Harden revealed he never considered leaving the team! He firmly believes the Clippers will make a comeback and sees playing in his hometown as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

On January 17th, 2025-26 season early reports indicated that due to the Clippers' poor start, several teams in the league were hoping their star guard Harden would be put on the trade block. However, as a native of Los Angeles, Harden has helped the team reverse its fortunes in recent weeks, and in an interview with ESPN, he clearly stated he has no intention of leaving Los Angeles.

“It’s hard to put into words,” Harden said. “Playing in my hometown is a rare chance for me. Competing in front of my family, friends, childhood companions, and everyone who raised me feels unique. So no matter what people say outside, it doesn’t affect me. The voices on social media are just part of some people’s jobs. For me, I’m genuinely enjoying every moment and won’t be distracted by rumors or others’ opinions. I was born and raised in Los Angeles, and I’m grateful to be playing here.”

After losing 21 of their first 27 games this season, the Clippers have recently posted an impressive 11-2 run. Strictly speaking, if the season ended now, they would still miss the playoffs — currently tied with the tenth-place Grizzlies at 17-23, but the Grizzlies hold the tiebreaker. Even so, Harden remains confident the Clippers can “stage a comeback” and climb higher in the Western Conference standings.

“Some teams completely fall apart when facing adversity,” Harden said. “In past interviews, people often asked me, ‘How do you keep your confidence?’ My answer has always been the same: ‘Confidence never left. Losing is frustrating, but my confidence has always been there.’”

“I believe the key to our turnaround is the adjustments we made in the details and the significant improvement on defense... Right now, we need to stay steady and fight game by game, just like when we were struggling before. We can definitely make a big comeback, but it requires taking it step by step, building real momentum before the All-Star break.”

Harden has never missed the playoffs throughout his career. Do you think the Clippers will ultimately pull off a comeback and make the postseason this year? Feel free to share your thoughts.