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SPORTS Thursday 7 February 2019

76ers get Harris from Clippers in 6-player, 4-pick deal

By DAN GELSTON
AP Sports Writer
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — To-
bias Harris drove the lane,
tossed up a runner and
buried the winner in what
turned out to be his final
shot for the Los Angeles
Clippers.
His packed bags needed a
new destination. Next stop,
Philadelphia.
The 26-year-old Harris is
headed to the 76ers as part
of a late-night deal that
suddenly gives the team
the best starting five in the
Eastern Conference and
stamped them as legiti-
mate title contenders.
Harris is ready for the
move — he tweeted early
Wednesday a GIF from
the opening credits of the
1990s sitcom “The Fresh
Prince of Bel-Air” showing
Will Smith’s character play-
ing basketball.
The Sixers can only hope
this trade turns into a sto-
ry all about how the East
got flipped-turned upside
down.
They paid a steep price Charlotte Hornets’ Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, right, steals the ball from Los Angeles Clippers’ Tobias Harris, left, during the first half of an
for the free agent: Sensa- NBA basketball game in Charlotte, N.C., Tuesday, Feb. 5, 2019.
tional rookie guard Landry Associated Press
Shamet and four draft picks size and depth to our team. building through free agen- Butler might be in the mix maining to lead the Clip-
are headed to the Clip- All three players bring high cy and the draft. with the right offer and the pers past the Charlotte
pers. Philadelphia traded character to our locker This could be the first of sev- Sixers are certainly listening Hornets 117-115 on Tuesday
forwards Wilson Chandler room and we are excited eral major deals expect- to offers for any trade that night. Harris finished with 34
and Mike Muscala to Los about their fit alongside ed before the NBA trade involves 2017 No. 1 draft points.
Angeles, too. Joel, Ben, Jimmy and our deadline passes at 3 p.m. pick Markelle Fultz. Fultz “It’s as good as it’s going
The Sixers also acquired entire roster.” Eastern Thursday. Anthony has been rehabbing a bad to be,” Harris said of his in-
center Boban Marjanovic The Sixers suffered in the Davis wants out of New Or- shoulder and missed most jured shoulder. “It’s not any
and forward Mike Scott as early years of “The Process” leans, Memphis is shopping of the season. Coach Brett better or worse. It’s about
part of the deal. but are clearly in a win-now Mike Conley and longtime Brown refused to commit pushing myself and bat-
Harris, playing for his fifth mode. Harris and Butler teammate Marc Gasol, before Tuesday’s loss to To- tling through it, keeping my
NBA team, is having a both will be free agents this and Toronto’s Kyle Lowry is ronto that Fultz would be mental state at a high level
breakout season with the summer and both could on the market. part of the playoff rotation. to go into a game and be
Clippers. He averages 20.9 command a maximum-lev- Will East contenders Boston, “I’m hoping to be pleas- effective.”
points and shoots nearly 50 el contract. Milwaukee and Toronto be antly surprised with how he The 76ers play again Friday
percent from 3-point range The Sixers’ four picks sent just as aggressive at the arrives back with us more against Denver — and a re-
and is expected to start to the Clippers are their deadline as the Sixers? than assume that he’s go- tooled team can truly start
with All-Stars Joel Embiid lottery-protected 2020 The Raptors sent reserve ing to be there,” Brown its run toward a title.q
and Ben Simmons, along first-round pick, a 2021 first- guard Malachi Richardson, said. “It’s not smart for me
with Jimmy Butler and JJ rounder, a 2021 second- a 2022 second-round pick to think like (he’ll be a part
Redick, to form the best round pick and a 2023 sec- and the draft rights to Turk- of the rotation).”
starting lineup this side of ond-round pick. ish player Emir Preldzic to Brand is going for it in his
Golden State. The Sixers, who were elimi- the Sixers on Wednesday first season as GM, and the
“We are in the unique po- nated in the second round for cash considerations. Sixers suddenly seem posi-
sition to contend now and of the playoffs last season, Richardson has appeared tioned as a legitimate title
we think this trade positions are 34-20 and in fifth place in 22 games for the Rap- contender. Brand made
us well for the postseason,” in the Eastern Conference. tors this season, averaging the Butler and Harris trades
76ers general manager El- The Clippers are 30-25 and 1.4 points per game. In 12 without surrendering 2018
ton Brand said in a state- have shed the salary need- games with Toronto’s G first-round pick Zhaire Smith.
ment. “Tobias is one of the ed to make them attrac- League affiliate, he aver- Harris, still not quite healed
best 3-point shooters in the tive for major free agents in aged 20.8 points, 5.8 re- from a shoulder strain he
NBA and possesses an in- the summer. They held the bounds and 3.4 assists in suffered last week, made
nate ability to impact the eighth seed in the West, 35.2 minutes. his final game with the Clip-
game on both ends of the but the trade seems to sig- And don’t count out Brand pers a memorable one. He
floor, while Boban and Mike nal an intent on worrying making another bold move hit a running jumper in the
provide valuable skillsets, little about this season and besides acquiring Harris. lane with 4.3 seconds re-