James Harden has been out of the Los Angeles Clippers’ lineup, and the head coach Tyronn Lue didn’t have any definitive updates on the reason behind his absence. It turns out that a blockbuster trade could be on the horizon.
According to Sports Illustrated’s Chris Mannix, the Cleveland Cavaliers have fired up “advanced discussions” on a deal that swaps out Darius Garland for Harden. ESPN’s Shams Charania also reported that Harden and the Clippers are working through deals with “interested teams” but did not mention the Cleveland Cavaliers.
There are no further details beyond the fact that Harden could be finding a change of scenery for the first time in a few years.
Currently, Harden is in the midst of his third season with the Clippers. This season, he has made 44 appearances, averaging 25.4 points per game, while shooting 41 percent from the field. He is averaging nearly a double-double with 8.1 assists per game.
The Clippers entered the 2025-2026 season with plans to be one of the top teams in the Western Conference. They struggled mightily in the beginning, which led to a season full of catching up. Lately, the Clippers have been red-hot, improving to 23-25 and clawing their way into the Play-In picture. Without Harden, their starting five will have a much different look beyond the deadline if a deal goes through.
Prior to landing with the Clippers, Harden played two seasons for the Philadelphia 76ers and two seasons for the Brooklyn Nets. Most of his career was spent with the Houston Rockets, where he became one of the top players in the league, consistently being an All-Star and in the MVP conversation, winning the award in 2017-2018.
The Cavaliers are currently a top-five team in the Eastern Conference. This year, they have posted a 30-21 record, winning eight of their last 10. While they’ve been regulars in the playoffs over the past few seasons, they haven’t been able to break through and make it to the Eastern Conference Finals.
Harden, a longtime All-Star, could be the right addition to the Donovan Mitchell-led group. It’s unclear if the deal is guaranteed to get done before Thursday’s deadline, but it seems that Harden’s absence from the Clippers is a strong signal they are keeping him healthy so he can be on the move in the coming days.
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