Recently, the Cleveland Cavs elected to shake things up by trading Darius Garland to the Los Angeles Clippers in exchange for future Hall of Famer James Harden. The blockbuster move is a clear signal from the team’s front office that they think they are ready to win now, and ends the tandem of Garland along with superstar Donovan Mitchell.
Coincidentally, the Cavs’ next game after the trade took place on Wednesday against the Clippers on the road, and although neither Harden nor Garland played in Cleveland’s blowout win, Garland still got a chance to catch up with some of his now ex-teammates.
It was an emotional scene for Garland, the former lottery pick of Cleveland who had gone on to make two All-Star games in a Cavs uniform.
Unfortunately, injuries had started to become a major concern for the former Vanderbilt Commodore over the last couple of seasons, with the star missing significant time, and currently out of the lineup due to a foot ailment.
With pressure mounting on the Cavs to stay competitive in order to get Dononan Mitchell to eventually commit to the franchise for the long haul, the team evidently thought it best to make a swing for Harden, who is still playing at an All-Star level at the age of 36. However, there is certainly one school of thought that trading for Harden in the hopes of improving your chances of playoff success is an interesting choice, considering the former MVP’s track record in that department.
For at least the time being, though, the Cavs should have a more explosive offense and a theoretically more viable defense with Harden in the fray.
In any case, the Cavs will next hit the floor on Saturday evening against old friend De’Andre Hunter and the Sacramento Kings as their Western Conference road trip continues.