New Los Angeles Clippers guard James Harden got brutally ripped by an anonymous NBA scout who spoke with Sam Amick of The Athletic.
The anonymous scout told Amick that he doesn’t believe Harden “fits anywhere.”
“Honestly, I don’t know if James fits anywhere — like any team,” the scout said about Harden. “And I don’t know how this fit is going to be. Maybe it’ll work out when the Clippers are injured and they have him playing instead of Kawhi. But for me, in the last couple of years watching James, I don’t think he has the same finishing ability. He doesn’t shoot the ball as well. He doesn’t have the same ability to get to the hole. … He’s not the same player. And I don’t think he’s willing to say, ‘I’m going to be a distributor’ — which he’s very good at. But I don’t think he’s willing to step into that role.”
Harden started 58 games for the Philadelphia 76ers last season. He averaged 21.0 points, 6.1 rebounds and 10.7 assists and led the NBA in assists per game for the second time in his career. Harden shot 44.1% from the field, 38.5% from beyond the arc and 86.7% from the free-throw line.
NBA NEWS & RUMORS: James Harden, Los Angeles Clippers Updates
The Clippers are expected to start Harden, Russell Westbrook, Paul George, Kawhi Leonard and Ivica Zubac once Harden is ready to play. Harden will make his LAC debut against the New York Knicks on November 6.
“I just don’t see all four of them on the floor at the same time,” another scout said. “You know Russ has had a problem with coming off the bench (with the Lakers). So is James coming off the bench? Are they going to play all four of them plus Zubac? I just don’t see how they blend together because (Harden’s) taking shots away from somebody — unless it’s just a security blanket of ‘We have not been healthy for the last three years and this at least gives us Russ and James on games where we don’t have Kawhi and Paul.”
Harden becomes an unrestricted free agent next offseason. He has requested a trade from the last three teams he has played for.
NBA NEWS & RUMORS: James Harden, Los Angeles Clippers Updates
The 34-year-old Harden has career averages of 24.7 points, 5.6 rebounds and 7.0 assists with the Oklahoma City Thunder, Houston Rockets, Brooklyn Nets and Sixers. He has made 10 All-Star teams and seven All-NBA teams and has won three scoring titles, two assists titles and one MVP Award.
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