With a mindset that would not shock anyone, James Harden wants championships. He is 36 years old, amid the most valuable years of his career, as these are the days he will reminisce most, and if the LA Clippers do not turn a play-in spot into a groundbreaking playoff run, his player option will likely be declined. Fortunately, though, his replacement will be on the market in need of a value-rebuilding system that LA can undeniably provide.
Assuming Harden is out, the Clippers will place every trade and free agent card in the appropriate order to hunt down Trae Young in a proposal with the Washington Wizards, who just shipped CJ McCollum and Cory Kispert in the Atlanta Hawks’ direction.