[Saba Sports News] The Los Angeles Clippers traded away Robert Covington, Marcus Morris Sr., Nicolas Batum, and Kenyon Martin Jr. in exchange for James Harden, P.J. Tucker, and Filip Petrusev from the Philadelphia 76ers. This move reunited James Harden with his former teammate Russell Westbrook for the third time.
Their history dates back to their time with the Oklahoma City Thunder. Westbrook and Harden were drafted by the Thunder, with Westbrook being selected in the 2008 Draft and Harden in the 2009 Draft. They played together until 2012, even making it to the 2012 NBA Finals but ultimately losing to the Heat. A pay and role dispute led Harden to leave for Houston, where he assumed a leading role, while Westbrook and Kevin Durant continued to contend with the Thunder.
Both players achieved MVP status during their time with the Thunder. However, the Thunder’s struggles after Durant’s departure eventually led to Westbrook’s trade to the Rockets in 2019, reuniting him with Harden, albeit with a different dynamic.
During their three seasons together in Houston, Harden averaged 12.7 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 2.5 assists alongside Westbrook, while Westbrook averaged 20.3 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 7.3 assists.
Their partnership in Houston was short-lived, and the Rockets paid a substantial price for acquiring Westbrook, trading four first-round picks and Chris Paul to the Thunder. They attempted to maximize their backcourt by using P.J. Tucker as a stretch-five to create space for Westbrook and Harden. However, the duo only lasted one season, with Harden vying for MVP and Westbrook experiencing his last elite season before being traded to the Wizards and Harden to the Nets in the 2020-21 season.
Now, after four seasons apart, Harden and Westbrook will join forces again with the Clippers. This time, it’s expected that their dynamic will resemble their OKC days, albeit with reversed roles. Instead of Harden coming off the bench for Westbrook, the Clippers may use Westbrook as a sixth man while Harden starts alongside Kawhi Leonard and Paul George. Alternatively, they may adopt a similar playing style to their time in Houston, with George at the three and Leonard at the four.
P.J. Tucker is also rejoining the pair, but his days as a center are likely behind him, given the current elite big-man talent in the NBA. This means that both Harden and Westbrook will need to adapt to a different style of play to ensure everyone’s success.
While Harden and Westbrook won’t be the top two or three stars on the Clippers, as Kawhi Leonard and Paul George hold that role, their presence as a playmaker and an energy boost off the bench could help the team achieve their goal of becoming NBA Champions together.