Has the bearded star slimmed down again? Harden returns to his alma mater for training to prepare for the new season, with a tough player joining to ease his burden.

On September 8th Beijing time, the University of Arizona posted on social media showing Harden returning to his alma mater for preseason training. Compared to his time in China, he seems noticeably slimmer. What kind of impact will he have in the new campaign? Clippers journalist Lakhani wrote that John Collins’ arrival could potentially lighten Harden’s load in the upcoming season.

Lakhani explained that within the Clippers’ current tactical system, Harden often faces a “multi-tasking dilemma” — he has to contend with players who have advantages over him in specific areas, such as rebounding. A prime example occurred in last season’s playoff Game 3 against the Nuggets: the 11-time All-Star was forced to stay on the floor to prevent Aaron Gordon from securing offensive rebounds, a role that clearly made him uncomfortable.

It’s important to remember that Harden, standing 1.96 meters tall, is fundamentally a guard. Having him defend on the “weak side” against Gordon—one of the league’s most athletic big men—in rebounding battles was undoubtedly a risk taken by coach Tyronn Lue.

Although the Clippers still held a chance to advance in the series after that defensive sequence, Harden’s mistakes while playing out of his comfort zone convinced Clippers’ basketball operations president Frank that they needed to acquire a top-tier interior rebounder.

John Collins became the “lucky choice” to fill this need. Over his 472 career games, Collins averages 8.1 rebounds per game, and his addition unquestionably provides substantial support for Harden.

Next season, with Collins anchoring the paint, Harden will be able to match up more comfortably against players similar in height and strength. While Harden is stronger than most point guards, he is not naturally suited to “guard power forwards” — these players train specifically for inside battles and rebounding, skills Harden cannot effectively counter. Last season, Aaron Gordon’s buzzer-beater dunk exposed this weakness, a moment that indirectly contributed to the Clippers acquiring Collins from the Jazz in a trade.

With Collins in the starting lineup, Harden will spend more time on the “strong side” within Tyronn Lue’s zone defense system. This is precisely Harden’s strength: as a guard recently named to the NBA’s Third All-NBA Team, he disrupts opponents on the strong side, while Collins can focus on securing every rebound and clearing space inside for the team.