Soon after P.J. Tucker and James Harden entered their new locker room with the Los Angeles Clippers, Russell Westbrook shook hands and gave hugs to his former Houston Rockets colleagues.
Harden and Tucker were greeted by the Clippers as soon as they stepped out of their SUV at the Crypto.com Arena loading dock, even though the anticipated trade between the Clippers and Philadelphia 76ers had not yet been made public as of late Tuesday night in Los Angeles.
Lawrence Frank, the team president, met and escorted the two players to the Clippers’ locker room. Harden and Tucker exchanged handshakes with Clippers owner Steve Ballmer shortly after they started their stroll.
Westbrook and Harden reconnected in the locker room. Together, the two played in Houston and Oklahoma City. Suddenly focused and breaking out of his usual pregame routine, Westbrook joked with Harden that he could remain on the other side of the locker room, where his new locker is located.
Before the Clippers’ Tuesday night game against the Orlando Magic, Tucker and Harden eventually sat down close to Westbrook and Paul George to catch up for more than an hour.
When a reporter asked Harden how enthusiastic he is in the locker room, he said, “You don’t understand.”
Harden also sung “You Dropped A Bomb On Me” by the Gap Band, which was playing in the adjacent trainer’s room, as he made his way through the locker room.
It is anticipated that Harden and Tucker won’t suit up against the Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday, even if the deal is finalized on Tuesday night.
The Clippers will have four days off after that game before starting a three-game road trip against the Knicks in New York on Monday. After the contract is finalized, Harden and Tucker may utilize those four days as a mini-training camp hosted by the Clippers.
Before Tuesday night’s game, Clippers coach Ty Lue was unable to comment on the trade since it was still pending formal approval.
Magic was defeated by the Clippers 118-102.
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