The Los Angeles Lakers were already expected to be one of the most active teams in the 2023 offseason. Free agency is a couple of hours away, and the Los Angelenos team is ready to make a splash and bring in the right pieces to compete for a championship.
James Harden appears to be their top target right now after the Beard requested a trade from the Philadelphia 76ers. The Clippers also have the desire to re-sign Russell Westbrook, which makes the situation more complex. However, according to Brian Windhorst, the team could land both players this offseason.
“I don’t think it necessarily rules Russell Westbrook out. Doesn’t mean that Russell Westbrook can’t get back if Harden becomes a Clipper,” Windhorst said on Friday’s edition of First Take, via Bleacher Report.
The two guards already shared touches in Oklahoma City and Houston, with the first version being the happier between the two. They didn’t click on the Rockets and barely made it to the Second Round of the 2020 NBA playoffs in the infamous Orlando bubble.
They didn’t end up on bad terms, but it was reported that they wouldn’t like to play with each other again. The brotherhood is still there, but the fit on the court will never be good.
According to Law Murray of The Athletic, Westbrook’s desires could play a big role in this situation.
“I’m told that Westbrook is unlikely to be a first-wave signing in free agency, and it is uncertain whether or not Westbrook would be interested in a situation where he was on the same team with Harden again due to the on-ball dominance that the trio of Leonard, George and Harden would already undertake.”
The future Hall of Famer needs to decide whether he’d like to join Harden again or stay away from his former teammate. This is a complex choice for him, as it could hurt potential new deals for the 2017 NBA MVP.
Kawhi Leonard And Paul George Reportedly Want James Harden On Clippers
Meanwhile, everybody within the Clippers organization is seemingly ready to welcome Harden onboard. Kawhi Leonard and Paul George reportedly want Harden on the Clippers, which can accelerate this move.
The Californians recently rejected Eric Gordon’s team option for the 2023-24 NBA season. Some think that was a move to save some money and stay under the salary cap, but it could also help them have a better chance to trade for Harden.
We’ll have to sit and wait to see what the Sixers decide to do with Harden. They have more options to deal Harden, and time will tell where the guard is headed after his tenure with the Sixers ends.
We sincerely appreciate and respect you as a reader of our site. It would help us a lot if you follow us on Google News because of the latest update.
Thanks for following us. We really appreciate your support.
