James Harden once again forced his way to another team this off-season after accusing Daryl Morey of being a liar. The long-time standoff ended earlier this week when Mory and the Philadelphia 76ers traded Harden to the LA Clippers. The move marked Harden's fourth team in four years and sparked a number of hilarious comments from fans around the league.
Morey had been adamant that he would not trade Harden for anything less than an All-Star-caliber player. The standoff was expected to continue well into the season, with Daryl Morey looking to take a patient approach.
Despite that, James Harden got his wish this week when the 76ers traded him to the LA Clippers. The situation piqued the interest of Hall of Famer Kevin Garnett, who weighed in during a recent episode of his Ticket & The Truth show with Paul Pierce.
Harden must have had some great powers at work behind the scenes, per Garnett, to place him on yet another championship-contending group. According to him, there is just one man who has the potential to get Harden anything he desires.
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"James Harden has got to be the first cat I've ever seen that gets the request he asked for. ... It's amazing," Garnett said. "If he don't go down as anything else, bro, I don't even know. It's got to be Michael Jordan. Michael Jordan is James Harden's agent."
"All you players out there, nobody ever moved like he moved in the league. He is Moses. He moves it and it moves."
James Harden and the LA Clippers' chances in a stacked Western Conference
As a result of the trade, the LA Clippers' championship odds have now improved, landing them in fifth place on the BetMGM Sportsbook. Despite the recent struggles of the Memphis Grizzlies due to the absence of Ja Morant and Steven Adams, the Western Conference is more competitive than ever.
Aside from the reigning champions, the Denver Nuggets, the Phoenix Suns are also expected to be title contenders in the West. Furthermore, the Golden State Warriors and the Los Angeles Lakers are both desperate to regain the league's top spot.
Of course, for the LA Clippers, the big question is whether or not Kawhi Leonard and Paul George stay healthy. Since the duo has teamed up in LA, they have struggled to remain on the floor together for long stretches, most notably during the playoffs.
The addition of James Harden is expected to help the team contend in a stacked Western Conference; however, Leonard and George's health is the key factor. Should both stars manage to remain healthy, the team could finally make the playoff push they have hoped for.
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