76ers get Harris from Clippers in monster deal
Anthony Davis is still a member of the New Orleans Pelicans.
By 3 p.m. Thursday, that may change.
Davis remained in place Wednesday, though the run-up to the NBA’S annual trade deadline picked up steam in plenty of other locales around the league — including Dallas, where the Mavericks took Harrison Barnes out of their win over Charlotte in the third quarter because he’s about to get moved to Sacramento, according to two people familiar with the negotiations there.
Tobias Harris going to Philadelphia from the Los Angeles Clippers as the centerpiece of a six-person, fourdraft-pick swap was the first notable deal of Trade Deadline Eve. Later, Chicago agreed to acquire Otto Porter Jr. from Washington for Jabari Parker and Bobby Portis. And as the day was drawing to a close, the Mavs and Kings agreed to swap Barnes for Zach Randolph and Justin Jackson.
The Bulls-wizards and Mavs-kings deals were both confirmed to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity by people directly involved in the negotiations, all speaking on condition of anonymity pending the mandatory NBA trade calls to make the deals official.
And business, on Wednesday, was busy — as expected.
The Dallassacramento deal will be significant for both sides.
The Kings are trying to get into the Western Conference playoffs, and now can add Barnes to their promising young core. Barnes has a $25.1 million player option for next season. Meanwhile, Dallas — which got Kristaps Porzingis and Tim Hardaway Jr. from New York last week in a massive deal — will have tons of salary-cap space to spend in the coming months as it looks to add more pieces around Luka Doncic. The Los Anglese Clippers sent Tobias Harris to Philadelphia in a six-player, four-pick swap early Wednesday.
Harris, Boban Marjanovic and Mike Scott went to the 76ers, while Wilson Chandler, Mike Muscala and Landry Shamet went to the Clippers. Philadelphia — with an eye on moving way up from the No. 5 spot in the Eastern Conference — also gave up a protected
2020 first-round pick, a 2021 first-rounder that was once owned by Miami, and secondrounders in 2021 and 2023 through Detroit.
Porter will be headed to Chicago when the NBA signs off on the terms, with the Wizards taking back Parker and Portis. Parker has been bracing for a trade, and moving Porter helps slice a major chunk off Washington’s anticipated luxury-tax bill at the end of the season.
Meanwhile, Davis remained in place and out of uniform.
The Pelicans haven’t played him since he and agent Rich Paul went public last week with their trade request, and decided not to play the six-time All-star in Chicago on Wednesday either. The reasons for that were obvious; in case a deal can be made, it’s not worth it for the Pelicans to risk an injury.
There will be resolution — maybe just partial resolution, but resolution nonetheless — when the deadline arrives Thursday afternoon.
In other trades Wednesday:
• A person familiar with the terms said Nba-leading Milwaukee was sending center Thon Maker to the Detroit Pistons for forward Stanley Johnson.
• Two people with knowledge of the deal say Houston, Sacramento and Cleveland are finishing a trade that will most notably send Iman Shumpert from the Kings to the Rockets. Houston is sending Brandon Knight and Marquese Chriss to the Cavaliers. Alec Burks will go from the Cavaliers to the Kings, when the league signs off on the necessary matters.
BUCKS 148, WIZARDS 129: Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 43 points, Eric Bledsoe had 22 points and 11 assists, and Milwaukee beat Washington.
SUNS’ BOOKER WILL COMPETE IN SKILLS COMPETITION: Devin Booker of the Phoenix Suns will look to defend his 3-point contest title at the NBA All-star game against brothers Stephen and Seth Curry on Feb. 16 in Charlotte, North Carolina. The dunk contest features Charlotte’s Miles Bridges, Oklahoma City’s Hamidou Diallo, Atlanta’s John Collins and New York Knicks’ Dennis Smith Jr.