i agree. they'll eventually move either russ or harden to the bench, and they'll go back to winning games. and i also agree that harden will play his way into better shape like always. the trouble is that they've now lost a bunch of games with both PG and kawhi healthy, and historically, you know that part won't continue.
The issue is the West is tight and will it be too late by that point? Because as you said they're healthy now and not capitalizing that, it won't last.
My god, these guys are awful. Someone has to go to the bench, and that someone is likely Harden, because they somehow play better with Russ... but Jokic just destroyed the Clippers. What he is doing right now should not be legal. He shot poorly, but 32/16/9? Come on now.
I thought "James Harden shape" was round. And it's hilarious how he acts like the fact that he didn't get a training camp or pre-season wasn't his own doing. Only time he ran was to the fridge. Heaviest thing he lifted was his plate or a stack of singles to throw at the local dancer with law school aspirations.
I expect he'll be part of their next attempted roster upgrade. He and Mann for defense or another big.
Still can't believe West wanted, or got overridden, for the Clippers to make the same boneheaded type moves that came with politics and huge egos and entitlement involved, that the Lakers just got out from under at the deadline. First with Russ, where his game is now and SO ENTIRELY questionable if a team can win with playing him big minutes and in crunch time with all the bad things cancelling out most or ALL of the good things. But he was cheap to bring in and remained so this season. But now to give up assets and the few picks they had left for a cancer like Haren, with HE (West) had to know they both need the ball and one would have to go to the bench and not be happy about it. Plus leaving them with no wing depth or much of any depth now, and like above ^^^ that just got one more guy taken away .... again for the politics. PLUS Ballz now has to pony up a big contract to re-sign Haren after the season?? BOOM goes the Dynamite!!
bringing in westbrook for cheap wasn't a bad deal. if he hadn't been a good fit they could have easily just kicked him to the curb. but i wouldn't doubt a big part of bringing him in was to create all the "lakers mistreated russ and the clippers saved him" narratives for ballmer like someone else mentioned previously in this thread the harden move made no sense at all. not just because of his reputation, questions about how he'd fit with kawhi/PG, and his age, but because it cost the clips depth on the wings which is their biggest strength
yeah, russ was a no-brainer for them. perhaps in multiple ways, but taking him at the minimum when they had a gaping hole at pg made a ton of sense, regardless. best guess i have here is that they felt like covington and batum were on their last legs anyway, so might as well take your shot. harden's a big expiring at worst, and the clips have proven they'll eat salary to upgrade, so who says he's not moved again if things don't go well. this is the beauty of unlimited funds. if rob had unlimited funds, caruso would still be here.
This is what the young kids call “cap” I don’t buy that Russ volunteered for this one bit. Lue clearly recognized that one of that backcourt duo needed to come off the bench, and Russ accepted it because he knew he had no choice. They’re now spinning it as a voluntary move for PR. “Look how great a leader Russ is! And look how great a franchise we are, we would never forcefully demote a HoFer like Russ … unlike those other guys”
That’s just an announcement and spin. Book it he’s not happy same as he wasn’t here, especially for a guy like Haren.
Easy to spin stuff in your favor when you have journalists on the payroll. Also f*** Russ for publicly complying.
Shame they pivoted. That nut job is just what this dysfunctional group needed. I would've really enjoyed that.
Wait for surly prickly Russ act when reporters do what they do and ask him their baiting questions following games. #IwasAlockerRoomVampirePartDeux