Despite having one of the most stacked rosters in basketball, the Los Angeles Clippers haven’t looked very good this season in their 3-4 start. While it’s still far too early to draw any conclusions about this team, it didn’t stop former veteran NBA point guard Austin Rivers from revealing his doubts that the Clippers are serious players in the West.
“When you look at [the Clippers] as a whole, it’s hard to see how they could be functional going forward especially deep into the playoffs,” said Rivers. “They have 4 superstars and 4 guys who are used to being the man on their team. They’re gonna have to have guys step up and take a back seat.”
.@AustinRivers25 shares his concerns about the Clippers 😓 pic.twitter.com/prbTnE2f07
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) November 9, 2023
When asked to choose which team he’s more concerned about between the two Los Angeles, Austin picked the Clippers despite them having the better record so far. According to Austin, the Clips are stacked with too much talent and it’s going to be a challenge for the four All-Stars to learn how to play together. Specifically, it’s going to be hard for some of them to take a back seat and give up some of their own opportunities for the betterment of the team.
Trouble In Clipperland
The Clippers are winless since acquiring James Harden in late October. With losses to the Nets and Knicks, LA is experiencing some serious growing pains as they try and incorporate their newest acquisition. Since the trade, Harden’s numbers have been down across the board with an average of just 14.5 points and 5.5 assists over his first two games. Even more concerning has been the play of Paul George, who shot 35% against the Nets on Wednesday.
At a glance, it’s easy to tell that this Clippers team is still getting used to playing together, and figuring it out will be no easy challenge given the players involved. Of the four guys, two of them are former MVPs and only one is a multiple-time champion. But without any experience similar to this in their careers, this is uncharted territory for the Clippers stars and there is no guarantee that they will learn to adapt before it’s too late.
The Last Chance For James Harden
As the newest member of this Clippers team, it’s up to James Harden to adjust his game to play alongside Kawhi Leonard, Paul George, and his former teammate Russell Westbrook. After nine seasons of excellence with the Rockets, Harden’s trade to the Nets in 2020 signaled the start of a new era for the former MVP. During his stops in Brooklyn and Philadelphia, he willingly accepted a secondary playmaking role to support his teammates at the time. Of course, Harden didn’t last long in either situation.
Unfortunately for James, this could be his last stop if things go wrong. At 34 years old, headed for free agency next summer, all eyes will be on the 10x All-Star to see if he can make things work with his new team. But after burning several bridges on the way to Los Angeles, Harden’s leash is short and anything other than an All-Star campaign this year could have drastic implications for the future of his NBA career.
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