James Harden, Clippers weigh trade options as deadline nears
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LOS ANGELES — With the NBA trade deadline set for Thursday, the LA Clippers and veteran guard James Harden are evaluating trade possibilities that could end his brief home-town stint, league sources told ESPN.
The Cleveland Cavaliers have engaged the Clippers in discussions centered on Harden, 36, with 26-year-old guard Darius Garland mentioned as a potential centerpiece of any offer, according to the sources. The Cavaliers visit the Clippers on Wednesday.
Harden’s status
Harden has missed Los Angeles’ past two games for what the team described as personal reasons. Despite the absence, he is averaging 25.4 points — his best mark since 2020-21 — along with 35.4 minutes in 44 appearances this season. His play helped the Clippers rebound from a 6-21 start to a 23-26 record, ninth in the Western Conference.
Contract leverage
The 10-time All-Star holds veto power over any deal because he is in the first season of a two-year, $81.5 million contract that includes a player option for 2026-27. Only $13.3 million of next season’s $42.3 million salary is guaranteed until July 11, giving Harden significant control of his future.
Salary-cap hurdles
Cleveland remains $13.8 million above the second luxury-tax apron, limiting the club’s flexibility. Under current rules, a one-for-one swap of Harden ($39,182,693) for Garland ($39,446,090) is the cleanest path. For the deal to comply with cap restrictions, Harden would also need to reduce a $2.3 million trade bonus to roughly $266,000.
Possible impact on each franchise
Trading Harden would give the league’s oldest roster a younger core piece in Garland, while creating questions about the immediate plans of 34-year-old forward Kawhi Leonard. For Cleveland, acquiring Harden would pair the former MVP with Donovan Mitchell as the Cavaliers push for Eastern Conference contention.
Scene at Intuit Dome
During Monday’s loss to the Philadelphia 76ers, several players on both teams quietly discussed Harden’s potential exit while wearing his signature sneakers on the court. The Clippers fell behind 16-2 and never fully recovered, marking their second straight game without their leading scorer.
Harden’s journey and production
If moved, this would mark the fifth trade of Harden’s career and the fourth following a trade request. Previous stops include Houston, Brooklyn, Philadelphia and Los Angeles. Despite the frequent relocations, Harden remains the Houston Rockets’ leader in three-pointers, assists and triple-doubles and ranks second in franchise scoring behind Hakeem Olajuwon.
Advanced metrics still place Harden among the league’s elite offensive engines. The Clippers average 120.4 points per 100 possessions with him on the floor compared with 109.5 when he sits, a swing that separates top-three offenses from bottom-three units. His postseason performance, however, has been inconsistent, including single-digit scoring totals in recent Game 7 losses.
The trade deadline arrives Thursday afternoon.
Source: ESPN
