NBA Trades: 5 winners and losers of the Sixers-Clippers Harden deal
By Cal Durrett
NBA Trade Winners: James Harden
Harden has been the subject of jokes all summer after he demanded to be traded from the Philadelphia 76ers but he once again got his way. Harden wanted out of Houston and he got out of Houston. He wanted out of Brooklyn and got out of Brooklyn; now add Philadelphia to the list of teams he’s forced his way off of.
That might make the Clippers uneasy but he will be playing for the team that he wanted to be traded to. He’ll also be playing in LA with friend and former teammate Russell Westbrook, not to mention stars Paul George and Kawhi Leonard. Add in that the Clippers could be one of the best teams in the West with Harden and he is a clear winner in the deal.
Harden has been criticized for his playoff track record, or lack thereof, but he’ll go from being the best or second-best player on a team to maybe the third option. That is considerably less pressure and he might thrive playing with less pressure on him.
Of course, there is the flip side. He’s in LA, where there are plenty of distractions, and with the Clippers having given up two firsts, a pick swap, and a second, it’s clear that they plan to extend him. LA Harden could either be better than expected or worse than anyone dreamed. There isn’t any in-between. Still, today was a good day for Harden.