Clippers coach Tyronn Lue gathered his players around him at practice on Saturday to tell them James Harden had free rein to be who he is, that Harden shouldn’t defer to teammates out of respect or on the basis of seniority. Harden being Harden would help all of them, Lue said, bringing to the court another creator who could give teammates open shots. It was a strategic move, designed to make a point.
Four games into Harden’s Clippers career, it’s difficult to define what he is or what he and the Clippers can become.