Harden s fantasy lineup is exposed! Self-proclaimed historical starter, former teammate Paul was ignored

Los Angeles Clippers veteran James Harden has been making frequent updates recently. Recently, the 9th generation of Harden "Flamingo" boots he launched in collaboration with Adidas will be released in September this year. What's more striking is that the star recently announced his best starting lineup in history.

According to media reports, Harden boldly included himself in this fantasy lineup. The other four inductees include Kyrie Irving, Russell Westbrook, Kevin Durant and Joel Embiid. It is worth noting that Harden's current teammate in the Clippers is clearly missing from this list, Chris Paul, the two's well-known complex relationship may explain this choice.

These players have played side by side with Harden: from 2009 to 2012, he played for the Thunder with Durant and Westbrook, and entered the Finals in 2012; from the Rockets period from 2012 to 2021, his cooperation with Paul ended with a broken relationship; reunited with Durant at the Nets at the Nets and partnered with Irving in the 2022-2023 season with Embiid to form a dual-core 76ers. After joining the Clippers in 2023, he became teammates with Paul George and Kawhi Leonard, and Paul also returned to the Clippers in July this year.

For the Clippers, Harden's arrival completely changed the team's appearance. Since joining in 2023, he has not only built the team into an offensive team, but also become a well-deserved leader. With his organizational connection, the data of teammates such as Ivica Zubac and Norman Powell have significantly improved. Last season, Harden averaged 22.8 points, 8.7 assists and 5.8 rebounds per game. While maintaining his personal output, he perfectly assumed the responsibility of the team's engine. With Paul's return, how these two field control masters will assign leadership roles will become an important highlight of the new season.