James Harden’s desire to land with the Clippers following his trade request to the 76ers was widely known, but how the new fit will work out is an entirely different topic. Longtime broadcaster Ian Eagle is up in the air about the trade as a whole, and how Harden fits with his new team.
“When James does go from team to team, he is engaged, at least out of the gate. He wants to show everyone that he’s still the same guy. He does the kind of things that you look for in being a facilitator and being a good teammate,” Eagle said on SiriusXM NBA Radio. “… Ultimately if my memory serves, it was when Kevin Durant went down with an injury that James Harden said ‘Hey I’m done, I’m out. I didn’t sign up for this, I don’t really like what the plan is’ …. and then he checked out.
“…Ultimately, I think a team recognizes, ‘Okay, we’re past the point of no return, there’s no convincing him, he is done.’ And Philly got to that place … Will it be good initially [with the Clippers]? I think it could be, I really do. But when the smoke clears, I don’t know what this is gonna look like for L.A.,” Eagle said.
“When James does go from team to team, he is engaged, at least out of the gate”
🔊 Ian Eagle is interested to see how James Harden will fit in L.A. long-term #ClipperNation@talkhoops | @DarthAmin pic.twitter.com/mQ8twVYrRI
— SiriusXM NBA Radio (@SiriusXMNBA) October 31, 2023
While Eagle referenced back to Harden’s messy stint with the Nets, it is worth noting that Harden had successful stretches with both the Thunder and of course the Rockets. Harden appears to have a good relationship with multiple Clippers players as well, so that could be a major positive in favor of his overall outlook with the franchise.
