Time sure does fly when we are having fun. I am sure that all fantasy basketball managers are having exactly that right now. We have only finished the first two weeks of the fantasy season. However, already a major trade in the NBA was made involving one of the game’s biggest names. What do we make out of this trade? Who are the real winners in the deal? Buckle up for some answers. This fantasy basketball Harden trade review takes at what happened and how it will affect fantasy rosters going forward.

As always, discussion and debate are strongly encouraged. What trends are you most excited or anxious about from the trade? Let’s talk about it!

What are the Details of the Trade?

Obviously, the big news is that James Harden was traded from Philadelphia to the Los Angeles Clippers. He was on the trade block for quite some time, but the 76ers were able to pull the trigger. There were lots of players involved. The question for fantasy managers: what relevance do they have going forward?

First, the players accompanying Harder to L.A. are P.J. Tucker and Filip Petrusev. The only asset that Tucker brings to the table is that he is on the court a lot. He has played in 70 or more games in ten seasons. Other than that, however, he offers nothing for fantasy managers. His 6.8 points per game in his career is proof positive of that.

His 5.5 RPG are nice, but there are players that can provide much better fantasy production than Tucker. Leave him to wander the wire wilderness. As for Petrusev, he has only played in one NBA game in his life. There will be no future mention of him.

Second, the players going to Philadelphia are Marcus Morris, Robert Covington, Nic Batum, and Kenyon Martin. As for Morris and Batum, both are listed as healthy but neither has yet to play. Keep an eye out, but they have no fantasy value at the moment. Same with Covington (who played 18 minutes in his 76er debut) and Martin. No, this fantasy basketball James Harden trade review reveals there are no winners to be found among this group.

What Will Harden’s Impact Be?

Of course, the main course of the trade is Harden. Of foremost importance is that managers that took a chance and drafted him will finally get some fantasy return. Philadelphia wasn’t going to play him, and in the meantime, he just sat on rosters. At the very least, now managers will get production out of him. According to the ESPN fantasy site, Harden will make his Clippers season debut tonight. That game will be against the Knicks in New York.

Ultimately, knowing what to expect out of Harden and how he will mesh with his teammates is impossible to answer. It has been reported that he was working out during the stalemate with Philadelphia. No question, that sounds great. Even so, we won’t know for sure what kind of shape he is in until he actually takes the court.

Similarly, it is an unknown how smoothly the transition will be for for him, Kawhi Leonard and Paul George. These are all players that want the ball in their hands. Likely, it will be some time before a clear answer emerges. However, at least we know he will be on the court. At the minimum, managers can place him in their starting lineups going forward.

Presenting the Real Winner of the Trade: Tyrese Maxey

That’s right, the real winner of this deal is Tyrese Maxey. Those that drafted Maxey are the winners as well. Maxey was drafted around pick 48. All he has done is deliver first round grade production since the opening bell. As of Monday morning, he is averaging 26.2 points, 5.2 boards and 6.6 assists per game. Best of all, he has appeared in ever Philadelphia game, averaging 38.4 minutes per night.

Currently, he ranks 26th in points on the ESPN platform. A closer look, however, reveals that all but three of those have played more games than Maxey. Further, consistency has been his calling card this season. The fact that he has scored fewer than 42 fantasy points only once proves that point.

Undoubtedly, Maxey wouldn’t be near that kind of production if Harden were still on the team. He would be fantasy relevant, sure, but not to the extent he has been. He is averaging 5.9 points, 2.3 rebounds and 3.1 assists more a game than last year. Expect him to be in the lineup around 75 times. That would be more games than Harden has played in since the 2018-2019 season.

Last, but certainly not least, is the fact the managers who drafted Maxey can expect him to be drama free. There is no chance of that happening with Harden, regardless of which team he is on. If there were no other factors involved, this one fact makes Maxey and his fantasy managers winners of the James Harden trade.

The Final Word

Thank you for joining me for this fantasy basketball Harden trade review! As always, I welcome suggestions, comments and input from all my readers. Let’s discuss!

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