In his first Los Angeles Clippers press conference two-and-a-half years ago, there was a viral moment where James Harden famously claimed, “I am not a system player. I am a system.” After he was traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers to create a star tandem with Donovan Mitchell, Clippers head coach Ty Lue revisited the proclamation.
“He was right, and he is right,” Lue said on Wednesday. “It means that he is the system, meaning he can make everybody better. A lot of people — coaches, myself — go into it like, ‘How can I make these guys better, make the team better?’
“It started in Houston, being able to play his own style of game, and it’s worked. He played at a high level. To be able to score the basketball, get guys easy three-point shots, make all the bigs he’s played with, make ’em better. Like he said, he is a system.”
Hearing Lue’s comments, it’s fitting that Cavs head coach Kenny Atkinson‘s first call after the move was with former Rockets head coach Mike D’Antoni. Mulling over tactics and ways Cleveland can use the 11-time All-Star creatively, the legendary offensive mind told him that Harden and Steve Nash were two of his favorites ever.
“Obviously, James has been great with the Clippers and Ty’s system, but I do think with Mike and that Houston team, that was his pinnacle of his powers,” Atkinson said. “So we’d be foolish not to talk to Mike, not to go back and look at the Houston years and see what we can implement.”
That version of Harden was an MVP candidate every season and a top-five player in the NBA. A high-minute, high-usage scoring phenom, an ironman who got to the free-throw line at will, took every opportunity to utilize his patented dancing stepback from the wings, and involved his guys to the point where they were earning lucrative paydays.
This version of Harden may be older, but he’s wiser, calmer, and more cerebral. At 36 years old, he’s still capable of dropping 50 on your head or dishing out double-digit assists on any given night. Whatever the game calls for, the surefire Basketball Hall of Famer can deliver. That’s what appeals to the Cavs, who have rapidly accelerated the gears to fifth wheel drive in pursuit of a Larry O’Brien trophy.
“I think our ceiling is definitely obviously higher when you have a guy like James Harden,” Mitchell said. “When you look at it, it’s like, alright, cool, we know what he brings. But then also with that, there’s an expectation. There’s an understanding of this is what we’ve got to do… Sometimes the front office makes moves, and now it’s on us to execute. We weren’t able to get it done for the past three years, and now our goal is to try to get it done now. That’s the biggest goal.
“I think for us, we’ve got to go out there and put our best foot forward each night. It’s not gonna always be pretty. You make a move at the deadline, there’s gonna be bumps in the road. But for us, this is the time and we’ve got to go out there and do it.”
A huge part of Harden’s allure is what he’s done for big men. It’s a list that includes Clint Capela at his best in Houston, Joel Embiid as an MVP candidate in Philadelphia, and former LA teammate Ivica Zubac recently with the Clippers. The expectation is that Harden will elevate Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen exponentially.
“What is he averaging, 25 and 8? I think the biggest thing I’m excited for is what he’s gonna be able to do for JA and Ev,” Mitchell said. “Obviously for myself and him and what he’s doing for the team, but a guy that can get into the paint, manipulate the game, get the bigs involved, obviously score at the rate that he does, find guys.
“And then you add Dennis [Schroder] and Keon [Ellis] to the mix and what they’re able to bring on top of what we already have. Jaylon Tyson’s been phenomenal. Sam Merrill. Get Max [Strus] back. There’s just so many pieces that we can continue to improve on.”
Mitchell and Atkinson both connected with Harden right away to discuss the possibilities.
“We’re a darn good pick-and-roll team as is, and now you add one of the greatest ever; I hope it just elevates it even more,” Atkinson said. “I’m not sure where we’re ranked — I’m sure we’re ranked pretty high — but he changes the equation. I think that’s what we’re excited [about] too. He’ll elevate our bigs. He makes others better, right? He’ll make Sam Merrill better. He’ll make Max Strus better.
“When you watch his film, what really stands out is the passing. I know everybody talks about iso and pick-and-roll, but he’s a great, great passer. I can’t wait to see how he interacts with our two talented bigs.”
However, right now, instead of strictly focusing on game plans and X’s and O’s, it’s about cultivating a relationship. They want to get his feet wet with who the Cavs are as an organization. Then, it’ll be off to the races to determine how to maximize not only the new veteran duo but also the supporting cast.
“Great players fit together usually,” Atkinson said. “It’s rare that it doesn’t work. It’s up to us as coaches, and collaborating with Donovan and James, and how that looks. What do the rotations look [like], how do we stagger ’em, how do we play when each is alone on the court, how do we play when they’re together. That’s all things to figure out.
“But usually when you have such talented players, I can’t emphasize this enough, high-IQ players, it makes it a heck of a lot easier for the coaching staff to figure out.”
Atkinson is certain that Mitchell’s “selfless” nature will make Harden’s transition to Cleveland smooth.
“James doesn’t have to come and serve Donovan,” Atkinson said. “Donovan’s gonna reach his hand out, and they’re gonna collaborate. That’s gonna be part of this dynamic: how they work as leaders together. Donovan is the first one to take a step back to elevate someone else. He did it with Evan. He did it with Darius. And I’m sure with James, he’ll do the same thing. But he also knows when he’s got to take over a game. He’s got a nice balance.”
“When you add a guy like James, who knows how to play this game at a high level, the sky’s the limit,” Mitchell added. “But the biggest thing is, it’s not just you go out there [and it works immediately]; it’s not plug and play. We’re not gonna come out here and just be like, alright, it’s fixed (snaps finger). It’s gonna take time, take reps, take conversations, and I think we’re all open to that and continue to get better.”
Once the trade was official, Atkinson pondered over what his personal potential synergy with Harden could look like.
“I’ll probably call less plays,” Atkinson said. “When you’re around great players, you take a step back and empower them. I anticipate that happening. Obviously, got to get to know James better. And what’s great about this, I look forward to learning from him.
“When you’re around the great players, you end up getting more, extracting more from them than maybe they get from you. So I think we’re gonna have a great collaborative relationship. Obviously, coach him hard when I need to coach him, but again, I think with the great ones, you step back, and you let them be themselves.”
Dennis Schroder jokes about past competition with James Harden
Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
Schroder made a noticeable first impression with the Cavs in his debut in LA, scoring 11 points, recording 6 assists, and nabbing 3 steals in 19 minutes of action. As a newcomer, he is excited about the team’s potential. Harden will only help iron sharpen iron.
“Great group of guys,” Schroder said. “[Held LA to] under 50 points at half. I think we didn’t have that in Sac for a long time. So, really competitive group who wants to play defense and then shares the ball on offense, wants to play fast. I love it. I feel comfortable already.
We’ve just got to keep going and keep getting better every single day, every game. Of course, James is gonna come and we’ll do the same thing with him, come together. And I think we’re gonna be in a good place.”
With a reputation for ruffling feathers, Schroder joked that he’ll have a minor conflict to resolve with Harden from their days as foes.
“He’s a future Hall-of-Famer, one of the best who ever played this game,” Schroder said. “I’m 32, but I can still learn and try to pick up the best things from him. I used to trash-talk him a lot, so we’ve got to work that out first (laughs). It’s nothing bad. We was just competing. He knows that I’m always doing it to impact the game. I mean, we played cards in the Bubble back in the day, so it’s cool. Probably gonna talk about it one time, and then it’s over.”
“But we’re gonna, I think, fit very well. I’ve played with a lot of future Hall-of-Famers in my career and had a three-guard lineup as well before in OKC with Chris Paul and Shai [Gilgeous-Alexander], and we made it work, so let’s see how it’s gonna be here.”
Atkinson could lean toward that approach with Schroder and Harden in particular lineups.
“I think I see his role similar to what we saw [Wednesday],” Atkinson said. “Obviously, the defensive pressure and downhill ability. But absolutely, I could see him and James playing together. I could see him, James, and Donovan playing together. You remember when Dennis was in Oklahoma City, and they had the three-guard offense.”