The NBA’s trade deadline is not too far away (Feb. 8), and teams hoping to contend are looking at different ways to improve their roster. Every year, there’s a flurry of deals that occur right before the deadline, and publications give grades based on how they feel each team came out. There are already several big names who are reportedly available.
Players like Dejounte Murray, Zach Lavine, DeMar DeRozan, and Jerami Grant, among others, could greatly aid any number of teams looking to acquire them. We’ve already seen deals executed for Terry Rozier (Heat) and Pascal Siakam (Pacers), and we’ll surely see more in the coming days. With so much uncertainty in the air, there’s no telling how this deadline will shake up. That being said, is there a chance one team already made the deal that will shift the entire NBA landscape as we head into the postseason?
James Harden was traded to the Clippers back on Oct. 31 after a lengthy, arduous standoff between the former MVP and 76ers lead executive Daryl Morey. It wasn’t supposed to work for the Clippers. Pundits initially panned the deal, viewing it as a desperate attempt to build upon a core that has just one Conference Finals appearance in four seasons. The team had enjoyed intermediate success with Russell Westbrook as a primary ball handler, but the Harden-Westbrook pairing failed miserably just a few years ago. LA’s four premier players — Harden, Westbrook, Kawhi Leonard, and Paul George — all perform best with the ball in their hands and each is on the wrong side of 30.
Critics felt vindicated early on, as the Clippers dropped each of their first five games after acquiring Harden. The defense was dismal, and the offense looked stagnant. LA failed to score even 100 points in two of those losses. They managed more than 108 points in just one game during that stretch (the Memphis Grizzlies rank dead last in the NBA at just under 108 PPG) and it was in an 18-point blowout loss to the Mavericks.
Then, the switch flipped. Head coach Tyronn Lue — who has never shied away from shaking up rotations — sent Westbrook to the bench permanently. Harden was called upon to do what he does best — create. Since the change, the Clippers are 25-7, and Harden is playing at an elite level. While his scoring numbers are predictably down, he’s been the perfect catalyst for a team that has a legitimate shot to win the Western Conference.
Through 37 games this season, Harden is averaging just 17.3 PPG. That would be his lowest average since 2012 when he put up 16.8 PPG en route to winning Sixth Man of the Year for the Oklahoma City Thunder. With the shot attempts down, Harden has been able to dominate in other ways. Since the lineup change, Harden is averaging 9.2 APG on just 2.7 TOPG. The Clippers boast a 127.7 offensive rating when Harden is on the floor — which would lead the league by a wide margin (Celtics rank first in ORTG at 121.7).
Something that critics have harped on Harden for years is his defensive effort. He’ll never be a lockdown defender, but he’s up to 1.3 SPG and 1.0 BPG during this recent stretch and is buying in on that end of the floor. Having two excellent perimeter defenders next to him along with a potent rim protector in Ivica Zubac certainly helps.
The Clippers swung for the fences in trading for Harden. While they didn’t have to give up a King’s ransom, they sacrificed even more picks and a considerable amount of depth. They banked on Harden being the missing piece as a faciliatory for their two wings, and it has paid off in dividends. Of course, Harden’s postseason history is as checkered as any star in the league. Will he be able to shake that off in LA? Everybody says the lights are brighter in Los Angeles, but Harden and the Clippers are certainly stealing the show right now.
