The Los Angeles Clippers pulled off the biggest move of the 2023-24 NBA season so far in acquiring All-Star shooting guard James Harden in a trade with Philadelphia 76ers. Harden is set to make his debut in a Clippers jersey on Monday when the team takes on the New York Knicks on the road. The Clippers are going to have to figure out how to make the lineup work, but Harden is already endearing himself to fans with recent comments about sacrificing for the better of the team via Law Murray and Shams Charania of The Athletic.

“First of all, you have to be really good as a team,” Harden said. “And then, you know, the injury and the health aspect of it as well. So, I mean, it’s all of it, it’s part of it. So just going to the postseason, if we can have those things ready, you know, I mean, we got a chance.”

James Harden first requested a trade around the start of the free agency period with the Clippers being his preferred destination. While talks didn’t progress during the offseason, both teams were able to complete a deal with the regular season already underway.

Harden had not appeared in a game for the Sixers this season. Last year, he appeared in 58 games and averaged 21.0 points per game, 6.1 rebounds, 10.7 assists and 1.2 steals with splits of 44.1 percent shooting from the field, 38.5 percent shooting from the three-point line and 86.7 percent shooting from the free-throw line.

Harden spent one and half seasons with the Sixers after being traded by the Brooklyn Nets during the 2021-22 season.