3 Instant Reactions to Rumored James Harden Trade between Clippers and 76ers | News, Scores, Highlights, Stats, and Rumors

Daryl Morey has precisely eight months to justify this whole Harden fiasco.

The Sixers' haul for Harden was a collection of names you've heard of but are largely numbers on a spreadsheet for Morey. Marcus Morris ($17.1 million), Robert Covington ($11.7 million), Nicolas Batum ($11.7 million) and KJ Martin all have contracts that expire after this season and almost certainly have no long-term future in Philadelphia.

Morey took this particular haul because it allows the Sixers to add depth for this season while maintaining their cap flexibility going into next summer. Philadelphia could have as much as $55.6 million in cap space in 2024, but that room has an expiration date.

Maxey is due a max contract next summer that will take his cap hold from $13 million to pushing $40 million. Embiid and Maxey will account for $90-plus million on the cap for the foreseeable future, so Maxey's new deal has to be timed to be signed after the Sixers make a splash in free agency.

Wojnarowski reported Morey's plan is to go "star hunting" with the Sixers' collection of assets.

Adrian Wojnarowski @wojespn

Get up with ⁦<a href="">@Espngreeny</a>⁩ on the James Harden blockbuster <a href="">

The major names on the market this offseason leave a little to be desired. LeBron James, Kawhi Leonard and Paul George are near-locks to remain with their respective Los Angeles franchises, and Jrue Holiday (Boston Celtics) and Klay Thompson (Golden State Warriors) are also slam dunks to remain where they're at.

That leaves the Sixers settling for one of the two Toronto Raptors free agents, Pascal Siakam and OG Anunoby, as their top options. Siakam turns 30 in April and has topped out in that awkward stage where he's a very good player but not one capable of being a true lead star. Anunoby has flashed potential to be more than a 3-and-D role player, but he's seven years into his NBA career and has never done it consistently.

The Sixers' best bet may be taking their Harden haul and adding in a couple more pieces to find their own disgruntled star ahead of next summer, but that will have to wait. The players acquired for Harden can't be immediately repackaged in a trade, meaning the Sixers will have to wait until closer to February's deadline.

There are also no obvious targets for the Sixers given it's early in the season and teams are still in their feeling-out period. Regardless, there is money burning a hole in Morey's pocket and the Sixers will have to act fast.