The Cleveland Cavaliers went out and broke up the core four on Tuesday, sending Darius Garland and a second-round pick to the Los Angeles Clippers to bring in James Harden via trade. Harden may be 36 years of age, but heâs averaging over 25 points and eight assists this season, and he represents a short-term upgrade for a Cavs team thatâs looking to recapture the magic they had last season.
Garland has been a huge part of the Cavsâ turnaround to start the 2020s, but he gives way amid mounting pressure for the Cavs to make the most of the leagueâs most expensive roster. At the end of the day, whatâs important for Cleveland is that they make the backcourt pairing of Harden and Donovan Mitchell work, and for what itâs worth, Shams Charania of ESPN reported that the two are excited about the prospect of working together.
âJames Harden and Donovan Mitchell have already connected. James Harden has spoken with Donovan Mitchell. Both seem very excited about this partnership,â Charania said.
Mitchellâs stamp of approval means a lot considering that heâs the teamâs best player, and Harden being around will help take so much load off of the Cavs starâs shoulders.
Cavs prioritize short-term gain in James Harden trade
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Contending windows rarely open in the NBA, and itâs not like the Cavs made a horrendous trade by bringing Harden in for Garland. Fans must temper their expectations, however. For starters, Harden is a heavy-usage player who may end up changing how Cleveland plays. Moreover, he doesnât have the best of track records come postseason time.
Nonetheless, Harden still being a 25/8 player this late into his career means that the Cavs upgraded on the point guard position. While theyâll be losing a ton of future production with Garland now in LA, this should boost their chances of mounting a deep playoff run this year and the next.