76ers

We're now at the point where the 6ers are in danger of losing Harden for nothing, AND that could drive Embiid to ask out. They have to do everything in their power to win now, and that WILL include overpaying teams to take Harden in this deal or another. The 6ers pay the Blazers a first and the Clippers PJ Tucker to get two very good, win now backcourt players that can convince Embiid to stay and help them win games. No matter what they do they won't be better than the Bucks, Celtics, or probably even Heat, but it'd be so much worse to restart the process and this at least a step that keep them above water.

Clippers

They've been prevuously linked to Harden and a deal hasn't gotten done in part for a distrust of Harden, but also that the Clippers don't want to overpay in win now talent for that risk. It helps a lot that PJ Tucker comes back in this deal--a proven championship contributor. They send out Morris who asked out, Covington who hasn't met expectations with them, and Powell who has been very good for them but isn't nearly as high ceiling as a Harden. Clippers are desperate to go as all in as they can. They've already leveraged their future. There is no fallback. PG and Kawhi are in contract years, so if they can get them to show up and stay healthy, an addition like Harden could make this team so unbelievably deadly. And if they don't they're screwed anyway, so what do they have to lose. In light of that, I don't think it's much of a price to send the Blazers a first to help facilitate this deal.

Blazers

Obviously Blazers say yes to expiring and 2 picks for Brogdon.

General Explanation

Blazers will have a lot of suitors/options. With both the Dame and Jrue trades, the Blazers have seen teams cards and know how active the market is for a PG let alone combo guard for a win now team. In light of the haul they got for Jrue Holiday, they know they can fleece a desperate/desperate orgs, who those orgs are, and what they're offering. I don't have all the info Joe Cronin does, but from my perspective these are pretty desperate orgs in the 76ers and Clippers. Objectively, 2 firsts and expiring for just Malcolm Brogdon is an overpay, but one that I think these squads will make as it may be their only chances to keep their championship windows open. Otherwise both these teams end up losing their stars without a lot of their own future picks. That's the definition of NBA purgatory.