There have been a lot of additions this offseason, but there have also been some teams that have been weakened. Because important players in their squad have left. One of the most embarrassing is the Clippers in the West. The Clippers have taken two superstars this offseason, Paul George and Westbrook. This also means that their Big Four roster will be dismantled, and the new season will be led by Harden and Leonard.
The departure of Paul George and Westbrook from the Clippers means that the Clippers are basically out of contention, and they are no longer a favorite to win the championship. Although they haven't had a very good record in the playoffs in the past, with Paul George, at least they have a very good instant and a guarantee of scoring. Because Paul George is a player who can contribute 20+ per game.
But after Paul George leaves the team, the team will become very inconsistent on the offensive end now, and Harden's form has declined significantly at this age, and it is impossible to make him as big on the offensive end as he did with the Rockets. And Leonard is also a very injury-prone player, and he is not suitable for taking on too many offensive tasks on the offensive end, which is a huge drain on him. Especially if Leonard has an injury, maybe this Clippers team won't even make the playoffs. So the decline of this team will be visible to the naked eye.
The most embarrassing thing about this team is Harden, Harden's current state has declined significantly compared to Curry and Durant at the same time, and the attention is not as good as before. What's even more unacceptable is that at this age, he still hasn't picked up a championship ring. Professionally, Harden's personal accolades are not inferior to Curry and Durant. He has been selected as an All-Star 10 times in his career, has been elected as the MVP of the regular season, has been crowned the scoring champion three times, has been crowned the assist king twice, and has been selected to the best team six times in his career. These accolades are standard for superstars. It's a pity that Harden lacks a championship ring in his career. With a championship ring, his career was complete.
In the Clippers, it may be difficult for Harden to touch the championship trophy again. Maybe Harden has changed significantly in terms of mentality now, and he may not be so extreme in pursuing championship honors, but more immersed in the fun of enjoying basketball. Because he also knows that his basketball career is not long in the future. Helping his team as much as possible in his limited basketball career may be the only purpose of his current game. Let's cherish Harden's few games.