Expectations were high for the Clippers heading into their match against the Knicks yesterday. They had just acquired 10-time All-Star James Harden, and they figured him to make an immediate impact on their competitiveness. It didn’t matter that he had zero playing time so far in the 2023-24 season. Forget that he didn’t just hold out of games the Sixers had prior to his transfer; he missed training camp altogether. As far as they were concerned, he had enough talent and smarts to contribute to the cause from the get-go.
Creditably, Harden did well enough to justify the positive prognoses on his preparedness. By the time the final buzzer sounded, he had 17 points (on six-of-nine shooting from the field), six assists, three rebounds, and a steal to his name. For all the rust he exhibited early on, he managed to do his part for the Clippers in 31 minutes on the court. On the flipside, he was a game-worst negative-18 — which, in a nutshell, meant the blue and red did better with him on the bench. Little wonder, then, that his first experience in his new jersey was a loss.
The good news is that the Clippers are bound to improve as Harden gets his sea legs, and as fellow marquee names Kawhi Leonard, Paul George, and Russell Westbrook become more accustomed to his tendencies. How much better they will get, however, is a question only time can answer. And, in this regard, it doesn’t help that they are each at their finest when they have the ball in their hands. Needless to say, individual sacrifices will have to be made simply to claim the chance to meet collective objectives.
There also happens to be a deadline to the plan. Harden is on an expiring contract, which means he could well be a single-campaign rental for the Clippers. Meanwhile, Leonard, George, and Westbrook have player options next year; they can choose to bolt for greener pastures should their current journey leave a bad taste in the mouth. As of now, everything’s hunky dory, and all eyes are on the ultimate prize. Unfortunately, history has shown that his sentiments can turn on a whim, leaving the payout of the high-risk-high-reward move at his mercy.
Anthony L. Cuaycong has been writing Courtside since BusinessWorld introduced a Sports section in 1994. He is a consultant on strategic planning, operations and human resources management, corporate communications, and business development.
