The Cleveland Cavaliers and Los Angeles Clippers swapped point guards right before the trade deadline.
The Cavs send Darius Garland and draft considerations(reportedly a second round pick) to Los Angeles for 11-time NBA All-Star James Harden, the teams announced Tuesday.
The trade deadline is 3 p.m. on Thursday.
Cavs president of basketball operations Koby Altman believes Harden elevates Cleveland.
“James Harden has cemented himself as an all-time great in this league, and he adds another elite playmaker and All-NBA talent to our roster,” Altman said in a statement. “We’re excited about the impact he will have on our group and our championship aspirations. His presence will elevate our offense, create opportunities for teammates, and bring valuable playoff experience at both ends of the floor.”
The Clippers are clearly looking to retool and rebuild, and the president of basketball operations, Lawrence Frank, is happy to do that with Garland.
“We are trying to get younger while continuing to win, and Darius allows us to do both,” Frank said in a statement. “He is a two-time All-Star who just turned 26 and a highly skilled point guard with excellent feel. Darius is an adept shooter and passer, a quick decision-maker, and a respected teammate who has shown the ability to run an elite offense. We are excited to win with him and grow with him.”
The 36-year-old Harden has appeared in 44 games for the Clippers this season, averaging 25.4 points (16th-best in the NBA), 8.1 assists (3rd-best in the NBA), 4.8 rebounds, and 1.30 steals in 35.4 minutes, while shooting a career-high .901 from the free throw line (5th-best in the NBA). In his 17th NBA season, Harden, who was named to the NBA 75th Anniversary Team, is one of just three players this season averaging at least 25.0 points and 8.0 assists per game, and he’s one of the reasons Los Angeles turned things around after a slow start.
This season, the 26-year-old Garland, who is a two-time All-Star, has played in 26 games for the Cavaliers, averaging 18.0 points, 6.9 assists, and 2.4 rebounds in 30.5 minutes. Garland, who was the fifth selection in the 2019 draft, has spent his entire career in Cleveland.
Harden, who can opt out of his contract after next season, has struggled in the playoffs, and now he has a chance to fix his reputation in the postseason.
Regarding Garland, he helped lead the rebuild in Cleveland, but he struggled to stay healthy, and the fit with Donovan Mitchell was probably not ideal. This move does allow Garland, who has two years left on his contract after this season, to lead the Clippers into their new direction.
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