James Harden and Russell Westbrook are teammates — again. For the second time in their careers, Harden and Westbrook have reunited, this time with the Los Angeles Clippers in Hollywood, where they will try to complete their stories in the NBA with a title, the same goal they failed to achieve when they were still part of the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Houston Rockets.

James Harden and Russell Westbrook were part of a supremely talented but young trio in Oklahoma

Westbrook and Harden first became teammates in the NBA during their stints with the Thunder, beginning in the late 2000s. Russ entered the league in 2008, a year earlier than Harden, when he was taken by the then-Seattle Supersonics in the first round (fourth overall). James Harden, on the other hand, was drafted third overall by the Thunder in 2009. Three years later, Westbrook and Harden along with Kevin Durant led the Thunder to the 2012 NBA Finals but lost in six games to LeBron James and the Miami Heat.

Reunited for the first time in Houston

James Harden, Houston Rockets

In the offseason after that loss in the Finals, Harden was traded by Oklahoma City to the Rockets, while Westbrook played for several more seasons in Thunder uniform. It was not until 2019 when Westbrook and Harden had their first reunion when the Thunder decided to send Westbrook to the Rockets via a blockbuster trade that notably netted Oklahoma City Chris Paul.

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The COVID pandemic greatly affected the 2019-20 NBA season, which turned out to be Westbrook's only campaign in Houston. Although the Rockets found a way to reach the playoffs, they lost in the semifinals at the hands of LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers. Months later, the Rockets would trade Westbrook to the Washington Wizards, thus the end of another chapter of Harden and Westbrook's partnership.

Will Harden and Westbrook finally reach the top of the NBA with the Clippers?

Regardless of who won the trade that sent James Harden from the Philadelphia 76ers to the Clippers, what's undeniable is that Los Angeles' hype just got stronger. With Harden, Westbrook, Paul George, and Kawhi Leonard, the Clippers have the stoutest foursome in the league, at least in terms of superstar appeal. But at the end of the day, the Clippers' acquisition of Harden will be judged on how far the team goes in the playoffs.