James Harden may have sealed his fate with the Los Angeles Clippers through his latest playoff showing. He followed up a strong regular season, where he thrived as the ideal second option behind Kawhi Leonard, with a disappointing postseason run. Harden struggled when it mattered most, shooting just 43.6% from the field during the series against the Denver Nuggets and managing only 7 points on 2-of-8 shooting in the pivotal Game 7 loss.
His collapse added yet another entry to his long list of postseason struggles. Although he delivered impressive performances at times during the season, his inability to step up in key moments continues to raise doubts particularly for a Clippers team built to win now.
Why Does Miami Make Sense?
The Miami Heat struggled with inconsistency, internal issues, and an unexpected lack of competitiveness throughout the 2024–25 season. They finished with a 37–45 record—their first losing season since 2019.
Although they fought their way into the playoffs through the Play-In Tournament, their postseason ended in disaster. The Cleveland Cavaliers swept them in the first round, capping it off with a humiliating 138–83 blowout in Game 4—the worst loss in playoff history.
Off-court drama, especially Jimmy Butler’s repeated suspensions and his eventual trade to the Golden State Warriors, only made things worse. While Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro delivered standout individual performances, Herro even earning his first All-Star selection—the team clearly lacked leadership and a reliable offensive anchor
