It’s just been about two weeks since the Philadelphia 76ers decided to part ways with star guard James Harden but there are some noticeable changes already. The disgruntled All-Star made waves on the internet this year after calling out Daryl Morey and demanding a trade from the Sixers. Eventually, The Beard finds himself in another team, perhaps another SUPERTEAM. He joins Russell Westbrook, Paul George, and Kawhi Leonard in Los Angeles. But, few games have passed, and there’s already a clear indicator of who actually won the trade between the Sixers and Clippers.
The Sixers continue winning even without James Harden. Meanwhile, the Clippers may have gotten worse.
It’s sunny in Philadelphia as the Sixers are currently the best team in the Eastern Conference. As of this writing, the Sixers are sitting on the first seed with a 6-1 record. They haven’t lost a game since their opener.
James Harden is the system 😤 pic.twitter.com/3zbOk8P16F
— BricksCenter (@BricksCenter) November 9, 2023
On the other hand, we can’t say the same for the Clippers. Los Angeles teams, the Clippers and Lakers, are both severely mediocre despite having an All-Star cast. The West is stacked and the Clips can’t afford to fail in the 2023-2024 season. They have one of the most talented and skilled core especially with James Harden joining the team. But, future problems could occur once Harden pulls out his favorite move – The Disgruntled Player card.
Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey might be one of the best duos in the league this season
There’s a handful of amazing duos in the league right now like the Jays in Boston (Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown), Dame Time x Greek Freak in Milwaukee, LeBron and AD in Los Angeles, and many others. But, there seems to be an underrated tandem who’s been right under our noses.
It’a also impressive to see Maxey finally finding his footing and breaking out as a star. With current averages of 25.4 PPG, 7.0 APG, and 5.1 RPG, it’s only a matter of time until we see the young stud in the All-Star game. Of course, leading the way for Philly is no other than the reigning MVP, Joel Embiid, who’s also putting on a great show so far and making another case as the league’s MVP.
The Sixers' star duo leads Philly over the Celtics in a battle between two of the elite teams in the East!
Embiid: 27 PTS, 10 REB, 4 AST, 4 BLK
Maxey: 25 PTS, 9 REB, 5 AST, 2 BLK pic.twitter.com/uLWbI66yEX— NBA (@NBA) November 9, 2023
Obviously, the Sixers won the James Harden trade solely because they got rid of him
At first, you would have thought Philly’s offense would take a dip now that their former second-best player is out of the picture. Well, as it turns out, the Sixers found Harden’s replacement as Tyrese Maxey continuously improves. The Sixers continue to be a contender even without James Harden controlling the offense.
The relationship between Harden and his teammates, front office, and the fans are, to say the least, tumultuous. Their run together was short-lived and were far from the success they were expected to get.
Sadly, the Los Angeles Clippers, in a worst-case scenario, may fall to another Harden drama in the future. We’ve seen the 10-time All-Star implode and force his way out (i.e. Rockets, Nets, Sixers). He’s had superstars and former MVPs as teammates, but still the 34-year-old guard has always had problems.
“I am not a system player. I am a system.”
Full comment from James Harden: pic.twitter.com/wWfLzgndlO
— Malika Andrews (@malika_andrews) November 2, 2023
Even with 3 All-Star teammates in Los Angeles, who’s to say he won’t do it again? On paper, the Clippers are extremely talented and their offense may just be as good as their defense. But, James Harden will be James Harden. He even mentioned he’s not a system player because HE IS THE SYSTEM. That alone speaks volumes and the Clippers should be very wary.
