James Harden Rant Proved to Be Spot On, Now What Clippers?

So the Los Angeles Clippers Superteam of aging players didn't work out? Are you surprised? I'm not.

Now that the Clippers have been bounced by Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks from the playoffs, it's time to consider what they should do with James Harden.

Harden, who averaged 16.6 points per game, down from over 21 points the previous year, is clearly skiing down the backside of Career Mountain. While I'm sure Harden will have some pretty steep and unrealistic contract demands, the Clippers are probably in the early stages of weighing whether or not it's worth it.

The team is currently on the hook for a $171M payroll next season, assuming Paul George exercises his $48M player option. My guess is George will walk, which would free up dollars to keep Hardon. But is that the right move for the Clippers?

Earlier this season, Dallas Mavericks TV analyst Brian Dameris performed a legendary rant that strongly criticized James Harden for consistently complaining his way out of various teams throughout his career. Whether it was his desire to leave Houston for Brooklyn or, later, his wish to depart Brooklyn to reunite with Daryl Morey in Philadelphia, Dameris' comments sparked controversy at the time.

However, now that the Clippers season is over, the video has resurfaced, and many fans around are now admitting that Dameris' rant was spot on.

So, where do the Clippers go from here? My guess is they would love to have Harden in a Clipper uniform when they open their new Intuit Dome, which reportedly cost $2 billion to build.

Ultimately, negotiating with Harden has proven to be a bit of a magical mystery box over the years. As Forrest Gump once said, "Life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you're gonna get." Assuming the Clippers decide to bring Harden back, you can bet that Harden will want a 3-year deal worth north of $100 million, which seems like a tall order for a guy nearing the conclusion of his Hall of Fame career.