"I said a prayer for T Lue" - Former NBA champion calls out James Harden while criticizing Clippers roster
During the offseason, James Harden made it known that he wanted to be traded to the LA Clippers, as per The Athletic's Shams Charania. After a couple of games into this season, the 10-time All-Star finally got his request, as he was traded to the Clippers in exchange for Nic Batum, Marcus Morris, Robert Covington, KJ Martin, and a number of other picks.
However, the Clippers have been 0-2 in the games that Harden has played in. In the two games that he played, he averaged 14.5 points, 5.5 rebounds and 5.5 assists. Be that as it may, Harden's numbers have been good, but it's his fit with the team that has been a cause for concern.
Whether it's through tweaking the lineups to see which one will play their best with a certain group of players or not, the Clippers have all season to figure it out. Recently, former 2008 NBA champion Kendrick Perkins got on ESPN's "First Take" and was very critical of James Harden while also addressing the stressful situation for Clippers coach Tyronn Lue.
"James Harden lied through that whole interview," Perkins said. "Talking about all he do is care about winning. When I look at this Clippers team, I feel so bad for my brother T Lue. I said a prayer for T Lue, because of what he is about to go through with this situation. This is about to be a stressful season for him.
It seems that Perkins did not appreciate the move that Harden made when he requested a trade out of Philadelphia, despite mentioning in his Clippers press conference his focus on winning the title.
Moreover, Perkins also thought about the stressful situation that Tyronn Lue finds himself in, and now he needs to properly define the roles of four All-Star-caliber players on the same team.
James Harden takes accountability for recent loss
The insertion of James Harden into the Clippers roster has not been the most seamless fit, considering the talent that the team has. Following the team's 100-93 loss to the Brooklyn Nets, Harden put on his leadership pants and took responsibility for the loss, as per The Athletic's Law Murray.
"Tonight was on me as far as letting the ball get away," Harden said. "Think it's really the fourth quarter ... tonight, I turned the ball over, they get easy points."
It was a close matchup through and through, with the Clippers showing some signs of progress in their offensive and defensive approach. Be that as it may, some miscommunication and costly turnovers were still in the way as they were still maneuvering their way to a consistent rhythm.
The addition of Harden was always going to bring some added challenges when it came to the roster. A player of his caliber will need a defined role, the same as the other stars and the rest of the team.
Be that as it may, the Clippers have the entire 2023–24 season to figure everything out.