Why the resurgent LA Clippers are now a force to be reckoned with
By David Bernal
Los Angeles has finally found an identity.
It wasn’t difficult to understand the logic behind the trade that netted the Clippers James Harden from the Philadelphia 76ers. Paced by two versatile forwards capable of dominating both ends of the floor, LA had been a victim of their stars’ inability to stay on the court, as much as their playoff opponents, over the previous three seasons.
Seeking to lighten the load on their leading duo and obtain a third leading man to insure against the loss of either Paul George or Kawhi Leonard, the trade for Harden made perfect theoretical sense even when considering the problems Harden presented as an organizational figure.
Combined with the bargained low price the Clippers paid to acquire The Beard, the real question was whether any decision-maker in the league wouldn't have made the same decision as Lawrence Frank (spoiler alert: there isn't). Still, the fact that the price was right also didn’t mean that the integration of the former-league MVP would be easy.