James Harden trade: Clippers acquire highly priced insurance policy that they didn’t need

I are living in Florida. I do know all about high-priced insurance insurance policies that are simplest going to get dearer within the coming years. The Los Angeles Clippers, who simply traded for James Harden, are about to really feel my ache. 

A confirmed dangerous are compatible with Russell Westbrook (who has been lovely nice with the Clippers, thus making Harden even much less essential), and in large part redundant along Kawhi Leonard and Paul George as but every other iso-heavy scorer simplest with mainly 0 catch-and-shoot urge for food, Harden’s largest worth to the Clippers is the temporary insurance he supplies in opposition to Leonard and/or George getting injured. 

That’s now not not anything. Unlike my foolish Florida insurance, with which I’ve but to report a unmarried declare in 8 years of house possession, Harden is a superb wager to be price no less than one of the vital top class the Clippers simply paid to get him as George and Leonard, if historical past has proven us anything else, are prone to move down sooner or later. 

In the previous, the Clippers’ offense has fallen off precipitously with out Leonard, and long gone utterly within the tank with out each Leonard and George. Harden, in principle, can no less than captain the dinghy whilst the massive send will get mounted. 

But within the treacherous Western Conference waters, you’ll be able to’t live on in a dinghy for lengthy. If Leonard and/or George is out for any really extensive duration of time, let on my own within the playoffs, the Clippers are sunk anyway. So once more, the insurance is in point of fact simplest brief time period. 

In the long run, it is laborious to look Harden being price greater than the entirety the Clippers gave as much as get him. Frankly, I feel PJ Tucker, who additionally involves L.A. within the deal, is arguably a extra precious piece, however now not on the expense of 2 flexible wings in Robert Covington and Nic Batum. 

Throw within the pick out switch the Clippers despatched to Philadelphia, the 2027 pick out switch with OKC — plus their very own 2028 first-round pick out, which might finally end up being very valuable as this already-old group completely ages out — and to me, there is no method Harden improves the Clippers sufficient to justify the quite a lot of prices. 

And the item is, Harden is simplest going to get extra dear. After giving all this up, there is virtually no method the Clippers do not re-sign Harden to a long-term deal this summer season. And if you’ll re-sign Harden, it simplest is smart to then additionally re-sign Leonard and George, either one of whom (participant choices) are virtually certain to grow to be loose brokers. 

Leonard is 32. George 33. Harden 34. Which approach the Clippers simply signed up for 3 long-term offers that are most definitely going to begin depreciating like a clunky automobile. Gone is the method to industry George and/or Leonard and get started over with cap house, the 2027 pick out they simply swapped with OKC and the 2028 pick out they despatched to Philly. 

By the tip of this, the Clippers are going to finally end up paying smartly north of $100 million, prior to tax consequences, plus any near-future draft or cap-sheet flexibility they would possibly’ve had, for a participant that arguably does not cause them to higher in any significant method. 

Again, what’s Harden’s worth as an off-ball participant subsequent to Leonard, who’s going to have the ball when it counts? He does not transfer. He does not catch and shoot. The Clippers may use some juice to their tempo, however Harden performs like a slug. His protection is clearly atrocious. 

The one elite talent Harden nonetheless possesses is his playmaking, and that will assist Leonard and George not to must create somewhat such a lot in isolation. The Clippers can put a large number of shooters round Harden, which is the easiest way to get the most efficient of him. 

But all that calls for letting him keep watch over the ball, and you’ll be able to’t justify persistently giving him that alternative when the Clippers already perform at an elite offensive stage with each Leonard and George at the court docket. 

In the tip, whilst Harden will permit for Leonard and George to play fewer regular-season mins whilst additionally offering the temporary harm insurance, when it comes all the way down to in truth profitable a championship, which is the simplest method all of this turns into price efficient for the Clippers, he simply does not elevate the ceiling of this group sufficient. 

Honestly, at complete power, I’m now not certain he raises it in any respect. Like the Sixers, who have been a second-round playoff group with Harden identical as they have been with out him, I imagine that then again a ways the Clippers finally end up going this yr or any yr with Harden at the roster, they would’ve long gone with out him anyway.