Was interested how Harden and Philly did without Embiid while he was there. Surprisingly small sample considering how often Embiid seemed to be hurt. 7 games. 5-2 record and Harden averaged 21/10/7
Harden won't win with 4 all stars. He didn't win with 3. His best fit was this: With a laterally quick, transition center and elite defensive role wings (Tucker, Ariza). Westbrook is too dumb, Zubac too slow. Maybe George / Kawhi / corpse of Tucker can provide the elite defense to have more success than his last 2 stops.
Keeping afloat is a broader meaning, he can run a team for sure, but scoring wise he has fallen off a small cliff. He cannot go to the rack explosively like in the past. What if Maxey never became a scorer?
How in all of the hells is Harden still getting away with b****ing his way off of a team and getting to go exactly where he wants to go every time? It's insanity at this point.
Now the Clippers can rest Kawhi in the regular season and let Harden keep them in the chase. Then let Kawhi take over in the playoffs. Good plan. But Westbrook is licking his chops to ruin everybody's plan.
So was listening to Lowe on his take of the trade; he kept repeating that adding Harden doesn't put the Clippers at the tier of the Nuggets. While true, I don't think anyone is claiming the move does. It's more that Clipper's gave up some players that Lue wasn't playing heavily anyways and now have couple guys Harden and PJ that he could use more rotationally. If say the Clips has a 5% to win it all, they may have bumped it up +2%. In the end it's all about mathematically trying to UP their chances while Kawhii's window is open.
I think DM got a decent haul for Harden. 2 FRP + 2SRP + 1Swap, RoCo+KJM probably get you an extra late FRP. MM can be the expiring contract Morey needs at trade line. no other teams would come up anything close to the Clippers package.
