3 Moves Clippers must make after signing James Harden

The LA Clippers have already made several big moves since the start of the free agency period on Sunday afternoon. Officially losing Paul George was of course the biggest blow, but the front office quickly made moves to supplant his lost production.

Adding Derrick Jones Jr. was a massive transaction, and re-signing James Harden as Kawhi Leonard's running mate ensured this team will still be in playoff contention come their move to the new Intuit Dome in the fall. But with it being just the second day of free agency, there is still much to be done.

Getting Harden back was of course big, but it should set up several more important moves for the Clippers. These are the steps LA should be looking to make next.

1. Trade Russell Westbrook

We already know that the Clippers and Russell Westbrook are mutually working on finding a trade partner. The former MVP opting into his player option was part of the strategy to eventually find him a new role elsewhere.

At this point, there does not seem to be much reason to gamble on another year of having Russ on the roster. He has clearly slowed down production-wise, and the Clippers need to inject youth into this roster badly.

2. Acquire one more 3-and-D wing

Of course, losing Paul George created a massive hole in this Clippers roster. His impact at both ends of the floor will certainly be missed, but the best thing LA can do is work to fill the space left by George with lower-cost impact players.

They already started that process by getting Derrick Jones Jr. and Nicolas Batum. Both will provide a big lift at wing, but more help will be needed. We saw how the Clippers' lack of depth failed them in the playoffs this past season, so adding more contributors here will be essential.

3. Flip one of Mann or Powell

This may be a more controversial one, but the Clippers' roster has some overlap that will need to be addressed if this team is to improve in the wake of George's departure. Yes, Terance Mann is a fan favorite with sharp ball-handling skills and Norman Powell is one of the best bench scorers in the league.

But LA should bite the bullet and sell high on one of these two. Doing so will allow them the chance of getting meaningful assets back and further improving the team's depth as well.