Bradley Beal’s move to the Los Angeles Clippers has sparked questions about fit, health, and title hopes, but NBA legend Dwyane Wade sees the upside. In a recent interview, Wade offered glowing praise for Beal’s decision to join James Harden and the veteran-heavy Clippers squad, calling it a situation that might finally unlock the best version of Beal.
“I think Bradley’s at a place that he’s gonna be at,” said Wade on his YouTube. “I know he’s playing with a player in James that he’s probably wanted to play with for a while. You know, a lot of players wanna play with James because of his playmaking ability, and I’ve heard James is a great leader too. I’ve never been in a locker room with him, but a lot of guys speak very highly of James Harden in that locker room.”
James Harden doesn’t have a great reputation among the fans and media, but Wade reports that he still holds the players’ respect. Even at 35, Harden’s influence still resonates in NBA locker rooms, though most of it flies under the radar publicly. As for Beal, he has a chance to build something special with the Clippers and forge a new identity if he maintains the right mindset.
“Looking at it like, man, ‘I might be the missing piece, I might be the missing link.’ To go as a veteran guy and to go play with other veterans at this time in his career is probably something that is needed and is very important for him. To be around guys who are grown… It’s a different thing when you’re around that kind of energy.”
Historically, the Clippers have struggled to break through, but it’s hard to deny their contender status with this star-studded roster.” Besides Kawhi and James, they’ll also have guys like John Collins, Chris Paul, and Brook Lopez to help create a formidable and powerful team that can compete against any squad in the West.
“You look at that lineup, and the only thing that people can say is ‘ohh if they can stay healthy’ and then that’s a good thing because if you’re looking at a lineup and saying they can be trouble if they stay healthy, then we’ve got a chance.”
After 11 seasons with the Wizards and two miserable seasons in Phoenix, Beal is feeling good about his current position as the newest star of the Clippers. With career averages of 21.5 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 4.3 assists per game, he knows he can make an impact and find what was missing in his previous stops.
As Wade noted, the only real question is health. If Bradley Beal, James Harden, and Kawhi Leonard can all stay on the floor, the Clippers might have the most dangerous veteran core in the West. It’s a big “if,” but with the right energy and leadership in the locker room, Beal could prove to be the final piece of a long-awaited championship puzzle in Los Angeles.
