The trade of Darius Garland for James Harden was a polarizing one among Cleveland Cavaliers fans. Yet Saturday night’s win over the Sacramento Kings made one thing clear: Harden remains a star player in the NBA.
The final line from the box score reads 23 points, 8 assists, and a 5-8 mark from three-point range. He did finish with a plus-minus of -14, but his play in the fourth quarter made up for early mistakes.
So what grade does Harden earn for his impressive debut?
James Harden earns an A- in Cavaliers debut
🤯 JAMES HITS THREE AGAIN FOR THE LEAD. #LetEmKnow pic.twitter.com/Ny4Rx62COx
— Cleveland Cavaliers (@cavs) February 8, 2026
Harden has gained a reputation throughout his career of being a ball-dominant player. While that is true, he has proven to be adaptable and is also known as an elite facilitator. One of his main beneficiaries should be Jarrett Allen, who had 29 points and 10 rebounds, finishing 11-12 from the field. Harden draws so much attention, leaving Allen open for easy lobs.
The fourth quarter is where Harden showed Cavaliers fans his true value. He started to heat up midway through the fourth and made his impact felt with back-to-back threes to give the Cavs a 122-121 lead with 2: 39 remaining in the game.
The Kings were able to tie the game at 126-126 with under a minute remaining. Harden then sealed the win with four made free throws in the f