Harden, an 11-time All-Star, was traded for the fifth time in his career after two and a half seasons at the LA Clippers.
Published On 4 Feb 2026
The Cavaliers and Clippers have finalised a trade that sends 11-time All-Star James Harden to Cleveland, with Darius Garland and a second-round pick going to Los Angeles, ESPN and The Athletic both reported late on Tuesday.
Harden, 36, was held out of the Clippers’ lineup the last two games for what the team labelled personal reasons.
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The former NBA MVP and three-time scoring champ is averaging 25.4 points, 8.1 assists and 4.8 rebounds in 44 games this season, his 17th in the NBA.
Harden could block any trade because he is technically under contract for just this season, which requires his approval for the swap. The second year of his two-year, $81.5m deal is a player option, which is not fully guaranteed.
Garland, 26, has been sidelined since January 14 with a Grade 1 righ