The LA Lakers sealed a direct playoff qualification for the first time since 2020. Motivated by distinguished firepower, the Lakers can outscore any team in the world on their day. Yet, the fear of that one dreaded bad day when the stars could have a quiet run, does not disappear. Thus, are they ready for it, is the question. If yes, then let's look forward to the offseason, and if not, they can always bring in a new recruit to help Luka Doncic and LeBron James? Ahead of the start of the offseason, the speculations of Clippers superstar James Harden emerging as a potential target are making rounds.
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Lakers Can Consider Bringing in Clippers Star James Harden
As Caleb Hightower of Sporting News noted in his original piece, "It’s safe to say everyone is excited to tune into the Los Angeles Lakers’ highly anticipated first-round playoff clash against the Minnesota Timberwolves."
The Lakers might not be favorites this season, but acquiring a proven scorer like James Harden could tip the scales in their favor.
James Harden's skills in creating shots and facilitating offense would indeed alleviate some pressure on LeBron James and Luka Doncic. His stats showcase his impressive abilities. This season, he's averaging 22.8 points, 8.7 assists, and 5.8 rebounds per game. While these numbers are slightly lower than his career peak in the 2018-19 season, where he scored 36.1 points, handed out 11.2 assists, and grabbed 6.6 rebounds per game, they still demonstrate his significant value to any team. His three-point shooting percentage has remained consistently strong, with 35.2% this season compared to his career peak of 36.8% in 2018-19.
Despite being past his prime, James Harden remains a high-IQ playmaker who can effectively run isolation plays, space the floor as an off-ball threat, and draw defensive attention to create open looks for teammates.
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How Can James Harden Complement Luka Doncic and LeBron James?
James Harden's fit alongside LeBron James and Luka Doncic offers strong offensive synergy. He can handle primary playmaking duties, preserving LeBron for critical moments, while pairing with Doncic creates a dual-playmaker backcourt that forces defenses into tough switches. Harden's clutch shooting and foul-drawing ability also complement LeBron's closing prowess. Defensively, while Harden isn't known for lockdown abilities, the Lakers can mitigate this by utilizing his size to guard bigger wings, deploying him in zone schemes to hide his deficiencies, or leveraging Anthony Davis as a defensive anchor.