The Los Angeles Clippers have made a surprise move, trading away one of their most prolific scorers, James Harden, to the Cleveland Cavaliers in exchange for young talent Darius Garland and a 2026 second-round pick. According to reports, this blockbuster trade marks the fifth time in Harden's career that he has been shipped off to a new team.
Harden had just finished an impressive season with the Clippers, where he averaged an impressive 25.4 points per game after being part of a dominant run by the team, which saw them win 17 of their last 22 games and jump up to ninth place in the Western Conference. The move marks a significant shift for Harden, who joins his sixth team in a career spanning over 17 years with the NBA.
The Cavaliers, meanwhile, are hoping that Garland's return will be the spark they need to propel them forward after a disastrous 2025-26 season marred by injuries. Garland had been dealing with foot and ankle issues that limited him to just a handful of games throughout the season.
Harden, who won the NBA MVP award in the 2017-18 season while playing for the Houston Rockets, will now be part of a team looking to make a serious push for the playoffs. His departure marks another chapter in his well-traveled career, which has seen him pass through teams including the Oklahoma City Thunder, Brooklyn Nets, and Philadelphia 76ers before finally finding a new home with the Clippers.
Harden had just finished an impressive season with the Clippers, where he averaged an impressive 25.4 points per game after being part of a dominant run by the team, which saw them win 17 of their last 22 games and jump up to ninth place in the Western Conference. The move marks a significant shift for Harden, who joins his sixth team in a career spanning over 17 years with the NBA.
The Cavaliers, meanwhile, are hoping that Garland's return will be the spark they need to propel them forward after a disastrous 2025-26 season marred by injuries. Garland had been dealing with foot and ankle issues that limited him to just a handful of games throughout the season.
Harden, who won the NBA MVP award in the 2017-18 season while playing for the Houston Rockets, will now be part of a team looking to make a serious push for the playoffs. His departure marks another chapter in his well-traveled career, which has seen him pass through teams including the Oklahoma City Thunder, Brooklyn Nets, and Philadelphia 76ers before finally finding a new home with the Clippers.
I mean I get it teams gotta make moves but this feels like a desperation play to me. Cavs were supposed to be rebuildin or somethin but now they're throwin in all their chips on Harden's back 
2026 second round pick? more like 2027 lol. This is gonna be a fun season, I can already see it 
. I feel for the Clippers though, they just invested big time in him and now he's gone. But you gotta respect Harden's hustle – 17 years of flying from city to city must be exhausting, lol. He's gonna bring that fire to Cleveland and hopefully get them over the hump 
. Darius Garland's return is like a fresh start for the Cavs, but we'll see if it's enough to turn things around... maybe they can just add "we're still searching" to their jerseys 
. James Harden was on fire with the Clippers, leading them to a crazy hot streak and getting him MVP vibes again 
. And now he's off to Cleveland? It just doesn't feel right. The Cavs need someone like Garland to bring in some health and spark, but I'm not convinced they can win it all with their current roster 
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. It's like they're trying to rebuild or something, but this trade doesn't exactly scream 'rebuilding' to me... it screams 'we've given up on Harden' 
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. 17 years and counting! He's still one of the best scorers in the league though, so whoever gets him better off now. The Clippers were on a roll with him, winning all those games and jumping up the ranks. That's gonna hurt to lose, but I guess you gotta move players around in this league if they're not fitting in.
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. And now he's off to Cleveland? I don't get it. They gotta be hoping Garland comes back from his injuries and becomes the guy who pushes them over the edge