If James Harden is moved, the LA Clippers should explore PJ Tucker

If James Harden is moved, the LA Clippers should explore a PJ Tucker trade.

James Harden is still reportedly on his way out of Houston after reports surfaced on Monday that he is still unhappy even after the team traded for John Wall and added Christian Wood and DeMarcus Cousins. If they do ultimately move him, the LA Clippers should look into possibly acquiring PJ Tucker.

There are no indications that the Rockets would move Tucker once they deal Harden, especially if they are able to acquire a new star (Ben Simmons?) to replace him. If the Rockets still believe they are competitive, then moving Tucker might not make as much sense. On the chance they just get young pieces and picks for Harden, however, the Rockets might try to move into full asset acquisition mode.

What would a trade for Tucker look like? There’s one pretty clear avenue:

Now, the first question I’m sure you have is, “Why would the Rockets take back Lou Williams if they are moving away from one veteran in Tucker?” It’s pretty simple. They get assets in the form of second round picks which is enticing but they also can then flip Lou to another contender for even more. If Houston tries to stay competitive, Williams gives them a great Sixth Man off the bench to help make up for some of the scoring they’ll lose from Harden. Make sense?

For the Clippers, Tucker would help shore up their rotation, giving them another versatile player. Tucker has experience playing a small-ball five, something the Clippers could experiment with. As of now, the Clippers rotational wing depth features just Kawhi Leonard, Paul George, Marcus Morris, and Nicolas Batum. Tucker would likely be an upgrade over Batum and would give the Clips more injury insurance.

Last season, Tucker played in 72 games, averaging just 6.9 points per game on 41.5% shooting. He was decent from deep, converting on 35.8% of his 4.2 attempts. The defensive end is where Tucker really thrives though and would add more toughness to a Clippers’ team that also is looking to hang their hat on that end.

Trading Lou for Tucker would hurt from an emotional standpoint but given the team already has two wings capable of scoring but also have questionable defense in Luke Kennard and Reggie Jackson. Kennard is capable of playmaking for the second unit so he and Lou ultimately are a bit redundant of each other. The Clippers would be better served to lose a guard and add a defensive-minded wing to the second unit to help balance out their group.

Would you make an offer for PJ Tucker if he becomes available? Let us know on Twitter and continue checking back here for all of your LA Clippers news, rumors, analysis, and more!