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Ohm Youngmisuk, ESPN Staff Writer
LOS ANGELES — Not long after James Harden and P.J. Tucker walked into their new locker room with the LA Clippers, Russell Westbrook greeted his former Houston Rockets teammates with a handshake and embrace.
While the proposed trade between the Clippers and Philadelphia 76ers had not become official as of early Tuesday evening in Los Angeles, Harden and Tucker were welcomed by the Clippers the moment they got out of their SUV in the Crypto.com Arena loading dock.
Team president Lawrence Frank was there to greet both players and walk them to the Clippers’ locker room. Not long into their walk, Clippers owner Steve Ballmer came over to shake hands with both Harden and Tucker.
In the locker room, Westbrook and Harden were reunited again. The two played together in Oklahoma City and Houston. Westbrook snapped out of his typical pregame routine and focus and joked with Harden that he can stay on the other side of the locker room, where his new locker is situated across the room from Westbrook’s locker.
Eventually, Tucker and Harden sat near Westbrook and Paul George to catch up over an hour before the Clippers faced the Orlando Magic on Tuesday night.
Asked by a reporter in the locker room how excited he is, Harden replied, “You don’t understand.”
While walking in the locker room, Harden also sang “You Dropped A Bomb On Me” by the Gap Band, which was playing in the nearby trainer’s room.
Even if the trade becomes official on Tuesday night, the expectation is Harden and Tucker likely will not suit up against the Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday.
Following that game, the Clippers have four days off before they open a three-game road swing in New York against the Knicks on Monday. The Clippers can use those four days as a mini training camp for Harden and Tucker once the deal becomes official.
Clippers coach Ty Lue could not comment on the trade before Tuesday night’s game because the deal had not become official yet.