Tucker became the biggest chip in the trade, and the Clippers had a clear goal of strengthening Harden to become the hole card for winning the championship

On December 26, Beijing time, the NBA regular season continued. The Clippers also got a two-day break after suffering a two-game losing streak and will adjust to face the Hornets at home. According to the team's reporters, Leonard may continue to miss this game due to a contusion on his left hip. Coach Tyronn Lue said before the game: "Hopefully the card can return as soon as possible, but without him we have to find a way to win the game. Not only the head coach, but also the entire Clippers team and fans can recognize how important Leonard is to the team. He has been the best player during the nine-game winning streak and has played a vital role on both ends of the floor. Without Leonard, the Clippers would be a different team.

However, Leonard's return alone won't solve all of the Clippers' problems. One of the most important is the problem of the front line, there is no forward player who can replace George and Leonard, who can not only have accurate three-point shooting ability, but also have a certain defense. Some people say that PJ Tucker is not this type of player? Unfortunately, Tucker Sr. is really old, and maybe he can shine on other teams, but it is already a side effect in the Clippers.

According to Marc Stein of The Athletic, sources have revealed that the Milwaukee Bucks and Miami Heat are currently interested in Clippers veteran PJ Tucker and are interested in acquiring him through a trade. Tucker has two years left on his contract, $11.01 million this season and $11.54 million next season. If the Clippers don't trade him, it will also take up a lot of salary space for the team. Tucker has not played any minutes in 13 consecutive games so far. Previously, Tucker publicly expressed his displeasure with the Clippers and said that he could go to a team that needed him. As soon as this remark came out, it basically showed the relationship between Tucker and the Clippers, and it was only a matter of time before they broke up.

Today's Clippers have determined a nine-man rotation lineup, with Harden, Mann, George, Leonard, and Zubac as the starting lineup, and Powell, Theis, Westbrook, and Coffey as the bench. Other than that, only Tucker has trade value, and it's the biggest trade chip. Even if Tucker and Harden have a good personal relationship, in the NBA league is still a commercial market, and the probability of Tucker being traded is extremely high.

If Tucker were traded, the Clippers would also involve other players, even regular rotation players. But what type of player do they need to trade? In fact, the goal of the Clippers' reinforcement is clear, that is, a forward player who can defend and has strong three-point shooting ability. Taking a step back, if you can't find that type of player, you need at least a player with a strong three-point shooting. This is also the next thing that Clippers management needs to focus on, and it is the most important deal for mid-season reinforcements.

The Clippers' current forward players, in addition to George and Leonard, players such as Mann, Coffey, and Kobe Brown have poor three-point shooting. Theis, who has not been in the franchise for a long time, looks good at his three-point shooting percentage, but his production is relatively low and he cannot pose a threat from the outside. Therefore, the target players that the Clippers have strengthened through trades are forward players with strong projection ability and some defensive ability.

In other words, if the Clippers want to really activate Harden, they must have players with strong three-point shooting ability on the perimeter. George and Leonard, although they are stars, are willing to do pick-and-rolls for Harden and have strong three-point shooting ability. So, these three giants must play together in order to burst out with unprecedented power. However, the whole Clippers team must understand one thing: activate Harden to become the hole card for winning the championship. This season, Harden's efficiency on both offensive and defensive ends has skyrocketed under the involvement of Leonard and George, and it will be a headache for opponents in the playoffs.

Another point is that the Clippers management spent a lot of money to bring Harden from Philadelphia to Los Angeles because they understood that the combination of George and Leonard might be difficult to succeed. Therefore, there is no doubt that Harden is definitely the hole card and foundation of the team to win the championship. As domestic basketball commentator Yang Yi said: The core of this Clippers team is not Harden, but if you want to make the team better, Harden must play well.