Cavaliers land James Harden in point-guard swap with Clippers
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The Cleveland Cavaliers and the LA Clippers shook up the league Tuesday, agreeing to exchange All-Star point guards in a one-for-one trade that sends James Harden to Cleveland and Darius Garland to Los Angeles, along with a 2026 second-round pick headed to the Clippers.
Deal terms
Cleveland receives: G James Harden
Los Angeles receives: G Darius Garland, 2026 second-round draft pick
Why the Cavaliers pulled the trigger
Cleveland’s offense, first in the NBA last season, has slipped to eighth while Garland battles lingering toe issues on both feet. He has missed extended stretches, is shooting 36% from three—down from 40%—and owns the team’s worst on-court plus-minus among regulars at minus-3.0 per 100 possessions. With Donovan Mitchell carrying a career-high usage rate, the front office moved for Harden to lighten that load and stabilize playmaking.
Harden, 36, ranks 11th in ESPN analyst Kevin Pelton’s wins above replacement player metric, averaging 35.4 minutes and appearing in 44 of 47 games before a brief personal absence. Coach Kenny Atkinson is expected to stagger Harden’s minutes with Mitchell, mirroring the veteran’s past setups alongside Chris Paul in Houston and Kyrie Irving in Brooklyn. Harden’s 6-foot-5 frame also offers Cleveland more defensive flexibility than the 6-foot-1 Garland could provide.
The Cavaliers must address Harden’s 2026-27 player option later, but management believes the move raises the club’s ceiling after three straight exits within the first two playoff rounds.
Clippers change course
For Los Angeles, swapping Harden for the 26-year-old Garland marks a pivot from an immediate title push toward a longer window. ESPN’s Basketball Power Index had given the Clippers only a 5% chance to finish in the West’s top six despite a midseason surge, and less than a 40% chance to climb to eighth and avoid a probable first-round meeting with reigning champion Oklahoma City.
Garland is under contract through 2027-28 at $44.9 million annually, joining center Ivica Zubac as the lone Clippers with guaranteed money past 2027. If Garland rebounds to his 2024-25 All-Star form—he recovered from a jaw fracture to post a career year—Los Angeles gains a potential cornerstone more than a decade younger than Harden. Medical staff will monitor his recurring toe problems closely.
The second-round pick adds draft capital as the franchise awaits possible league discipline stemming from an investigation into Kawhi Leonard’s sponsorship arrangement.
The trade arrives two days before Thursday’s deadline, giving both clubs time to integrate their new point guards as they jockey for postseason positioning.
Source: ESPN
