Clip Show Finale: James Harden Traded to Cavaliers (Report)

James Harden’s latest trade deadline transfer has him moving to the Cleveland Cavaliers in exchange for Darius Garland in All-Star swap.

With trade deadline season in full swing, leave a pen and physical out for James Harden.

(Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images)

Per Shams Charania of ESPN, Harden has once again been dealt at the deadline, as the former Los Angeles Clipper is reportedly being sent to the Cleveland Cavaliers in a “prolific swap” for fellow backcourt threat Darius Garland.

Harden’s latest move marks the fourth time he has been traded in the midst of an NBA season. His latest request was viewed as very surprising considering the Clippers’ swift recovery from a 6-21 start. Harden has been a major factor behind the Clippers’ recent resurgence, as he’s averaging 25.4 points (his best since leading the league in 2019-20) and 8.1 assists.

Insiders Marc Stein and Jake Fischer of The Stein Line recently reported the 36-year-old Harden was seeking a larger commitment beyond the two-year, $81.5 million deal he signed with the Clippers (23-26) last summer. Harden has a $42.3 million player option for next year.

Moving to Cleveland will likely grant Harden a better chance to chase an elusive first championship, as the Clippers are still 6.5 games out of sixth and final automatic Western Conference playoff spot. Cleveland (30-21) has been one of the hotter Eastern teams since the calendar flipped to 2026, going 13-6 since a Christmas Day loss to the New York Knicks. The Cavs are currently tied for fourth in the East with Toronto, two games behind New York and Boston in their runner-up tie.

Headlined by franchise face Donovan Mitchell, the Cavs have kept busy this trade season, as a three-team deal with Chicago and Sacramento previously acquired backcourt depth in the form of Keon Ellis and Dennis Schroder.

Thus ends a successful seven-year tour of Cleveland for Garland, who has averaged 18.8 points and 6.7 assists since coming over as the fifth pick of the 2019 NBA Draft out of Vanderbilt. The two-time All-Star has seen some of his more recent efforts hampered by a toe injury, one that has kept him sidelined since Jan. 14. A similar ailment marred the Cavs’ 2025 playoff run, which saw them drop a five-game second-round set to the conference champion Indiana Pacers last spring.

Ironically enough, the Cavs and Clippers are stationed in Inglewood, as they’re due for an interconference clash on Wednesday night (10:30 p.m. ET, FanDuel Sports Ohio/FanDuel Sports SoCal).

Has The Beard finally found the proper landing spot that will bring him that elusive championship? Or will this trade deadline scenario play out once again in the near future?

Geoff Magliocchetti is on X @GeoffJMags