Whatever one may think of the way future Hall of Fame PG/SG James Harden successfully engineered his controversial exit from the Philadelphia 76ers to the LA Clippers via this week's trade, Harden averaged a glorious 48.9 ESPN fantasy points per game last season. That is fantastic.
Only 12 players averaged more per game, and that list includes the best players in the sport. Harden didn't just lead the league in assists per game at 10.7. He scored, rebounded, hit 3-pointers and myriad free throws at the highest level. He was a winning fantasy basketball player for sure.
Harden will surely remain a winning fantasy basketball player with the Clippers, even with other excellent players, each likely to end up in the Hall of Fame as well, at his side. In fact, Harden may improve his stats from last season.
How Harden fits with the other Clippers stars
SF/PF Kawhi Leonard and SG/SF/PF Paul George each averaged better than 40 fantasy points per game last season as well, but they are not 76ers C Joel Embiid, who averaged 56.7 points. The main concern with Leonard and George is they miss a lot of games.
Not a few games, but so many games.
Harden should be cool with that. He wants to score more points, and he will, especially when his new pals sit. He didn't like deferring to league MVP Joel Embiid last season.
Fantasy basketball managers probably weren't so pleased that Harden missed the first week of this season, but get ready and think bigger picture, because here comes the good stuff. The current statistical version of Harden actually bears strong resemblance to the MVP version from his later Houston Rockets days (just with fewer points), and this one is clearly still legitimately great for fantasy.
Many view Harden as a declining player. OK, but he still outscored, on a per-game basis for fantasy last season, young PGs Trae Young, LaMelo Ball and De'Aaron Fox, veteran scorers Donovan Mitchell, Kyrie Irving and Devin Booker, and major rebounders Domantas Sabonis and Julius Randle. Harden is 34 and he remains a fantasy building block.
Harden is going to get all the team-leading usage he desires with the Clippers, and while he will not find a unicorn 7-footer with wild offensive skills waiting for -- actually, demanding -- the basketball at the elbow, he will enjoy how different and great Leonard and George are, too.
They are wildly athletic and creative, and the Clippers finally boasts a playmaking point guard that can distribute and shoot, properly direct an offense in multiple ways. George and Leonard enter Wednesday's game with the rival Lakers averaging a combined 46.6 PPG and 9.3 APG. Those numbers may drop a bit now, mainly in assists, but not enough to worry a fantasy manager.
In addition, neither has played in more than 60 games in a regular season over the past four seasons. Harden's arrival will not bring them newfound durability.
What about Westbrook
As for PG Russell Westbrook getting in the way, don't worry, because nobody is going to get in Harden's way here. Westbrook likely resumes a sixth-man role here, directing things when Harden rests.
Westbrook is an overrated points-league fantasy option anyway, since he is a terrible shooter and often careless with the basketball. His fantasy value drops, but he hasn't been a fantasy star for years, certainly not on the level of Harden, Leonard and George.
Harden joins a team of stars, and their usage will drop, but hey, he's the best fantasy option among them, and easily so.
Some may question Harden's unnatural fit with this group, and how there is a recent theme of him quickly becoming unhappy with new situations, but don't expect turmoil this season. All bets are off a year from now, and remember, fantasy managers don't have to deal with a different Harden come playoff time.
That's just not our problem. We care about the regular season, and Harden is anything but regular from October through early May. This is the trade he demanded, and he got what he wanted. He's certainly not going to disappoint us statistically.
Final thoughts
Put simply, had fantasy basketball managers known the 76ers would have traded Harden to the Clippers so quickly, and before November, they would not have let Harden slip out of the first two rounds of fantasy drafts.
Harden has never failed to excel for fantasy managers. If you're drafting a new team this week, Harden belongs in the top 20, for sure, ahead of Leonard and George. Expect at least 22 PPG and 10 APG, along with ample 3-pointers, rebounds and steals, and an upgrade in free throw attempts.
Harden may have been done with the 76ers, but he isn't close to done in aiding fantasy managers.