The Los Angeles Clippers are moving into a life without James Harden, and head coach Ty Lue knows the transition won’t happen overnight. After watching his team get dismantled 124-91 by the Cleveland Cavaliers, Lue did not sugarcoat things. He made it clear that losing Harden means more than just shuffling the rotation.
It changes how the team thinks and how they see themselves. And when asked who shoulders the responsibility now, Lue did not hesitate to mention 7-time NBA All-Star Kawhi Leonard.
Still, Lue wasn’t about to minimize what Harden brought to the table. He talked about Harden’s presence in the locker room and how much the offense ran through him on a nightly basis.
“Yeah, I mean, it’s tough. You lose one of your guys in the locker room, especially, you know, one of your best players.”
“I just told our guys, we’re gonna be OK. We’re gonna be fine, you know. And with James gone, we got to play a different style of basketball. And our younger guys, they have to understand that they know how to do it. Like, they should never be holding the basketball. They always should be getting the next action, creating the action. There’s only one guy who should be holding the ball is Kawhi.”
Even Kawhi opened up about Harden leaving, but he knows evolution only begins once change is accepted. With Harden no longer running the show, Kawhi Leonard has to step into the role of closer, especially when games get tight down the stretch. Things might shift again once Darius Garland gets back on the floor, considering how his playmaking would naturally reshape the offense.
As for Harden, he’s still doing what he does, putting up 25.4 points, 8.1 assists, and 4.8 rebounds over 44 games this season. But for Garland, the learning curve won’t be that easy. The 26-year-old has suited up for 26 games so far, averaging 18.o points, 6.9 assists, and 2.4 rebounds.
If Ty Lue can find the right balance between youth and veteran leadership, the Clippers might actually have something. Garland hasn’t been available since January 16 because of a right big toe sprain, and the team hasn’t given a firm timeline for his return.
Lue sounded excited when he talked about Darius Garland stepping in as his new starting point guard. And with Garland, the Clippers’ starting lineup looks solid.
“It’s going to be exciting. I’ve known DG for a while. Having a young point guard under my tutelage, the first time I’ve really had one since Kyrie, it’s going to be fun.”
He also went out of his way to highlight Garland’s versatility as a scorer, pointing to his ability to finish around the basket, float it over defenders, pull up from mid-range, and knock down threes. For the Clippers’ head coach, it’s not just about what Garland can do right now. It’s about the opportunity to develop a younger, two-time All-Star and help elevate his game even further.
Having Garland at this point in his career gives the Clippers something they haven’t had in a while. At 26, he can control tempo, push the pace, and play heavy minutes without wearing down. That kind of stamina fits nicely next to a veteran star and gives them a real shot at making noise in the postseason. Even Garland sounds eager to see how everything comes together in Cleveland.
Those advantages alone might convince the front office to keep Kawhi Leonard around a little longer. Leonard is still the foundation of everything they do. He was a huge part of dragging this team out of a 6-21 crater and up to 23-27. The record isn’t great, but there’s still time to turn it into something.
With a young, two-time All-Star now on the roster, the Clippers finally have a long-term piece to build around.
