With all eyes on the Purple and Gold, the Los Angeles Clippers made their biggest trade of the season by acquiring James Harden from the 76ers. And with Harden expected to make his debut as early as this week, his new teammate Paul George recently opened up on the trade and what it means for the future of his ball club.
“Great additions. James is a superstar, proven that year after year,” George said. “Another playmaker. Another scorer, leader, really happy to have him here. PJ, tough, another guy I feel we need especially losing RoCo, Nico, Marcus. We’re going to need that toughness.”
Harden’s reputation has taken some major hits after his breakups with the Rockets, Nets, and 76ers. On his fourth team in four years, this could be James’ last chance to win a ring and there is a sense that the window is closing for the entire franchise. By going all-in for James, the Clippers are hoping to go over the top, even despite losing some major rotation pieces in the trade.
“Once it went down, I was in bed at the time, but I guess excited,” said Kawhi. “He’s one of the best players to step on the NBA floor. We got a lot to figure out and I’m happy for him and ready to see him play in a Clipper jersey.”
Kawhi Leonard on James Harden trade:
"Once it went down, I was in bed at the time, but I guess excited. He's one of the best players to step on the NBA floor. We got a lot to figure out and I'm happy for him and ready to see him play in a Clipper jersey."pic.twitter.com/CVgSi4arVe
— Tomer Azarly (@TomerAzarly) November 2, 2023
What’s Next For James Harden?
Since leaving the Rockets in 2020, Harden has experienced a rude awakening. His scoring numbers have been down across the board, going from 34.3 points per game down to 24.6 in his first season with the Nets. By the time he joined the 76ers in 2022, his game was almost unrecognizable from what we saw during his MVP days. Alongside Joel Embiid, Harden became more of a facilitator and it remains to be seen if he’ll ever score with the same efficiency as he did in his prime.
Still, there’s a chance that Harden could prosper with the Clippers. With Westbrook moving to the bench, James will take over most of the ball-handling responsibilities and his shooting ability will add some much-needed floor spacing for Kawhi Leonard and Paul George. But when it comes to the Clippers, talent is not a question mark for them. Rather, the real concern revolves around availability and that extends to Harden as well, who has a history of folding under pressure.
Clippers Are Desperate
For a team that was already so rich with talent, trading for James Harden was a clear sign of desperation for LA after four years of failed playoff runs. Dating back to 2019, the Clippers were supposed to be competing with the Lakers and Nuggets for control of the West, but they’ve yet to live up to expectations. Thanks to injuries, load management, and the sheer dominance of the Warriors and Nuggets, life has been hard for the Clippers in their pursuit of a title.
The hope is that, with Harden, the team has enough to stay afloat when Kawhi and George inevitably miss time. More importantly, the Clippers are expecting Harden to make the difference for them when the stakes are highest. Looking at Harden’s past, there is plenty of reason to doubt that he’s the solution for this team, but with time running out on this chapter of their history, the Clippers have no more time to waste waiting for another opportunity. For better or worse, Harden will be the x-factor for the Clippers success this season.
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