Once again, James Harden got exactly what he wanted. He was traded on Tuesday night from the Los Angeles Clippers to the Cleveland Cavaliers in exchange for Darius Garland, according to ESPN's Shams Charania. The deal also includes a second-round pick heading to the Clippers.
This is an interesting swap for both sides. The Cavaliers shake things up as they try to pursue an NBA championship. The Clippers part with a player who clearly did not want to be there anymore. They got a little bit worse but also got a lot younger and are better equipped to compete in the future. With that being said, who won this trade?
Cavaliers trade grade: A-
The Cavaliers did really well here. Yes, Harden, 36, is a decade older than 26-year-old Garland, but not only is he a better player, but he's also been more durable. Look at the games these players have played in recent years.
Year | James Harden Games Played | Darius Garland Games Played |
|---|---|---|
2023-24 | 72 | 57 |
2024-25 | 79 | 75 |
2025-26 | 44 | 26 |
You can rely on Harden to not only suit up but also play big minutes in the regular season and in the playoffs. The same cannot be said for Garland, who has been banged up virtually all season long and much of the last three years. In addition to his availability, Harden has a more well-rounded offensive game than Garland, and he is a bigger guard, making him a bit tougher to pick on defensively.
At the end of the day, the core the Cavs had in place was not working. They've lost in the second round in each of the last two years and just 30-21, the fifth seed in a very winnable Eastern Conference. Harden shortens their timeline, but makes them bigger threats to win now. With Tyrese Haliburton and potentially Jayson Tatum not playing this season, the Eastern Conference is wide open. The Cavs deserve credit for going for it. I'm not sure I'd pick them to win the conference, but this gets them closer, even with Harden's previous playoff demons in mind.
The Cavs getting better while also having the guts to break up the Garland-Donovan Mitchell backcourt gives them a strong grade for this deal.
Clippers trade grade: B+
I don't like this quite as much for the Clippers, but it's easy to see why they made this move. Yes, the Clippers have won 16 of their last 20 (which makes the Harden demand rather strange), but even with that, they're just 23-26, good for the No. 9 seed in a loaded Western Conference. They sit 6.5 games back of the No. 6 seed, which is where they'd need to be to avoid the Play-In Tournament. In other words, it's Play-In or bust, and even if they were to make the playoffs, their odds of even winning a round were incredibly slim with Harden.
Knowing their title odds were virtually nonexistent and that Harden was disgruntled, the Clippers turned the 36-year-old into a 26-year-old two-time All-Star who is also under contract for two more years after this one. The Clippers desperately needed to get younger, and Garland gives them a foundational piece to build around for the foreseeable future.
With that being said, I question whether Garland will stay fully healthy. It's a worthwhile risk for them to take on, especially when considering their hands were tied - not only did Harden want out, but he had a full no-trade clause, allowing him to essentially hand-pick his destination - but if Garland can never stay healthy, the Clippers might've been better off taking draft picks if such an offer was at all attainable.
It's a risk worth taking, but that doesn't mean it isn't a risk. The Clippers did well, but they don't quite win the deal.
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