As the NBA trade deadline on Thursday approaches, the Los Angeles Clippers have been involved in talks concerning their experienced guard, James Harden. Among the teams recently showing interest in obtaining the former All-Star, the Cleveland Cavaliers have been most prominent, according to information received by Yahoo Sports.
James Harden, aged 36, has been absent from the last two contests for personal reasons. The ex-Arizona State guard attended a home game on January 31st at his former university, featuring Arizona, which holds the top national ranking. The next day, despite the Clippers also being in the same city to play the Phoenix Suns—with arenas separated by only ten miles—Harden was declared unavailable.
When questioned by reporters on Monday about any details regarding Harden’s unavailability, Clippers head coach Ty Lue simply replied, “No.” He added, “I only know he was at home in Phoenix for personal matters, so I don’t have further information.”
Sources indicate that Cleveland’s initial curiosity about Harden emerged in December, during the Clippers’ challenging 6-21 opening stretch. At that period, several core veteran players voiced discontent, and the front office investigated possible trades for players such as Harden, John Collins, and Brook Lopez, among others, as per sources. Over recent months, the Cavaliers have also frequently surveyed the market for point guards. Conversely, the Clippers have maintained a prolonged interest in Darius Garland, a guard in his seventh professional season, according to sources. Both Harden and Garland are slated to receive $39 million for the 2025-26 season, as reported by Spotrac.
It is noteworthy that under the current Collective Bargaining Agreement, Harden possesses the power to decline any trade proposal. Athletes who sign a one-year contract or a two-year agreement including a player option with their existing squad are implicitly granted a no-trade provision.
The Cavaliers, having secured victory in eight of their last ten contests and currently holding fifth position in the Eastern Conference standings, are looking to enhance their backcourt. Cleveland recently exchanged forward De’Andre Hunter with Sacramento for Dennis Schröder and Keon Ellis, yet they remain without Garland, who has participated in only 26 games this season, having been sidelined for the previous eight due to a Grade 1 sprain in his right great toe. Integrating a dependable primary ballhandler would alleviate the burden on All-Star guard Donovan Mitchell, who, according to Cleaning the Glass, has spent 40% of his playing time as the main playmaker. During these periods, Cleveland’s offensive output has seen a slight decline, and their turnover frequency has increased.
Relinquishing Garland and his outstanding salary—he is due a further $86 million across 2027 and 2028—would also reduce Cleveland’s fiscal strain. As per Spotrac, the Cavaliers are almost $34 million above the luxury tax threshold and around $15 million over the second apron.
A perspective among competing executives suggesting a possible reason for Harden’s absence centers on his existing agreement. The player option for $42.3 million for the 2026-27 season carries only a partial guarantee, but Harden, who averages 25.4 points, 8.1 assists, and 4.8 rebounds per game, has been a crucial driving force behind the Clippers’ renewed success. Based on Cleaning the Glass statistics, Los Angeles’s offensive performance improves by nearly 12 points per 100 possessions when Harden is playing, positioning him in the 98th percentile among point guards. Harden’s capacity to sustain high scoring, coupled with his adept playmaking, even at 36 years old, renders him an attractive acquisition for teams vying for a championship.
Due to the Stepien Rule, the Clippers are limited to trading a maximum of two first-round draft selections in 2030 and 2032, along with a pick swap in 2031. The Oklahoma City Thunder possess control over the Clippers’ 2026 first-round selection, acquired from the Paul George transaction in 2019, while the Philadelphia 76ers hold their 2028 first-round selection, gained, somewhat ironically, from the Harden trade in 2023.
