Would it make sense for the Philadelphia 76ers?
This is a situation that the Philadelphia 76ers have been thrown into. However, it would make sense for them to try and make lemonade out of lemons. I’m not sure how sweet the lemonade of a Norman Powell return would be, but he isn’t on a terrible contract and is not viewed as a negative asset around the league. Powell is coming off a season in which he averaged 17 points on 40 percent shooting from 3-point range.
He’d be a good fit next to Joel Embiid and could also make way for the Sixers to make another move in the future. He’s not a star that’s going to replace Harden alone, but his production is not something to overlook either.
In a difficult situation, getting Powell and a potential draft pick would be a win for the Sixers.
Would it make sense for the LA Clippers?
Looking at the other end of the spectrum, is this a move that would make sense for the Clippers? That’s probably the bigger question. It’s not easy to answer but knowing how this organization is run, it would be far from surprising if this was an all-in move to try and give the Kawhi Leonard and Paul George core one last shot to win a championship.
And considering that Harden is an expiring contract after this upcoming season, it would not be a terrible experiment. If it fails, the Clippers are likely going to have to enter a rebuild either way. It’s a fair risk that at this point, they make have to be willing to make.