Former FSU Basketball Player Reacts to Blockbuster James Harden Trade
The NBA got in on the NFL trade deadline action, as no one in the basketball scene expected a blockbuster trade. James Harden was traded from the Philadelphia 76ers to the Los Angeles Clippers late at night earlier this week.
This trade wasn’t expected to be completed for two reasons. The Clippers weren’t offering former Florida State guard Terance Mann and Harden was set to return to the 76ers with the team and ramp up to get back on the court.
For months, 76ers general manager tried to pry Mann away from the Clippers in the trade, but he was considered “untouchable.”
Well, the trade was still made, though Mann was able to remain in Los Angeles. He also reacted to the deal, which nearly sent him to an entirely new situation in Philadelphia.
“I’m shocked, but I’m here. It’s dope,” Mann told Mark Medina of Sportskeeda before Tuesday’s matchup with the Magic. “I was just shocked. Everybody has been talking about it. But I didn’t know it was going to happen, right then and there.”
Now, Mann will get to play alongside Harden. Well, sort of. There’s a better chance that Mann plays a backup role to Russell Westbrook and Harden, but there’s no telling what the rotation could look like once they start putting all the talent together.
Either way, the former Seminole will have an even better chance to play a solid role for a team pushing all their chips in for an NBA championship. The Clippers are now loaded with talent, and Mann will be able to lead a bench unit that lost depth in the trade.
Mann spent four seasons in Tallahassee spanning from the 2015-16 season to the 2018-19 season. He earned a starting role in his second season, and held it throughout his college career. He averaged double figures scoring in his last two seasons and earned All-ACC Tournament Second Team in his senior year.
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