The Los Angeles Clippers and Philadelphia 76ers recently agreed to a blockbuster trade with James Harden headlining the deal. Players such as Kawhi Leonard have reacted to the trade and LA is excited for the future. The Athletic asked scouts to share thoughts on the deal though, and there were a number of mixed reviews to say the least.

“If (the goal) is a championship, (then) I don’t know,” a scout shared, via Sam Amick of The Athletic. “It seems like it adds more of what they have: scoring and ballhandling. What do they do with Norman Powell and Russ now? And it takes away all of their small-ball options, which is how they want to play. It will certainly lead to a lot of regular season wins, but the playoffs is a big question.”

The scout also referred to the trade as an “insurance play” in the event of a Kawhi Leonard or Paul George injury.

Another scout gave an optimistic response to the Clippers-Sixers James Harden trade.

“But I think it (the trade) works. I think they needed to do it. This is their little (title) window, and I’m not sure what else they would have been able to get.”

The scouts revealed other thoughts on the deal. In the end, it's clear that most people around the NBA world are not sure how to feel about the trade.

James Harden's fit with Clippers

Clippers' James Harden with a basketball

This is a Clippers team with championship aspirations. Injuries have placed a dent in their plans over the years. If LA can stay healthy, then this roster is more than capable of making a deep playoff run.

Sometimes, it takes a while for stars to learn how to play with one another. Paul George, Kawhi Leonard, and James Harden all feature different styles of play for the most part, but there are some similarities. With Russell Westbrook on the floor as well, Harden may have a difficult time initially adjusting.

Harden has joined various new teams throughout the course of his career though, often because of a trade request. He is used to adjusting to different schemes and strategies. It still could take a while, but the Clippers will probably find their footing at some point during the regular season.

And once that occurs, LA will be a dangerous opponent without question.