How can Harden join the Clippers? The US media posted three major trading plans: pepper may also become a bargaining chip

On June 30, Beijing time, according to Sam Amick, a member of The Athletic, sources with direct contact with both the 76ers and Harden revealed that Harden wanted to play for the Clippers, and both Jr. and George agreed with Harden's idea of coming to the Clippers to join them. Bleacher Report posted three trade options for the Clippers, but two of them will involve pepper.

Option 1: The Clippers send Batum + Covington + Mann and Harden from the 76ers

The Clippers may not want to join 26-year-old Mann, who is about to embark on a 2-year, $22 million cheap contract extension, but to convince the 76ers to trade, you have to put in the chips they want. After the introduction of Harden, who has a high usage rate, Mann is not so important to the Clippers.

For the 76ers, Mann is a plug-and-play winger who can take on some ball duties. Both Batum and Covington have just one year left on their contracts. Batum is a playmaker who can also fill in the void left by Harden with Mann. Covington can provide some bench time for the 76ers' No. 4 and No. 5 (small-ball lineup).

The 76ers can get some flexibility and they can continue to enrich the roster around Embiid with the middle class. If the 76ers are prepared to make Maxi a restricted free agent rather than renew him early this fall, getting two expiring contracts, as well as Mann's cheap contract, could create salary space for 2024.

Option 2: The Clippers send George + Covington + Morris and Harden + Harris from the 76ers

Getting George while sending Harden away would be an absolute win for the 76ers, especially if the former wants to leave anyway.

George just turned 33, and although he is also plagued by injuries, he does not pull his crotch as often as Harden in the playoffs. George can keep an eye on opposing stars and make the 76ers' defense even better. He can play with or without the ball, which is harder for the Clippers to make up his mind. After all, Harden, while his ability to create offense at half-time is great, is hard to contribute on the defensive end.

Unlike the first scheme, leaving Mann means a lot here. The same goes for the Harris acquisition, whose annual salary for next season is a whopping $39.2 million, but that's the final year of his contract. Since the 2017-18 season, Harris has shot 38.9 percent from three-point range and is conscientious on the defensive end.

Don't forget, George has a player option for the 2024-25 season, and if he jumps out of contract and leaves at that time, the Clippers may not be able to get anything. It should also be worth considering that the Clippers can reach such a 3-for-2 deal without giving up on Mann.

Option 3: The Clippers send Leonard + Covington + Morris and Harden + Harris from the 76ers

If you're a Clippers executive and you want to get Harden, but if you have to send one of the two superstars in your hand, who will you send away? George may be an instinctive reaction of many, but Leonard may be the real answer.

Healthy Leonard is a top-five star in the league, but don't forget that the premise of this sentence is when healthy. It's so hard to keep him healthy. Leonard has played more than 2,000 minutes in just one season since 2016-17, and he has just completed surgery for a torn meniscus.

Leonard is also 32 years old and, like George, has a player option for the 2024-25 season, and it's time to sign a big contract. Will the Clippers see him as part of the future? In theory, Leonard's trip to Philadelphia to reunite with Nass was a good result. They won the championship together with the Raptors, and the chemistry of the small card partner Embiid is also exciting.