“He’s a veteran who’s already won a championship before, and ultimately, our focus is on winning,” Harden shared with the media following their 114-107 victory over Portland. “He’s going to let you hear it if something’s not right. His personality may be unique, but it’s invaluable for our team. He truly adds a great vibe.”

Discussing Lopez‘s influence, Harden emphasized the direct impact his demeanor has on the team’s mindset. He revealed how the former Boston Celtics player is unapologetically outspoken, readily expressing his thoughts and feelings.

“When he’s upset, he certainly communicates it. We appreciate him and are thrilled to have him with us,” Harden commented regarding Lopez’s integration into the team over the initial three games of the NBA regular season.

Lopez’s impact on the Clippers this season

While Lopez may not have made a decisive impact for the Clippers in terms of scoring, his contributions on the court are primarily defensive. Notably, he excels in shot-blocking, leading his team in this particular statistic.

Averaging 1.7 blocks per game, Lopez has proven to be a formidable obstacle for opponents. His exceptional blocking ability serves as a deterrent to offenses throughout the league, forcing them to reconsider their attempts near the basket.

Harden’s thoughts on his teammates

As the Clippers undergo various roster changes, Harden took a moment to discuss his teammate Kawhi Leonard, highlighting Leonard’s impressive return from last season’s injury setbacks.

“Kawhi is an extraordinarily talented player. He can effortlessly find his spots on the court and consistently make his shots,” Harden remarked to the media. “As a team, we’re highly cohesive, and the game’s flow is crucial. Ultimately, our goal is to win, regardless of the situation,” Harden said of Leonard.

“James Harden has allowed the Clippers to go after players this offseason,” said team president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank, according to reporter Ohm Youngmisuk on X. “Harden restructured his deal, giving Clippers cap space to get Bradley Beal and Brook Lopez and second-year of his deal allows Clippers to have max cap space if needed.”

At this stage of his career, Harden’s top priority is clearly being part of a team that can compete deep into the playoffs and help him finally win an elusive NBA title. That’s why the 35-year-old guard is willing to make sacrifices for the good of the team.

And that’s not all. Harden also played a significant role in the recruitment of Beal, helping persuade him to join the Clippers. “Mark Bartelstein, Bradley Beal’s agent, talked to everyone in the Clippers organization, including a 30-minute conversation with James Harden,” Frank revealed, according to Youngmisuk.

Harden’s competitive drive seems to have resonated with Beal, who is also searching for his first championship after a disappointing stint with the Phoenix Suns. The Clippers president said Beal’s final decision to accept the offer and move to Los Angeles came down to his desire “to win and win big.”

Clippers closely monitoring Chris Paul

In the same conversation, Lawrence Frank was asked about the possibility of Chris Paul returning to the Clippers, where he played from 2011 to 2017. “What I’d say about Chris is he’s a great player, he’s a great Clipper. He obviously possesses some of the qualities we just referenced,” the president said.

Head coach Tyronn Lue still has two open roster spots, and the franchise appears intent on filling one with a player known for playmaking and ballhandling—traits that align perfectly with CP3. That led Frank to add: “Of course, we’re strongly strongly considering him.”

Clippers optimistic about the future

So far, the Los Angeles Clippers have added size and power with the arrivals of Brook Lopez and John Collins, along with shooting and ballhandling through Bradley Beal. They may also soon add the experience and basketball IQ of Chris Paul.

All of these assets, combined with what the team already had last season—James Harden, a healthy Kawhi Leonard, and an increasingly dominant Ivica Zubac—could make the Clippers serious contenders in the Western Conference.

Rob Pelinka and the front office could only do so much with the current salary cap they have, so they had to let Mo Bamba and Malik Beasley go to get some money off their books.

So, now that they could be in play for the non-tax midlevel exception, Dave McMenamin of ESPN recently reported that they could go after Milwaukee Bucks star Brook Lopez.

NBA Rumors: Lakers Could Target Brook Lopez

“Among the players L.A. has interest in signing with the non-tax midlevel are Denver Nuggets forward Bruce Brown and Milwaukee Bucks center Brook Lopez, sources told ESPN,” McMenamin wrote.

“The Lakers plan to stay in touch with the representatives of both Bamba and Beasley as free agency unfolds, however, and could bring back one or both on different contract structures, sources told ESPN,” the report added.

Then again, the Bucks will be very aggressive to try and get Lopez back, as he’s been a key contributor to their recent success, and they won’t have more cap space to pursue someone else if he leaves.

Lopez has already played for the Lakers and is quite familiar with the perks and demands that come with it, so he’ll have a big decision to make in the following weeks.

Not many players take as much pride in their defense as others do in their scoring. The rules favor offensive players now more than ever, and playing defense seems like a lost art nowadays.

With the NBA season coming to an end, we take a look at every single one of the awards. Here, we discuss the top three candidates to win Defensive Player of the Year, and all three would be a solid choice.

NBA Awards: Top 3 Candidates For Defensive Player Of The Year

3. Bam Adebayo

Bam Adebayo has flirted with winning Defensive Player of the Year way too often now, yet it seems like there’s always someone slightly better than him. Unfortunately, that’s the case again this season.

Adebayo is one of the finest rim protectors in the league. He can anchor the paint and even holds his own in the perimeter every now and then, but he lacks the defensive versatility of other candidates.

2. Jaren Jackson Jr.

Memphis Grizzlies star Jaren Jackson Jr. was leading the race for the better part of the season until it came out that his stats in home games were a little bit inflated. But he’s an outstanding defender nonetheless.

Not only is Jackson Jr. a dominant shot-blocker, but he can also step all the way to the three-point line and get stops. He’s solid at switching and has the lateral quickness and length to stay in front of smaller players.

1. Brook Lopez

First and foremost, we have to tip our hat off to Brook Lopez. This guy has changed his game not once but twice to stay relevant and continue being one of the best and most underrated players in the league.

Lopez went from being a face-up, old-school scoring big with not much defensive expertise to a sharpshooting big who can play lockdown defense. He’s perhaps the first actual 3-and-D center in NBA history.

In the past week, LiAngelo Ball signed a 1-year deal with the Charlotte Hortnets to play for them with a salary of$1,017,781 dollars,according to the specialized site, Spotrac. So, after 4 years in the league, LaMelo will have his older brother with him.

In fact,LiAngelo already played for Michael Jordan’s franchise, but was cut right before the last season. Then, he went to the NBA G League’s draft andspent the last season as a Greensboro Swarm player.There, LiAngelo got the chance to show off his skills and earned his way back to the Hortnets.

NBA: Ball Brothers and similar cases who played together in the NBA

Now that the two of the three Ball Brothers will join forces to play for the Charlotte Hornets, its time to review other pair of brothers who did the same at least for one season in the National Basketball Association. This is tiny list is composed by brothers who played together in the same franchise, not only in the NBA.

For example, Marcus and Markieff Morris played together for two and half seasons in the Phoenix Suns, then, Marcus was traded away to the Detroit Pistons. Then, there’sJustin and Jrue Holiday, who managed to playtogether in thePhiladelphia76ers for one season.

Also, there’s the Lopez brothers Robin and Brook who played together in the Milwaukee Bucks for a season. Finally, the Antetokounmpo brothers who managed to win an NBA Championship with the Bucks in 2021, while theirbrother Thanasis won with the Los AngelesLakers.

Earning an All-Star nod isn’t for everybody, let alone achievingthat multiple times. But no one, not even LeBron James, can beat Father Time in the long run, and all good things eventually come to an end.

That includes the careers of some of the best hoopers of their generation. So here, we’re going to let you know about three former NBA All-Stars who may retire at the end of this season.

NBA Rumors: 3 Former All-Stars That Could Retire Soon

3. Al Horford

Al Horford lived up to that big contract in the NBA Finals. He proved to have that ‘it factor’ and leadership still, the same that made him an All-Star during his days with the Atlanta Hawks. However, his best years are behind him, and he’ll become a free agent after this season.

Horford could still try and sign a one-year, veteran minimum deal next season, but that’s unlikely at 36 years old. Also, he’d join the Boston Celtics’ coaching staff in a heartbeat if the opportunity came.

2. Brook Lopez

Brook Lopez was once considered one of the best scoring big men in the league. He’s one of the greatest players in New Jersey-Brooklyn Nets history and still holds most of their franchise records.

Lopez has embraced a lesser role as he heads towards the sunset of his career. He’s more of a floor-stretcher now, but he’s also struggled with injuries and is about turn 35 years old. He’ll be a free agent at the end of the season, so retirement is the likeliest scenario.

1. Carmelo Anthony

Carmelo Anthony was nearly forced to retire a couple of years ago, so every day in the league is a blessing to him now. He adapted to a different role and is still a prolific and efficient scorer despite coming off the bench.

Hopefully, Anthony will retire with a ring on his finger. He’ll gauge plenty of interest from contending teams around the league as he enters what could be his final season, as he’ll turn 39 years old in May.