Hornets are essentially getting a better win now backup center on a 2 year contract instead of having to pay Richards over time. They got off of Martins contract and traded Thor away before he asked for an extension as well. Getting Coffey for the 3pt shooting that they are essentially losing by trading Martin and possibly losing Oubre and Washington could help the Hornets in the long run plus a 2 year 7mil dollar deal isn’t a bad one to take on.

Clippers do this trade to get the unprotected first. Clippers give the Hornets Unprotected first and their own lottery protected 2028 first to the Sixers in a deal for Harden. Thor would be a nice development piece. Martin would be a great piece off the bench for the Clippers especially at 7 mil a year plus they are interested in Caleb but don’t want to trade a first for him so this is almost an identical player who could be great for the like Caleb is for the Heats. Richards would get a back up role behind Plumlee but the Clippers now could start Plumlee like they want too.

Clippers roster (post Harden trade)

Starters: Harden Mann PG Kawhi Plumlee

Bench: Westbrook Hyland Martin Kj Martin Richards

Rest of roster: BJ Boston Kobe Brown Jordan Millers Covington/Batum Diabate Korkmaz

I do believe the package after this hornets trade for Harden would be

Clippers get Harden and Korkmaz

Sixers get Powell Morris Batum Preston 2027 first via CHA 2028 Lottery protected first via LAC

Sixers could go trade Powell or Morris (with Preston) to the Knicks possibly for a worse contract/ player on Fournier and an unprotected first.

Harden than turned into Powell Batum Fournier and 3 first.

Sixers still have Harris maybe slap him with 1 or 2 of those firsts to the Heats for Hero and Martin (personally Hero is a better piece to dangle around for another star than Harris would be) than they have 1 to 2 more of the firsts with Hero and Batum and Springer plus their own 2029 or 2030 first they could trade for a star players.

You guys might say Sixers will say no to the Harden trade but think about it this way they turned Harden and Korkmaz into Fournier Hero Martin Powell Batum and essentially. 1 to 2 First. That package alone could line them up for another star player Hero Batum Fournier 2 Firsts for Siakim or Lavine