Windhorst: Clippers 'Remain Steadfast,' Back James Harden, Paul George, Kawhi Leonard

The partnership of Kawhi Leonard, James Harden and Paul George hasn't gotten off to a roaring start, but the Los Angeles Clippers are keeping the faith.

ESPN's Brian Windhorst said the Clippers organization remains "steadfast in their belief" that the trio will figure out how to win together.

"In communicating with folks in LA, I don't think they're excited about the way things have gone so far, they hoped that they would go better, but they remain steadfast in their belief that it's going to work. What else would they do? They can't go back," Windhorst said on the Hoop Collective (48:48 mark).

The Clippers are a disappointing 7-9, with the Harden acquisition looking nothing short of an unmitigated bust. Harden has looked slow and out of shape, averaging a paltry 14.1 points and 6.2 assists while fading into the background on offense. He's looked nothing like the so-called "system" he described himself as during his introductory press conference.

"I'm not worried about me. I'm good enough and I'll put the work in enough on a day-to-day basis consistently to get going," Harden told reporters this week. "It's not about me. I'm worried about winning the game and tonight was a great example of that."

Neither George nor Leonard (in particular) have looked like the peak versions of themselves, either, so all the fault does not fall on Harden. However, there's a clearly odd mix of talent on the floor when Harden shares the floor with Russell Westbrook, who was excelling in a secondary role earlier in the season before the Harden acquisition.

Westbrook has taken a step back in every facet of the game since Harden's arrival, as he remains largely ineffective off the ball and looks uncomfortable in a sixth-man role.

There is clearly enough talent for the Clippers to gel over time, but every player in this group of stars is well past their 30th birthday. There's something to be said about being stuck in your ways, and Harden and Westbrook are two of the most "stuck" players of this generation.

They know how to be effective in their own way but often struggle when asked to step outside of those confines.

When their presence leads to Leonard and George fading into the background, it's a losing formula for the Clippers.