has put up 8.0 PPG, 3.0 RPG, 5.3 APG, and 1.7 SPG. These are solid numbers, and he has the potential and opportunity to increase them.
There is a possibility Paul Reed could get more minutes with the loss of Tucker and the team’s lack of depth at center. So far, he’s disappointed for the team and has only played about 14 minutes per game. Reed isn’t a must-add yet, but he’s a player to monitor.
Who Are the Losers?
With the abundance of players Philadelphia brought in, there are a lot of mouths to feed in the frontcourt. However, the main players should still see decent minutes. There is also the possibility that the team trades some of their assets to bring in a better player. Tobias Harris will likely be the only forward who is guaranteed solid usage.
Still, standout Kelly Oubre Jr.’s minutes is in question. The same can be said for Tucker, Covington, and Morris.
Will Joel Embiid’s Production and Fantasy Basketball Value Be Affected?
Harden’s departure has a bigger impact on Joel Embiid’s future with the 76ers than his fantasy basketball value. We only have a small sample size, but Embiid is producing similar stats to last season, even improving in some categories. So far, he’s posting 31 PPG, 10.3 RPG, 7.0 APG, 1.0 SPG, 3.0 BPG, and 2.0 3PM. His average assists have increased by three compared to 2022-23, and he may have increased opportunities to dish out the ball. Overall, it’s safe to say his production will remain identical with the replacement of Maxey, and he’ll still be a top fantasy player this year.
