38+26+21! The affordable alternative to Harden! The Clippers' new second star

Before this year's trade deadline, the Clippers traded their key inside players Zubac and Kobe Brown to the Pacers for Mauserlin, Isaiah Jackson, two first-round picks, and one second-round pick.

Following this deal, the general consensus was that the Clippers were tanking, since without Harden and Zubac, Leonard alone couldn't carry the team.

However, unexpectedly, Mauserlin, acquired by the Clippers, has proven to be extremely effective,In the last three games (38+26+21), averaging 31.9 minutes on the court, he has explosively scored 28.3 points, grabbed 7 rebounds, and dished out 3.7 assists per game, with a shooting accuracy of 48.1%.At least offensively, he can match or even surpass Harden, and his arrival has greatly eased the burden on Leonard.

So far, Mauserlin has played five games for the Clippers, averaging 30.4 minutes, scoring 22 points, 6.2 rebounds, 3.6 assists, and 1.8 steals per game, with shooting percentages of 42.9%, 25%, and 86.7%. He is the most reliable scoring option after Leonard, although the team’s record during this period stands at 2 wins and 3 losses.

This guy was born on June 19, 2002, standing 1.96 meters tall with a 2.05-meter wingspan. A versatile wing-guard, he was the sixth overall pick in the 2022 first round. This season, he earns $9.19 million on his contract and last year helped the Pacers reach the finals as a super sixth man.

Thanks to his current impressive performance, whether Mauserlin decides to stay with the Clippers or take his talent elsewhere this summer, it’s highly likely he has already secured a lucrative new contract.

By the way, Garland, the two-time All-Star guard acquired in exchange for Harden, has yet to make his Clippers debut. So far this season, he averages 18 points, 2.4 rebounds, and 6.9 assists per game, with shooting splits of 45.1%, 36%, and 86.1%.

To date, the Clippers have a record of 27 wins and 30 losses, ranking tenth in the Western Conference, trailing the sixth-place Timberwolves by 7.5 games and leading the eleventh-place Grizzlies by 5 games.They are basically out of contention for a direct playoff spot but are very likely to secure a play-in tournament berth.