Ship Record: Harden told me in February that he hopes to retire as a Clippers player

In this hustle and bustle city, basketball is undoubtedly one of the topics of heated discussion. Today, the news of Harden's contract renewal with the Clippers was like a drop of water rippling on the calm lake. Joey Linn, a Clippers reporter from sports media, wrote an in-depth analysis for this, revealing the potential deep meaning and future possibilities behind this incident.

Recalling in February this year, James Harden once expressed his ideal to me in a confessional way - he hoped to end his brilliant career as a Los Angeles Clippers player. Today's contract renewal is undoubtedly an important step towards this goal, and it also retains sufficient flexibility for the Clippers' future planning.

Harden not only brought the Clippers the courage to survive during the challenging period of Leonard's absence, but also became the face of the team in his first full year after joining Los Angeles. Whether it is his performance on the court or his attitude off the court, his seriousness and persistence in every day all demonstrate the responsibilities he bears.

In an interview in February, Harden mentioned his important tasks and his hope to create his own legend in Los Angeles. He said: "Every day I walk into the training hall, what I repeat in my mind is to shape the team culture and build a unique style. I hope that when I leave the NBA and retire from the Clippers, I can see this culture continue and achieve brilliant achievements."

"As a professional player, I go all out every day and lead by example. I hope my strengths can affect the team and help them get on the right track." These words seem to be not only a warning to myself, but also an expectation for the future.

In that conversation, he expressed his desire to bid farewell to his career with the Clippers: "Yes, this is my sense of belonging... I am as comfortable here as I am in my own home. I hope our core lineup can be stable for several years... Now everything is in a virtuous cycle, and I am very happy."

Although in this league full of variables, the future is always unpredictable, and Harden's new contract has pushed him and the Clippers one step forward on the road to achieving their ideals. By then, in the 2026-27 season, Harden will usher in his 18th year in the NBA. If everything goes well, at the end of this contract, perhaps he and the Clippers can continue to work hand in hand with one sign a year.

Of course, changes are difficult to predict in the years from now to the future. However, the Clippers' plans for the post-2027 year seem to have been brewing in their minds. At present, Zubac is the only player in the team whose contract guarantee period has crossed to the 2026-27 season, and the future of others is like a wasteland to be reclaimed.

For those who are concerned about the Clippers' operations over the past year, it is often believed that it is impossible for the team to make a major structural adjustment before Leonard's contract expires. Harden's contract is in line with this moment, which further confirms this view.

By 2027, the Clippers are expected to usher in an almost completely innocent cap space, which combined with the outstanding Intuit Dome Intuit Dome Arena and the warm Southern California environment, the team has reason to believe that it will create a new and competitive roster.

Until then, the team will firmly believe that the combination of Kawhi Leonard and James Harden is still very competitive in the West, and building a team around them seems to be a wise move.

Life is like a stadium, and players are like life, with seasons changing. I hope that every dream chaser can write a more exciting legend while constantly moving forward. May in the days ahead, no matter where you are, you can take courage and hope and take solid steps.