Philadelphia Paid a Contender's Price for an Immediate Upgrade
Philadelphia acquired Tobias Harris, Boban Marjanovic and Mike Scott on February 6, 2019 while pushing a Joel Embiid, Ben Simmons and Jimmy Butler roster toward the playoffs. Harris arrived averaging 20.9 points and shooting 43.4 percent from three for the Clippers. The cost was Landry Shamet, Wilson Chandler, Mike Muscala, Philadelphia's protected 2020 first, Miami's unprotected 2021 first and Detroit second-round picks in 2021 and 2023. It was a major asset commitment for a player headed toward unrestricted free agency.
Harris Gave the Sixers Real Production, Just Not Enough Return on the Price
The Philadelphia side was not empty. Harris re-signed in 2019 and stayed through 2023-24, including 72 games at 19.6 points per game in 2019-20 and 62 games at 19.5 in 2020-21. He became a durable starter across multiple playoff teams. The problem is the acquisition grade must account for what Philadelphia surrendered to get that stability. The Sixers did not merely exchange expiring contracts for a starter; they moved a young shooter and four draft assets before making the long-term commitment.
The Miami First Became Part of the Paul George Supertrade
Los Angeles converted the draft package into strategic leverage almost immediately. The unprotected 2021 Miami first acquired in the Harris deal was included in the July 2019 package for Paul George, alongside Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Danilo Gallinari and other first-rounders and swaps. That George transaction was tied to the Clippers' superstar pivot that summer. A pick received for an expiring Harris therefore became one of the direct pieces in the franchise's biggest roster move months later.
Shamet and the Other First Added More Usable Value
Landry Shamet also stepped directly into the Clippers' rotation, shooting 45.0 percent from three over his final 25 games of the 2018-19 regular season and later starting 30 games in 2019-20. Los Angeles eventually moved Shamet in the 2020 three-team deal that brought Luke Kennard and additional assets. Philadelphia's protected first ultimately conveyed at No. 19 in 2020, the Saddiq Bey slot. Even without treating every later transaction as guaranteed, the original return gave Los Angeles multiple independent ways to create value.
Final Verdict
Clippers Win — Los Angeles A-, Philadelphia F. Tobias Harris was productive and durable for Philadelphia, so the grade is not a claim that the Sixers received no basketball value. The problem was the scale of the price: Landry Shamet, two first-round picks and two second-round picks went out for a win-now addition approaching free agency. Los Angeles received immediate rotation value from Shamet, saw the protected first convey at No. 19, and used the unprotected 2021 Miami first as a direct piece of the Paul George blockbuster. That asset flexibility gives the Clippers the decisive hindsight win.