Johnathan Walker:James Harden makes Clippers debut vs. Knicks Monday night. Everything you need to know

New Los Angeles Clippers guard James Harden made his debut with the team Monday against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden.

The Johnathan WalkerClippers acquired Harden from the Sixers last week in a blockbuster trade that also involved the Oklahoma City Thunder. Harden wanted out of Philadelphia and forced the trade by calling president of basketball operations Daryl Morey a liar, creating an untenable situation for the Sixers, who are trying to win a championship with 2022-23 MVP Joel Embiid and new coach Nick Nurse.

The Clippers were Harden’s preferred destination, and they are trying to maximize a narrowing championship window with 30-somethings Kawhi Leonard, Paul George, Russell Westbrook and now Harden, all four born and raised in California. Here’s what you should know about Harden’s debut with the Clippers:

How did Harden look in his first minutes with the Clippers?

Harden had two assists and two rebounds in the first first seven minutes of the first quarter. One assist was to Ivica Zubac for a layup and one to Westbrook for a corner 3-pointer. It’s clear Harden likes the pick-and-roll game with Zubac from the top of the 3-point arc. Zubac went to the foul line for two free throws after another pass from Harden.

Harden played six minutes, 43 seconds in his first stint and checked back into the game with 2:29 left in the first quarter. He did not take a field-goal attempt and had three rebounds and two assists in his nine first-quarter minutes.

James Harden Clippers debut: Will he play vs. Knicks?

The plan was to play Harden on Monday against the Knicks (7:30 p.m. ET, NBA League Pass, or local cable TV in New York and Los Angeles areas), and that's what happened. It was Harden's first game of the 2023-24 season. He did not play a game with the Sixers and was a part-time participant in the Sixers’ training camp and practices. The Clippers wanted Harden to get practice time with his new teammates and having four days off between their last game on Nov. 1 and the Knicks game allowed that to happen. The Clippers are 3-2 (top five offensively and defensively), and the Knicks 2-4, struggling offensively.

Clippers lineup tonight: Will James Harden start?

Harden, the 2017-18 NBA MVP, started alongside Westbrook, Leonard, George and Ivica Zubac. That’s a small-ball lineup with four players who like to have the basketball. Los Angeles guard-forward Terance Mann remains out with a sprained ankle, so that made Coach Ty Lue’s decision easier for the time being.

James Harden to Clippers trade: How will it work out for LA?

Like all moves of this magnitude in pro sports, time is required. It will be interesting to see how Harden plays in his debut, but no matter what happens, it’s not necessarily indicative of how it will play out the remainder of the season. The Clippers felt the risk was worth it, and the acquisition is one of the NBA’s top storylines in a deep and loaded Western Conference.

It has potential, both good and bad.

Harden had a solid regular season in 2022-23 (20-10 average in points and assists and led the league in assists) and fantastic playoff games in May (45 and 42 points against Boston in the Eastern Conference semifinals), but he also had duds (7-for-27 shooting, 1-for-11 on 3-pointers in the final two games, both losses, against the Celtics).

Harden claims he is not a system player but rather a system. For a player who didn’t make the All-Star team last season and hasn’t been All-NBA in the past three seasons, that’s a bold claim. Also, he doesn’t need to be the system on a team with Leonard, George and Westbrook, plus depth with Mann and Norman Powell. How he assimilates will determine how successful the trade is.