Why James Harden's tenure -- and an era -- is over with the Clippers

"TYRONN LUE SMILED when he saw James Harden at the LA Clippers training facility Tuesday afternoon. It was just hours before the organization agreed to trade the 36-year-old, 11-time All-Star to the Cleveland Cavaliers for Darius Garland and a second-round pick. Everyone in the building, including Harden, knew the trade was imminent. And yet, there he was in Clippers gear, getting treatment from the training staff and going through a workout with a group of teammates."

""When people are getting traded, it's not usually like that," Lue told ESPN. "But we all love James. ... So, I walked over to the training table and started f------ with him. I was like, "You weird.' That's his favorite word. Weird. And he just started laughing. "We're all going to miss him. Of course, his play. But just his personality.""

"Unlike Harden's past messy exits, this one was amicable. There was no trade demand or extended purgatory as there was in Houston or Brooklyn or Philadelphia. Before leaving the facility Tuesday, Harden even gave his goodbyes to a handful of staffers and players. Because this separation was as much a mutual recognition as it is a larger admission. Harden and the team realized that the team's torrid run -- the Clippers have been the NBA's hottest team since Christmas Day, winning 71% of their games -- probably wasn't sustainable. And that this Clippers era, which began in 2019 with the free agent signing of Kawhi Leonard and the subsequent trade for Paul George, is effectively over. Harden was the final big swing."

Tyronn Lue greeted James Harden at the Clippers training facility shortly before the organization traded Harden to the Cleveland Cavaliers for Darius Garland and a second-round pick. Harden remained in Clippers gear, received treatment, and worked out with teammates despite the imminent deal. The separation was amicable, with no trade demand or extended purgatory, and Harden said goodbye to staff and players. The team acknowledged that its hot run — winning 71% of games since Christmas Day — likely wasn't sustainable. Injuries and availability issues among Harden, Kawhi Leonard, and Paul George left the Clippers era that began in 2019 effectively over.

Read at ESPN.com