James Harden proves he is Clippers' real leader

This season, there are many superstars, past and present, who are going to be front and center for the Los Angeles Clippers.

No player is going to be more of the focal point on the team, from a fan and media perspective, than forward Kawhi Leonard due to his championship success with other teams. James Harden, on the other hand, has been the face of a franchise and a star player who has taken the second- or third-player role. 

Harden wasn’t tasked to be the leader of the Clippers when he was traded to the team shortly after the 2023-2024 season. He is this season, however.

At 36 years old, Harden doesn’t have much time left to play like an All-Star and compete for an NBA championship. This season is the Clippers’ best chance to win a title in years thanks to a busy offseason of roster building. There is pressure for Leonard to stay healthy and play most of the season and postseason, as well as for Harden to get the Clippers there.

He knows this, which is why he said he feels like he is in the best shape of his playing career when asked about his offseason preparations. 

"Even more," Harden said. "Because we gotta get off to a really good start. This is a tough conference that we’re in … At the end of the regular season, we want to put ourselves in position to have a good postseason run. So it’s very, very vital for us to get off to a good start. And it starts with me and Kawhi.”

James Harden's comments prove he has become Los Angeles Clippers' vocal leader

That statement shows that Harden has not only bought into the Clippers organization, but he has also become the voice of the team. Leonard is a quiet but supportive locker room player, but the Clippers needed more. They believe they’ve found that player in Harden.

Before Harden's arrival, Leonard had been open about the need to play with a court-general point guard. They were able to find that player in Harden despite some pushback from Clippers fans. 

Leonard needed someone who could do more than just lead on the court; the Clippers needed another leader in the locker room, especially with Paul George (now with the Philadelphia 76ers) unable to take on that role. 

Harden has pushed his teammates and coaches to be at their best in pursuit of getting to the NBA Finals. Last season was a statement from him. 

One of the biggest criticisms of Harden was his ability to play lockdown and aggressive defense. When assistant coach Jeff Van Gundy joined the staff, Harden bought into the defensive mentality. Harden’s leadership and push to get teammates to buy in were a big reason why the Clippers had the fourth-ranked scoring defense last season (108.2).

This season will be a different challenge. Los Angeles has a stacked team of veterans, both in their prime and former All-Stars past their prime, and not a lot of young players. Harden (36 years old), guard Bradley Beal (32), and Chris Paul (40) don’t have many more opportunities to win their first NBA title before they finish their outstanding careers. There are many vocal players on the team, and it will be up to Harden to be the team’s main voice. 

Harden stated he wants accountability, but mostly from himself. The Clippers’ success this season depends on how well he can carry and lead the team through the regular season and then step up and break the postseason curse he has had for seasons.