The Los Angeles Clippers have been surprisingly competitive without Paul George.
The franchise boasts a 35-29 record and is positioning itself for a postseason berth.
Still, in free agency, the Clippers could reunite James with a two-time NBA champion stud and take a positive step toward high-level contention in the Western Conference.
“(Kevin) Durant and James Harden had some great moments together with the Brooklyn Nets. Although a few years older, both were still All-Stars this season and continue to play at a high level,” Bleacher Report’s Greg Swartz wrote Monday.
“A core of Durant, Harden, Norman Powell, Ivica Zubac, Bogdan Bogdanović, Derrick Jones Jr., Kris Dunn and others would make a real statement in the West, especially with Tyronn Lue captaining the ship.”
“(Kawhi) Leonard hasn’t made his usual impact on the Clippers this season (11-9 with him, 22-20 without). Los Angeles should move Leonard if the deal is right.”
Swartz’s trade proposal would send Leonard, Cam Christie, a 2031 unprotected first-round pick, and 2030 first-round pick swap rights to the Phoenix Suns for Durant.
Durant, Harden, and Russell Westbrook spent three eventful seasons with the Oklahoma City Thunder before the roster experienced massive changes.
During the 2011-12 campaign, the electric trio reached the NBA finals as the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference. Unfortunately, the young, star-studded club encountered a Miami Heat team hoping to rebound from their devastating 2011 championship loss to the Dallas Mavericks.
The Heat defeated the Thunder in five games and during free agency, Harden was traded to the Houston Rockets.
However, Durant and Harden teamed up in Brooklyn in 2020 after the Rockets traded Harden to the Nets midway through the 2020-21 campaign.
Following a short-lived 2021 postseason, Brooklyn shipped Harden to the Philadelphia 76ers before the 2022 playoffs commenced.
Although Durant and Harden are aging stars with limited time in the NBA, it would be exciting to witness them complement each other one final time before they retire.
Harden’s brilliant offensive manipulation tactics, combined with Durant’s cold-blooded scoring ability, would give the Clippers a substantial boost entering the 2025-26 season.
While Leonard is an accomplished forward who’s proven he can take games over on both ends, his recent injury struggles could compel Los Angeles to consider Swartz’s exhilarating summer trade idea.
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