After months of speculation, the Philadelphia 76ers finally traded former NBA regular-season MVP James Harden to the Los Angeles Clippers.
They had been trying to trade him since early in the summer, but when they were unable to find a suitor shortly afterward, Harden blasted management and accused executive Daryl Morey of being a “liar.”
All along, the guard’s preferred destination was the Clippers, and he ended up getting his wish.
The Clippers now have Harden, Russell Westbrook, Kawhi Leonard, and Paul George, giving them a lineup their fans will undoubtedly claim is a superteam.
Turner Sports personality and former 76ers superstar Charles Barkley says per NBA TV that while this is a good trade for Philly, he’s not sure it will work out for the Clippers because they now have several stars who need the ball in their hands.
"I think it's a great trade for the Sixers…I think it's gonna be a fascinating experiment how this thing works out for the Clippers." ?
Chuck reacts to the James Harden trade pic.twitter.com/Qm3mXCnXh5
— NBA TV (@NBATV) October 31, 2023
Neither Westbrook, Harden, Leonard, nor George are particularly adept at moving off the ball and getting points in that fashion, and it could present a problem for L.A.
Westbrook, in particular, is not a flexible or versatile player, and it will certainly be interesting to see how the team sorts out the situation moving forward.
Another problem is the wear and tear on all four stars — Leonard is 32 years of age and injury-prone, George is 33, Harden is 34, and Westbrook is about to turn 35.
Basketball these days is a speedy, up-tempo game, and it is unkind to bodies that have tons of mileage on them.
The Clippers could very well win lots of regular season games following the Harden trade, but it is difficult to see them succeeding in the playoffs and winning their first-ever NBA championship.
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