$128,400,000 Bill Awaits Clippers After Luring James Harden to Win Maiden NBA Championship

James Harden‘s dream has finally come true. After throwing an intense number of tantrums over the course of a few months, he is finally on cloud 9 having landed the team he always wanted to be in. It was due in June this year, and finally, the Clippers have responded. LA Clippers had also previously shown some interest in the veteran guard, and also seem happy with this deal.

The Clippers don’t have an NBA Championship to their name so far. This time it looks like they are going in hard for that title. With Harden on board, the Clippers also traded defensive anchor PJ Tucker, and Filip Petrusev from the Sixers for Kenyon Martin Jr., Marcus Morris, Nicolas Batum, and Robert Covington. But a trade isn’t as easy as it looks, because it weighs heavy on the pockets of the team, especially the Clippers in this case.

The Clippers’ luxury tax bill increases by a significant amount

Along with the trade comes the expenses that the team has to incur. Through this deal, the Clippers will add more expenses to their budget. The three players combined cost them $52.9 million.

Also Read: NBA Legend Feels Sorry for Russell Westbrook After James Harden Trade

According to a report posted on X by ESPN’s Bobby Marks, the Clippers’ luxury tax bill increased by a whopping $29.1 million from $99.3 million to $128.4 million. In other words, the Clippers are taking in more financial responsibility in exchange for these players.

The luxury tax is the primary fine imposed on teams who spend much more than the salary cap. Teams that exceed the cap are required to pay higher fees. In other words, the more money they spend on players, the more taxes they have to pay. The Sixers, on the other hand, got the sweet end of the deal in terms of taxes. Their luxury tax bill dropped from $19.8 million to $6.4 million, a decrease of $13.4 million.

Harden needs to focus on winning that title

Now that Harden is where he wants to be, hopefully, he will put the drama to rest and focus on doing what he does best on the court. He had not played in any of the regular season games with the Sixers, and it was time to let it rip with his new team. Harden is notorious for forcing his way out of teams, but we hope he stays put this time.

With top players like Kawhi Leonard, Paul George, Russell Westbrook, and Terance Man, Harden will fit in perfectly. If anything, the Clippers and Harden have something in common, and it is that they have both not won a championship so far. Pretty sure both are going for that this season; as fans, we get the popcorn ready and see how that goes.

Watch This Story: James Harden Risks Offending Close Friend Kevin Durant Amid Rampant Trade Rumors

What do you think of the new Clippers roster? Do you think they can win a championship this time? Let us know.