What James Harden Trade Means for Clippers, Suns

The long awaited move finally got completed- what does it mean for this season?

The Los Angeles Clippers completed a widely anticipated splash move in the early hours of Tuesday morning, agreeing to trade Nic Batum, Marcus Morris, KJ Martin, Robert Covington, and a bevy of draft picks for former MVP James Harden. 

This move makes it abundantly clear that the Clippers believe in their ability to win a championship this season and are doubling down on what's potentially the last season of the Kawhi Leonard/Paul George era.

Here are some things to take away from the blockbuster trade:

Last-Ditch Effort for Clippers?

One thing has been certain for the Clippers over the decade tenure of governor Steve Ballmer: they aren't afraid to swing for the fences. 

The Clippers made bold moves to trade franchise cornerstones in Chris Paul and Blake Griffin, as well as forming the Paul George/Kawhi Leonard dynamic in 2019. 

With both Leonard and George on the wrong side of 30, Ballmer likely feels like this is now-or-never time. Adding Harden gives this team the best chance to win-now, but what happens if they fall short? 

It's certainly not hard to envision Los Angeles deciding to tear their current core apart with another disappointing playoff exit, especially with Harden's impending free agency. It also must hurt Clippers fans that Shai Gilegous-Alexander has blossomed into a superstar in Oklahoma City.

Time will tell what will come of this move.

What Will Clippers Lineup Look Like?

The most clear-cut decision would be to slide Harden into the starting five at the two-guard spot, keeping Russell Westbrook at the one, and keeping everything else constant. 

The interesting decision would be moving Westbrook back to a bench role, starting Harden at the point, and moving Terance Mann into the starting lineup when the guard makes a return. 

This move would give Westbrook the reigns of a bench that has two talented scorers in Bones Hyland and Norman Powell, along with an all-around solid center in Mason Plumlee. Westbrook has seem revitalized this season in every sense, playing very efficient basketball and making a strong comeback as a playmaker. 

One thing is for sure- this will be a tough decision for LA head coach Tyronn Lue either way.

Should This Scare Suns Fans?

In a vacuum, this move should make Suns fans pay more attention to the Clippers. This trade is certainly a huge move for a team desperate for sustained playoff success, but it likely doesn't give them the upper hand over either the Suns or Denver Nuggets. 

There are simply too many factors in play to feel good about the viability of the Clippers come playoff time. If this team can stay healthy, and Lue can manage a healthy playoff rotation and make strong adjustments, this team can certainly make a championship run. 

It'll be more believable when it actually happens, however.