We were so focused on Giannis Antetokounmpo that James Harden’s trade demand snuck up on us. The Los Angeles Clippers are in flux just 48 hours before the NBA trade deadline. But unlike Giannis, this is no speculation. The Beard really wants to exit the LA Clippers. Nothing confirms a blockbuster trade demand more than teammates reacting to it.

Harden has missed the Clippers’ last two games, including Monday night’s game against the Philadelphia 76ers, his former team that he left contentiously. The team cited “personal reasons,” but now observers believe he was pulling away before making a trade demand.

It’s very likely that, as the team just returned from a road trip and had been without Harden for two games, they weren’t in the know. At least Kawhi Leonard and John Collins found out about Harden’s decision through Shams Charania’s report.

The Clippers lost 113-128, but almost no one is talking about that. They were asked about their teammate’s exit plan and obviously, they felt some way about it.

Kawhi Leonard had a measured response to the news. “It’s a surprise… Respect his decision. Or whoever’s decision it is,” Leonard told reporters. “That’s still gonna be my boy. Trust the front office.”

Leonard’s comments reflect the complicated reality of the situation, as Harden effectively holds veto power over any trade due to the non-guaranteed nature of his $81.5 million deal.

Clippers forward John Collins told Essentially Sports last week how hyped he is to be on the same team as The Beard. So his emphatic reaction was understandable. ​“It was shocking,” he said. When pressed on whether the news was disappointing, Collins didn’t hold back. “Hell ya. It would be a shock for me and for the team. And what we’ve been able to do. Our season turned around. Definitely something different. Out of left field.”

Their starkly different reactions – Kawhi trusting the process and Collins finding it hard to accept – show that the Clippers locker room is forced to confront the potential end of a partnership that recently salvaged their season.

LA Clippers unstable amid James Harden news

Having James Harden, Bradley Beal, Kawhi Leonard, and Chris Paul has made the LA Clippers title contenders on paper. The Aspiration drama in the offseason almost didn’t matter if this team was healthy and playing. But all was not good.

Beal is out with a hip injury. Chris Paul’s farewell tour was prematurely cut short. Kawhi had barely returned, Harden made a great partnership with Ivica Zubac, they crawled up to a play-in position, and the Clippers kept their head above the water. While Harden was important in that turnaround, friction about a long-term contract extension seemingly crept up.

It was apparently the catalyst for his decision to leave. The news would break when the Clippers were in the middle of the game and were definitely caught unaware.

Instantly, a top trade contender emerged. The Cleveland Cavaliers are the favored landing spot for Harden in exchange for Darius Garland, a decision that has been hard for LA and Cavs fans to swallow. Harden also holds the cards in all negotiations.

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That puts the Clippers on the clock to figure out who’s going to fill the void till Thursday, 3 PM EST.