James Harden has officially said his goodbyes to sunny Los Angeles. The former guard on the Los Angeles Clippers is headed back into the Eastern Conference.
It was announced on Wednesday that the Clippers sent Harden to the Cleveland Cavaliers in exchange for point guard Darius Garland and a second-round pick. This move came as teams looked to make final adjustments before the trade deadline. Cleveland will become the fifth team for Harden after playing for Oklahoma City in –. For Clippers’ fans this move has brought in mixed feelings. While some fans welcome a younger cornerstone player like Garland, others are left reflecting on what Harden meant to the team during a turbulent season.
Harden has been averaging 25.4 points per game this season, his most since the 2019-2020 season where he averaged 34.3 points per game. After a disastrous 6-21 start this season, Harden has no doubt played a huge role in bringing the team back into playoff conversations around the table. He stuck by his words that he said back in 2023 during an introductory press conference with the Clippers: “I am not a system player, I am a system.” His offensive consistency and ability to facilitate for his teammates have enabled the team to find a rhythm that they heavily lacked earlier in the season.
“He means a lot to our team, and we’ve seen it the last three years,” said Clippers head coach Tyronn Lue Monday night when rumors began spreading about the trade. “Who wouldn’t want to have James Harden?”
For the Cavaliers, this seems to be a short term move that attempts to synergize Harden with another star guard, Donovan Mitchell. Garland has missed most of the season due to a lingering toe injury, and on the court, he has not performed to his best. The Cavs looked to opt for the most available guy, who they hoped could shake up their style as much as a midseason acquisition could. As for the Clippers, this move looks to inject youth into an aging franchise. The two time All-Star is only 26 years old while averaging 18 points and 6.9 assists this season.
“We are excited to win with him and grow with him,” Clippers President Lawrence Frank said in a statement Wednesday night.
While questions still remain surrounding offensive stagnation this season, the Clippers have made another move to secure their future. While Garland may struggle to find his rhythm this season, he has a long road ahead of him. The Clippers offense has often stalled when the game slows down, but Garland addresses this problem through his playstyle. As he’s faster and looser compared to other players on the team, he will be able to create his own shots and break that hard defense down off the dribble. The future for Garland on the Clippers looks bright.