The NBA offseason is almost over, but the James Harden saga is still not done. This is the third time Harden has forced his way out of a team after his two previous stints with the Houston Rockets and Brooklyn Nets, wherein he was both successful in getting what he wanted. Since it's evident that Harden's trade value has reached rock bottom, there are only a couple of franchises reportedly interested in his services with one of them being the Los Angeles Clippers.

Entering the 2023-24 season, it is already the fifth season of the Kawhi Leonard and Paul George duo, but it has not resulted in a championship or an NBA Finals appearance. The clock is ticking for the two stars, so there is the assertiveness of adding another piece or two to bolster their roster. Since the Clippers are loaded with a slew of veterans, the organizations they negotiate with request for their young assets, especially the gutsy Terance Mann.

Since the 76ers reportedly want Mann as the centerpiece of the trade, here are a couple of reasons why L.A. should not bite on it.

Championship teams need a Swiss Army knife

Going back to any championship squad in any generation, there are always a couple of role players who thrive by being the Swiss Army knife or connector of the unit. For instance, the 2023 Denver Nuggets had Aaron Gordon and Bruce Brown flourishing with their responsibilities, so if the Clippers want any legitimate chance of winning it all, Terance Mann is the perfect option to do the dirty work.

The Clippers have other supplementary pieces like Marcus Morris Sr., Robert Covington, or Nicolas Batum, but Mann is the one that has the long-term upside of being the fourth or fifth best player on a championship winning team. With Leonard, George, and even Russell Westbrook as ball-dominant scorers, Mann has proven to excel in other facets of the game, such as on-ball defense and off-ball cutting.

Harden's unreliability is a big question mark

James Harden, 76ers

Terance Mann is not an untradable asset for L.A., but the front office must only entertain offers for him if they will receive a legitimate star in return. James Harden was a proven number one option during his Rockets days, but his production has plummeted immensely after the off-court issues and injuries started percolating.

Moreover, Harden has not proven to succeed as a third star in a lineup that will be led by Kawhi Leonard and Paul George. Since the Clippers are now allowed to trade two first-round picks, a package of Mann with those two picks can net them a reasonable return that is better than the inconsistencies Harden will bring to Los Angeles. Mann's stats are not eye-popping, but basketball nerds know that his value is tremendous.

Trading Mann demoralizes Clippers future

Trading Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was step one of losing the majority of their future draft capital as five first round selections were traded for Paul George. It was too much of an all-in move as the Clippers have not been able to draft any terrific player aside from Mann. From their current roster, it is only Mann who is young and guaranteed to still have several years as a reliable player.

That is the primary reason why Philadelphia is mainly asking for Mann compared to any of their other guys. From the Clippers side of things, they need to balance the present with the future, which was something they did not seriously consider when they completed the SGA-PG13 deal.