The Cleveland Cavs’ fans welcomed James Harden to his new home by wearing fake beards to pay homage to the future Hall of Fame guard’s signature look. The Cavs beat the Washington Wizards in a blowout victory — 138-113. Harden finished with 13 points, 11 assists, and four rebounds.
After the game, Harden reflected on the double standard between an NBA front office’s decision to trade a player and a player’s request to play for a new team, he said, per Cleveland 19 News’ Leah Doherty.
“The whole quote-unquote loyalty thing, I think it’s overrated,” Harden said. “This is a business at the end of the day. It’s a lot of money involved and a lot of decisions that have to be made. If a player isn’t producing or if you don’t see them featured, the front office or somebody has to do their job. So, to keep their job, they trade players, or if a guy isn’t happy, and he wants to be traded to somewhere else, then it’s a problem.”
For Harden, there are behind-the-scenes hurdles that aren’t always transparent to the public.
“There are just so many different dynamics that go into it. This is a business at the end of the day. Not even in the NBA; people with normal jobs have those same problems. It’s just not magnified,” Harden added. “For me, I don’t lose focus of trying to compete for a championship, and then, financially, making sure that my family is taken care of because I’m very smart, and I’ve sacrificed a lot.
“Financially, which I don’t get credit — it don’t get talked about — but I’m fulfilled, and I’m happy with it, you know? Winning a championship, or at least having a chance to, and then financially getting paid for me being available and playing at the highest level for so long. This is a business at the end of the day, so I feel like players should ultimately do what’s best for them. Front offices do what’s best for them and their organization,” Harden concluded.
The Cavs are 2-0 since Harden’s arrival. He flirted with a triple-double (22 points, 10 rebounds, seven assists) in his first game since his trade from the Los Angeles Clippers.
James Harden on Donovan Mitchell after Cavs win
Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images
Cavs veteran James Harden gave an honest take on Donovan Mitchell and the kind of All-Star guard he believes Donovan is. For Harden, Mitchell is a team-oriented leader who can score as many points as any other player in the NBA, he said, after a 119-117 win against the Nuggets.
“Being on his team, he can go out there and literally average 35 points a game. But his willingness to pass and be unselfish, it’s a testament to what type of person he is, what type of basketball player he is,” Harden said.
Harden on Spida:
"Being on his team, he can go out there and literally average 35 points a game. But his willingness to pass and be unselfish it's a testament to what type of person he is, what type of basketball player he is"pic.twitter.com/t4HxY37Vdx
— Oh No He Didn't (@ohnohedidnt24) February 10, 2026
The Cavs improved to 34-21.