The Los Angeles Clippers remain interested in James Harden, as per reports, but Kenyon Martin believes they should not trade for the 10-time All-Star.
“Does he make them a better basketball team? … Not better than they are now,” Martin said on Gil’s Arena. “I like James but we’re talking basketball here. I ain’t got time to be f***ing gambling and experimenting s*** right now if I’m the Clippers if I’m being honest. I don’t.”
Martin thinks it would only be a matter of time before Harden starts having some sort of issues with the Clippers.
“He’s proven that. He’s f***ing putting the mentos in the coke,” Martin continued. “It’s a matter of time before he f***ing do something (because) somebody don’t kiss his a** and now he’d hold out.”
Kenyon Martin isn’t a fan of Clippers trading for James Harden
(@GilsArenaShow @EntirelyNBA ) pic.twitter.com/inz4pg62bq
— BASKETBALL ON 𝕏 (@BASKETBALLonX) October 15, 2023
At this point, you really can’t trust Harden to not cause trouble. He was given the benefit of the doubt when he left the Brooklyn Nets, but now that he wants out again, he isn’t getting it.
A point I do disagree with is that I believe he makes the Clippers a better team. He’d be a better fit with them as the third scorer too, as I think that is the best role for the 34-year-old now.
Harden averaged 21.0 points, 6.1 rebounds, 10.7 assists, 1.2 steals, and 0.5 blocks per game last season, but you can’t rely on him to be a consistent scoring threat in the playoffs. On the Clippers, he can defer to Kawhi Leonard and Paul George, which is ideal. The question, of course, is whether he’s worth the risk.
The Latest On The Clippers-Harden Situation
It has been clear for a while now that Harden wants to go to the Clippers, but there doesn’t seem to have been a lot of movement on that front. NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski recently gave an update on the situation.
“The Clippers have spent the last couple weeks talking to teams around the league about their own 2028 unprotected first-round pick and potentially maybe another pick swap they have to see what value that has with other teams,” Wojnarowski said. “Where teams who have lots of first-round picks or are going to be star hunting, think that has great value in a trade.”
Wojnarowski stated that the Clippers are hoping a team would give them multiple first-round picks for their pick.
“You talk to those teams, they expect the Clippers now to very soon to go back to Philadelphia, to go back to Daryl Morey, and run some of these scenarios by him and see if any of these trades interest them,” Wojnarowski continued. “Where some collection of those picks is valued more by Philadelphia than just that 2028 pick.”
Woj: "The Clippers have spent the last couple weeks talking to teams around the league about their own 2028 unprotected first round pick and potentially maybe another pick swap they have to see what value that has with other teams." pic.twitter.com/lOsBvy27nQ
— Oh No He Didn't (@ohnohedidnt24) October 12, 2023
The Clippers certainly seem determined to find any possible way to get this deal over the line for them to go to such lengths. You get the feeling this will eventually get done, but it is not ideal if it drags on into the season.
James Harden Spoke About His Relationship With The 76ers
From the moment Harden publically blasted Daryl Morey in China by calling him a liar, you knew there was almost no way back. It’s one thing for something along those lines to be reported by insiders and another for the player to just blurt it out for the world to see. He made it crystal clear then that he wants out.
Harden recently stated that his relationship with the Philadelphia 76ers is also beyond repair, as he claimed he has lost trust. Once you get to that stage, it is very hard to see a way back. The 2018 MVP said he didn’t want things to go this way but added that it was not something in his control.
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.
