The trade deadline just got more exciting after it was reported on Monday that the Los Angeles Clippers are looking to trade James Harden, with the Cleveland Cavaliers being floated as a landing spot for the talented playmaker.
According to Yahoo! Sports’ Kelly Iko, the Clippers and the Cavaliers “have engaged in discussions” to swap Harden and Darius Garland. At face value, it sounds like a fair exchange, as both are proven stars, although with dissimilar approaches.
Given Harden’s glowing resume, it is easy to view him as an upgrade over Garland. He is a former MVP and a three-time scoring champion, after all. The question is his fit with another high-usage backcourt mate in Donovan Mitchell.
Still, the matter had fans talking, especially since it came out of nowhere.
“Harden on the Cavs would be nice,” said @ezzh_.
“Harden on the move again, and the Cavs sniffing around? That’s a massive swing. If Cleveland pulls this off, they’re clearly pushing chips in for a real playoff run, but the Clippers’ direction suddenly feels very uncertain,” wrote @purpose_trixx.
“Cavs going after Harden is bold, considering their chemistry right now. Adding him could mess with what they’ve built or elevate them. Risk either way, but Cleveland needs another shot creator,” added @slimvnsn.
“Cavs said the East is as weak as it’s ever going to be. Might as well do something,” commented @AeroGant.
“Cavs interest though? Harden and Donovan Mitchell in the same backcourt is either box office or absolute chaos. No in-between,” claimed @royalguyy2k.
ClutchPoints’ Tomer Azarly noted that Harden wanted a two-year extension worth $80 million, but the Clippers were not willing to give it to him as they are prioritizing their cap space.
It will be interesting to see if the Cavaliers, who are sitting on a 30-21 record, are bold enough to make the move on Harden.