For the sixth time in his illustrious career, James Harden will be donning a new uniform.
The 17-year-veteran guard was traded on Tuesday from the Los Angeles Clippers to the Cleveland Cavaliers in exchange for fellow guard Darius Garland and a second-round pick in this year’s upcoming draft. ESPN’s Shams Charania was the first to break the news.
Harden, even at age 36, has been discussed as one of the biggest snubs for this season’s All Star Game. The 11-time All Star and former league MVP has posted a statline of 25.4 points, 8.1 assists, and 4.8 rebounds per game on 41.9/34.7/90.1 shooting splits in 44 games played. Revered as one of the greatest offensive engines ever, the future hall-of-famer ranks ninth on the NBA’s all time scoring list and 12th all-time in assists.
Garland, meanwhile, will be suiting up for an organization other than the Cavaliers for the first time in his career. Since being drafted fifth overall in 2019, Garland has steadily blossomed into a two-time All Star and regular starter. This season, however, the 26-year-old has been limited to just 26 games played due to nagging toe injuries on both feet. So far, Garland has produced 18.0 points, 6.9 assists, and 2.4 rebounds on 45.1/36.0/86.1 shooting splits.
Harden will be expected to serve as a better complement to superstar guard Donovan Mitchell and boost the Cavaliers’ title hopes on the Eastern Conference’s fifth seeded team. On the other hand, Garland will be paired with superstar forward Kawhi Leonard on the Clippers, who currently sit in ninth place in the Western Conference.