A massive trade proposal has the Los Angeles Clippers beginning their rebuild by sending All-Star guard James Harden to a struggling Western Conference rival.
James Harden is off to a tremendous start for the Clippers, who continue to await the season debut of franchise star Kawhi Leonard. The two-time NBA Finals MVP has yet to play this season as he continues to recover from a knee injury.
Los Angeles was dealt a big blow in the summer when superstar Paul George opted to leave for the Philadelphia 76ers in free agency. The Clippers are off to a solid 6-5 start, but one can easily argue that their best bet is to trade Harden and retool the roster around Leonard.
Fran Leiva of Fadeaway World proposed a blockbuster trade idea that has the Clippers sending Harden to the Portland Trail Blazers for Anfernee Simmons in a one-for-one swap:
“From the Clippers’ perspective, adding Simons gives them a young, high-potential guard who could slot in seamlessly with their future plans. At 26 years old, Simons’s scoring and shooting range would be a perfect fit alongside their existing roster, allowing the Clippers to stay competitive and also plan for the future…Harden’s shorter deal means they can test the market for him later or use him as a veteran presence temporarily.
In the end, this trade would serve both teams’ interests: the Blazers get a flexible veteran asset they can maneuver as they continue rebuilding, while the Clippers gain a young scorer who complements their core.”
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The Trail Blazers defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves on Tuesday, moving them to 4-8 on the young season. It’s clear that the roster needs a shakeup, and a former MVP and big-time scorer like James Harden would fit nicely alongside Jerami Grant, Deandre Ayton and Scoot Henderson.
Now 35 years of age, James Harden remains a game-changing player who has kept the Clippers competitive without Leonard. But if he’d be open to a trade, a team like Portland would better suit his skill set as opposed to playing second-fiddle to Leonard in LA.
James Harden Is Carrying The Clippers’ Offense
Through his first 11 games of 2024-25, the future Hall of Famer is averaging 20.8 points (a considerable increase from the 16.6 PPG he averaged in LA last year), 8.4 rebounds and 9.0 assists per game.
Harden is shooting just 35.9 percent from the field and 30.7 from downtown, but his career track record suggests positive regression is inevitable. The Clippers return to the court tonight to take on Harden’s old team, the Houston Rockets.
James Harden
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