Clippers trade James Harden for Cleveland’s Darius Garland

By Leobert Julian A. de la Peña

The James Harden era with the Los Angeles Clippers has come to an end after the franchise traded him to the Cleveland Cavaliers for Darius Garland, finalized Feb. 4, 2026.

According to ESPN veteran NBA insider Shams Charania, the proposal reached a mutual agreement when a second-round pick was added to the trade package alongside Garland.

In a surprising turn of events over the past several days, Harden stunned the league after requesting a trade, despite the Clippers’ huge turnaround in the last 20 games of the NBA regular season.

The Clippers kicked off the 2025–26 NBA season with an abysmal 6-21 record but managed to switch gears, winning 16 of their next 19 games to climb to ninth place in the Western Conference.

Harden was out of this world during LA’s winning stretch and is currently averaging 25.4 points, 8.1 assists, 4.8 rebounds, and 1.3 steals in 44 games played.

The trade request was something league analysts never imagined, including Clippers teammate Kawhi Leonard, who was shocked upon hearing that his co-star demanded a trade.

The agreed deal was deemed beneficial for both franchises by multiple sources, as Garland, a younger and quicker guard who is slowly finding his stride in the league, still has significant potential to unlock.

However, Garland’s season has been hounded by multiple injuries, including a right toe sprain, a left toe contusion, and a knee sprain.

The daredevil guard played only 26 games with the Cavaliers and logged 18.0 points, 6.9 assists, 2.4 rebounds, and 0.8 steals per contest.

In Harden’s case, an improved scoring average from Cleveland’s one-two frontcourt punch of Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen is expected, as he has recently evolved from a heavy-scoring guard into a floor general.

The only question yet to be answered is how Harden will mesh with Cleveland franchise player Donovan Mitchell, who is also a ball-dominant backcourt player.

Rumors have it that Mitchell will return to his natural position at shooting guard, while Harden will run the show by facilitating the offense as the team’s new point guard.

Which team will see a positive shift after the trade? Can the Harden-Mitchell dynamic duo help the Cavaliers return to the NBA pedestal, or will Garland’s youth and impact benefit the Clippers more?