James Harden made a revelation about the Clippers’ Darius Garland trade
James Harden wasted no time making his presence felt in Cleveland, leading the Cavaliers to a tough 132-126 victory over the Sacramento Kings. Despite joining the team on short notice and playing without a formal workout, the veteran guard showed exactly why the organization moved to acquire him. After a slow start that saw the Cavs fall behind early, Harden found his rhythm in the final period.
Along with Donovan Mitchell, who scored 35 points, Harden took over the fourth quarter, scoring 15 of his 23 points.
His perfect shooting in the final frame, including three timely shots from beyond the arc, secured the victory and marked a historic night in which two teammates scored at least 15 points in the same fourth quarter for the first time in franchise history.
After his explosive debut, Harden shared some insight into the process that brought him to Cleveland.
According to Tomer Azarly on X, Harden discovered that the possibility of trade including him and Darius Garland it was brought to his attention a full week before the NBA trade deadline.
The guard mentioned that he has had direct conversations with Clippers CEO Lawrence Frank regarding his contract situation and the guarantees involved.
Harden noted that he understands the move as part of the business side of the league, acknowledging that the dialogue was transparent before the deal was finalized.
The revelation suggests that both sides carefully considered this blockbuster move well ahead of schedule, allowing for a smoother mental transition despite a lack of on-field preparation with his new team-mates.
And according to analyst Kendrick Perkins, sources indicate that Donovan Mitchell and James Harden is already planning to recruit LeBron James this offseason.
The idea of bringing the legend back for a final chapter in Cleveland would make for a great lineup alongside Evan Mobley.
With the Cavaliers currently sitting at 32-21 and fourth in the Eastern Conference, adding that James could be the final piece for a championship run.
For now, the team looks toward Denver while riding a streak of eight wins in its last nine games.
2026-02-08 14:42:00
