NBA Mailbag

NBA Mailbag: How will the James Harden trade impact LA and Philly?

Jamal Crawford answers your questions on the James Harden trade, the Lakers' struggles and Chris Paul's new bench role.

Jamal Crawford, for NBA.com

James Harden tallied 17 points and six assists in his Clippers debut on Monday.

The NBA Mailbag is here to answer your questions throughout the 2023-24 season! Have a question for Jamal? Submit it at the bottom of this edition of the NBA Mailbag. 

How do you think the James Harden trade will affect both the Clippers and the 76ers?

– from Avery in North Carolina

For the Clippers, it opens up their window of being a championship contender. And it allows them to not push each star quite as much during the course of the season. But it will only work if they’re all willing to sacrifice.

For the Sixers, it removes the question marks that surrounded the team. And it allows Tyrese Maxey to really flourish as the lead guard.

What is one bold prediction you have for this NBA season?

– from Lucas in Australia

This probably isn’t “bold” anymore, but I think Wemby will be an All-Star starter.

Which young team/player is looking the most promising these first couple of weeks?

– from RJ in Reno, NV

I’m still big on the Thunder. They’ve met the preseason expectations I had for them, and they’ll only get better as Chet continues to find his rhythm on both ends of the floor.

What team do you think looks the best right now?

– from Mekhi in Chicago, IL

Boston looks the best right now, and it’s definitely sustainable. But their depth will be tested later on.

What are the Lakers missing even with LeBron playing at a great level and AD playing great too?

– from Trevon in Cleveland, OH

Great question. I don’t think they’re missing any one thing right now, they just need more time to gel. It’s interesting because we knew they had a great end to the season, postseason and offseason. But it still takes time for the guys who were recently brought in to get up to speed, especially the ones who are in a somewhat different role than they had on previous teams.

So it’s going to take time and they’ll need to somehow manage LeBron’s minutes over the course of the season before they get ramped up for the playoffs.

In your opinion, how long before Dame & Giannis are completely gelling?

– from Cory in Marshfield, WI

I’ll say they’ll be completely gelling by the second half of the season. But the thing about them is I truly believe that their games complement each other perfectly. It’s just about figuring out when is the best time for each player to take over the game. Their games fit like a glove, so I’m not worried about them gelling. It’s just a matter of time. When it does happen, it’s going to be a problem for everybody else.

Who is the best 2 guard in the league right now?

– from Karlton in Michigan

Devin Booker.

Who is the best backcourt duo in the league?

– from T.Diddy in Canada

Luka and Kyrie.

Hyland, Herro, Quickley, or Clarkson — which player most resembles your playing style?

– from Nick in Dubuque, IA

I can see a shade of my game in each of them. In Bones, it’s his herky-jerky style. In Herro, it’s the way he handles the ball into his shot. In Quickley, the way he can run off a bunch of buckets fast. And in Clarkson, it’s his mentality.

Do you think Devin Booker has MVP potential if he stays healthy?

– from James in Gilbert, Arizona

Absolutely. Book has just entered his prime and he’s already learned a lot. He’s one of those young OGs who has been around a while but is still young enough to dominate games. He absolutely has the chance to win MVP one day.

How do you game-plan for Wembanyama?

– from Eko in Indonesia

You have to try your best to keep a body on him as much as possible. Even that can only work for so long. But just try to wear him down physically because skill-wise he has so many different combinations of skills to tap into if something is not working. So keeping a body on him or getting him into foul trouble is probably your best bet right now.

As the greatest 6th man ever, what advice would you give Chris Paul as he steps into that role with the Warriors?

– from Dominique in Kansas City, MO

The two of us are definitely different types of sixth men. I was more aggressive to score and he’s more to focused on setting the table. So my advice to him would be continue to be the conductor you are for that second unit because it brings stability. It brings a whole different team. It’s almost like Golden State has two different teams in one because the first unit is more randomness as they’re flying up and down the court. Then the second unit has stability and they control each possession. So I would just tell him to continue to be who he is and know that even off the bench he’s just as important to the team as when he was a starter.

Should the Knicks consider trading Julius Randle, RJ Barrett or both?

– from Nestor in Puerto Rico

To be honest, I would definitely consider trading one or the other. Which one? That’s not for me to say. But I just feel like they have kind of the same mentality and bring some of the same things so I think they could diversify a bit in that regard.

I know it’s still early but who do you think will be the Blazers franchise player: Scoot Henderson or Shaedon Sharpe?

– from Mohamed in Cairo, Egypt

I would throw Anfernee Simons in there as well. But it’s not about one of them being labeled as the franchise player. It’s a young group that can grow together. They could have so much success together over the next couple of years that an already-established player wants to play with them. Even if one player emerges as a superstar, they should be focused on how they can grow together.

What do you think about Dereck Lively?

– from Nabil in Ottawa, Canada

With the way he rolls and jumps out of the gym, it’s great to play with two guys like Luka and Kyrie. He looks really good and I think he’s in the perfect situation. I love his energy.

What do you think about Brandon Miller so far this season?

– from Matej in Slovakia

I love his confidence before anything else. He’s very confident any time he steps on the court, even in his current bench role. He started for the first time yesterday so I’m excited to see how his game evolves.

What do you think why almost every European Euroleague MVP that comes to the NBA is treated like a rookie, no matter that they are 30 years old, and obviously have the game in their hands? Bjelica, Micic, Vezenkov, etc..

– from Dalibor in Serbia

Just like anything, you have to prove yourself anywhere you go. It’s no different than being one of the top players in middle school, then you go to high school and you have to prove yourself all over again. Then you’re one of the top players in high school, you go to college and have to prove yourself again. It’s no different when you reach the NBA.

And as far as age, I don’t think that matters. You establish who you are in this game over here, and if you can do it at 30 or 19, they’ll be ready for you.

I was wondering how you feel about superteams versus balanced teams with one or two stars. Do you think superteams have it more difficult obtaining a title since we’ve seen it fail so many times excluding the 2017 Warriors and 2012 Heat?

– from Mateo in San Francisco, CA

I miss the days when it was one or two stars on a team and it was balanced the rest of the way. And it was kind of like that across the league because you wanted to see those one or two guys go against another top one or two guys then the supporting players step up as well. So it made things more balanced.

In today’s era, we seem to crown super teams a little bit premature and that puts a different type of pressure on them.

How much do you think you would average if you were playing in the NBA today?

– from Will in Vermont

In a sixth-man role, I could average low 20s. In a starting role, I could average really high 20s.

What do you think about Klay passing you in all-time 3-pointers?

– from Brody in Wisconsin

It was an honor because Klay is absolutely one of the best shooters to ever play and he’s going to pass a lot of people. So for him to pass me, it was an honor. Shout out to Klay, one of the greatest to ever do it.

Where was your favorite spot to shoot from and why?

– from Keith in North Carolina

The wing because I got a lot of dribble-up 3s so that became a favorite spot. As weird as it sounds, although the top of the key is supposed to be easiest, it took me a while to finally feel comfortable from there. It was almost the hardest because in my mind it had to be perfect since it was straight on. So I overthought it most of the time.

How has the increase in 3-point shots changed offensive and defensive rebounding for guards, forwards, and centers?

– from Paul in Springfield, MA

The guards and forwards have to come in more because long shots equal long rebounds. So they have to clean those up while the big guys battle underneath the rim. This leads to more offensive rebounds and increased fast-break opportunities off long rebounds.

Do visiting teams typically stay in the same hotels year after year? You’ve played on multiple teams, so at various points of your career, is it the same places in the smaller markets?

– from Jaimeson in Virginia Beach, VA

Once a franchise feels comfortable in a hotel, they usually stay there consistently. But different franchises definitely stay in different hotels. So it switched up a bit during my career.

If you are a casual NBA fan, which seat in the arena would you take to see the match the best? First option, no limit budget. Second option, under $200.

– from Ivan in Slovakia

If you have no budget limit, be two seats over from halfcourt … either direction. Facing the bench. That’s the perfect seat for me. Under $200? I’m not sure where that gets you these days, but angled corner seats offer a good vantage point. So get as close to the court in a corner seat as your budget allows.

A long sports career is not only serving one’s physical talents and skills but also one’s life purpose. What life lessons did you learn during your NBA career, when you look back at it? And how have these lessons shaped you?

– from Kim in Vilcabamba, Ecuador

The life lesson I learned during my NBA career is that I’m here to service people. It took me a while to figure that out, but I think I’ve been put on this earth to be a service to people. It came in different forms and fashions, but being in the NBA allowed me to do more, be more of a service and have a greater impact on people because I had the stage to play in the greatest league in the world. So being a service to people is definitely something that became more clear to me during the course of my career.

How do you fix a broken jump shot?

– from Bhavin in India

I always start at the free throw line if I’m struggling because if you shoot a proper free throw, it’s going to reset your jumper. Whenever I was going through a shooting slump, I would go shoot 100 free throws just to mimic the perfect form. And then I would go shoot closer in and gradually move further out.

Was there one drill as a kid you used to practice more than any other to get the handle you have today? If not, what’s the one thing to focus on the most while working on your handle?

– from Matt in Rockford, MI

It wasn’t necessarily a drill. I never did cone drills a day in my life. But in Seattle, it rained a lot. So most of my handle, if not all of it, came from dribbling in the rain and snow and trying to control the ball even when it was wet. That was the best practice for me. So go find rain!

Have A Question For Jamal? Submit It Below!

Check back on Tuesdays throughout the 2023-24 season for more editions of the NBA Mailbag!

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